Caffeine

Understanding caffeine in tea and the decaffeination process.

De-Caffeination

The CO2 process delivers a natural, de-caffeinated tea in the purest way possible. Carbon dioxide, acting as a solvent in a super critical state under high-pressure & low temperature, dissolves all active components from natural materials in the leaf.

By varying the extraction/separation pressures & temperatures, CO2 makes it possible to selectively extract only the caffeine, leaving the flavor intact.

As a solvent, carbon dioxide is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, germicidal, food-safe & non-combustible & the process does not cause environmental harm.

Important Note

Individuals who are truly caffeine sensitive might consider avoiding decaffeinated products as there will always be some trace amounts of caffeine remaining. Legally, only 97.5% of the caffeine is required to be removed. For individuals who are caffeine sensitive, the best options are Tisanes.

Caffeine in Tea

There is much controversy surrounding caffeine & its effects. Taken in moderation, caffeine increases alertness, reviving the spirits of the tea drinker.

Tea contains caffeine. Tea, per pound of tea leaf, contains more caffeine than coffee per pound of bean. But because more ground coffee is typically used to brew a cup of coffee than tea is used for a cuppa, the average cup of tea contains less than half the caffeine than the average cup of coffee.

One cannot generally tell the amount of caffeine based on the taste of the tea.

Factors Affecting Caffeine

Caffeine content in tea depends on several factors:

  • Where the tea was grown
  • The method or style of infusing
  • The type of tea
  • The temperature of the water

Green Tea vs Black Tea

Contrary to popular opinion, green tea does not necessarily contain less caffeine than black tea.

Although because green leaves are generally from var. Sinensis Chinese shrubs, they will sometimes produce a beverage which has lower amounts of caffeine than black teas, which are typically produced from var. Assamica Indian teas.

Average Caffeine Content

25-50mg Cup of Tea
vs
95-200mg Cup of Coffee