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Short answer: An 8-ounce cup of brewed black tea has about 47 mg of caffeine and green tea about 29 mg, according to USDA data, compared with about 95 mg in the same amount of brewed coffee. The FDA lists typical amounts for a 12-ounce drink of about 71 mg for black tea and 37 mg for green tea. Matcha can have more, roughly 28 to 70 mg in a drink made with 2 grams of powder, because you drink the whole leaf. Herbal teas such as chamomile and hibiscus have no caffeine, while decaf tea still has a little.
Tea is often thought of as the gentle alternative to coffee, but most tea does contain caffeine, and the amount varies more than you might expect. Here is how much caffeine is in black, green, oolong, white and herbal teas, matcha, iced and bottled tea, and what changes the amount in your cup.
What you'll learn
- How much caffeine is in black, green, oolong and white tea
- How matcha, bottled and instant tea compare
- Which teas are caffeine-free
- How tea compares with coffee, and what changes the amount
Caffeine in tea: a quick comparison
Approximate caffeine per serving, from USDA FoodData Central (USDA FoodData Central) unless noted:
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea, brewed | 8 fl oz | 47 mg |
| Oolong tea, brewed | 8 fl oz | 38 mg |
| Green tea, brewed | 8 fl oz | 29 mg |
| Matcha | Made with 2 g of powder | 28 to 70 mg (Meyer et al., 2023; Koláčková et al., 2022) |
| Instant tea, prepared | 8 fl oz | 26 mg |
| Bottled black tea | 16 fl oz | 52 mg |
| Bottled green tea, unsweetened | 16 fl oz | 57 mg |
| Bottled decaf black tea | 8 fl oz | 2 mg |
| Chamomile or hibiscus tea | 8 fl oz | 0 mg |
| Brewed coffee, for comparison | 8 fl oz | 95 mg |
The FDA gives typical amounts for a larger 12-ounce drink: about 71 mg for black tea and 37 mg for green tea, compared with 113 to 247 mg for regular brewed coffee (FDA).
How much caffeine is in green tea?
About 29 mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed green tea (USDA FoodData Central), or about 37 mg in 12 ounces (FDA). That is roughly a third of the caffeine in the same amount of brewed coffee. Bottled green teas can have more, because a bottle is often 16 ounces or larger; check the label.
How much caffeine is in black tea?
About 47 mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed black tea (USDA FoodData Central), or about 71 mg in 12 ounces (FDA). It typically has more caffeine per cup than green tea, but still about half of what brewed coffee has.
Oolong and white tea
Brewed oolong falls between black and green, at about 38 mg per 8 ounces (USDA FoodData Central). We could not find a USDA value for brewed white tea. An analysis of 37 commercial teas found that the leaves of white, green, oolong and black teas contained similar amounts of caffeine, about 16 to 19 mg per gram (Boros et al., 2016). That means much of the difference in your cup comes from how much tea you use and how you brew it, not just the type of tea.
How much caffeine is in matcha?
Matcha is powdered green tea leaf that you drink whole rather than steeping and discarding. Lab tests of matcha powders have found about 14 to 35 mg of caffeine per gram (Meyer et al., 2023; Koláčková et al., 2022), so a drink made with 2 grams has roughly 28 to 70 mg. Bagged green teas generally had less caffeine than matcha (Meyer et al., 2023). For more, see does matcha have caffeine? and matcha vs coffee.
Which teas have no caffeine?
Herbal teas made without the tea plant, such as chamomile and hibiscus, contain no caffeine (USDA FoodData Central). Decaf tea is different: decaffeinated coffees and teas have less caffeine than regular versions, but they still contain some (FDA). A bottled decaf black tea has about 2 mg per cup (USDA FoodData Central). If you need to avoid caffeine completely, choose a true herbal tea and check the ingredients, since some herbal blends include green or black tea.
What changes the caffeine in your cup
- The amount of tea. More leaves or a stronger bag means more caffeine.
- How you brew it. Hot water pulls compounds out of tea leaves faster than cold steeping (Lantano et al., 2015), so brewing method and steeping time change how much ends up in your cup.
- Serving size. A large iced tea or a 16-ounce bottle can easily have double the caffeine of a standard cup.
- The product. Caffeine varies widely even within one type of tea (Boros et al., 2016), so the numbers above are averages.
Tea, caffeine and sleep
Tea's caffeine counts toward your daily total just like coffee's. The FDA says up to 400 mg a day is not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults (FDA). For sleep, research suggests finishing a typical cup of coffee (about 107 mg) at least 8.8 hours before bed (Gardiner et al., 2023); a cup of tea has less, but late-evening black tea or matcha can still matter if you are sensitive. Tea also contains L-theanine, which may make its caffeine feel different; see what is L-theanine?
Common myths (quick reality check)
Myth: Tea has no caffeine. Reality: Most tea does. An 8-ounce cup of black tea has about 47 mg and green tea about 29 mg. Only true herbal teas are caffeine-free.
Myth: Green tea has almost no caffeine. Reality: Green tea has about 29 mg per 8 ounces, and matcha can have 28 to 70 mg in a 2-gram drink.
Myth: Decaf tea is caffeine-free. Reality: Decaf teas have less caffeine, but still contain some.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How much caffeine is in green tea?
About 29 mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed green tea, or about 37 mg in 12 ounces.
How much caffeine is in black tea?
About 47 mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed black tea, or about 71 mg in 12 ounces.
Does green tea have caffeine?
Yes. Green tea has about a third of the caffeine of the same amount of brewed coffee.
Which tea has the most caffeine?
Per cup, black tea and matcha tend to have the most. Tea leaves of different types have similar caffeine per gram, so how much you use and how you brew matter.
Which teas are caffeine-free?
Herbal teas such as chamomile and hibiscus have no caffeine. Decaf tea still has a small amount.
Does tea have less caffeine than coffee?
Usually. An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg, compared with about 47 mg for black tea and 29 mg for green tea.
Related guides
- How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
- Does matcha have caffeine?
- Does decaf coffee have caffeine?
- How long does caffeine stay in your system?
- What is L-theanine?
Disclaimer and when to seek help
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your health care provider about caffeine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition, anxiety or sleep problems, or take medication.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central (SR Legacy: tea, black, brewed; tea, green, brewed; tea, oolong, brewed; tea, green, decaffeinated; chamomile; hibiscus; ready-to-drink and instant teas; coffee, brewed).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?"
- Boros K, Jedlinszki N, Csupor D. "Theanine and Caffeine Content of Infusions Prepared from Commercial Tea Samples." Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2016;12(45):75-79. doi:10.4103/0973-1296.176061
- Meyer BR, et al. "Catechin composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant properties of commercially-available bagged, gunpowder, and matcha green teas." Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2023;78(4):662-669. doi:10.1007/s11130-023-01121-2
- Koláčková T, et al. "The effect of in vitro digestion on matcha tea (Camellia sinensis) active components and antioxidant activity." Antioxidants, 2022;11(5):889. doi:10.3390/antiox11050889
- Lantano C, et al. "Effects of alternative steeping methods on composition, antioxidant property and colour of green, black and oolong tea infusions." Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2015;52(12):8276-8283. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-1971-4
- Gardiner C, et al. "The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2023;69:101764. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101764
