Caffeine in Tea: Which Types Have the Most and Least?

Caffeine levels in tea are influenced by many factors, including leaf position on the plant, cultivar, growing conditions, processing, leaf grade, and how you brew. While you will often hear that black tea has the most caffeine and white tea has the least, the reality is more nuanced.

Below is a practical guide to help you choose teas for the caffeine level you want, plus some energizing picks from The Whistling Kettle.

Quick guide to caffeine in tea

Typical caffeine ranges per 8 oz cup, brewed as commonly prepared at home:

Black tea: about 40 to 70 mg, USDA average is about 47 mg
Oolong tea: about 30 to 55 mg
Green tea: about 20 to 45 mg, USDA average is about 28 mg
White tea: about 15 to 40 mg
Matcha: about 60 to 70 mg per 2 g serving, you consume the entire leaf
Decaf tea: about 2 to 5 mg
Herbal “teas” (tisanes): usually 0 mg, except caffeine-containing herbs like yerba mate, guayusa, yaupon holly, and guarana

These are ranges, not rules. Leaf-to-cup caffeine can vary a lot based on the exact tea and the way you prepare it.

What actually affects caffeine in tea

Cultivar and plant variety: Camellia sinensis var. assamica, common in India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Africa, often has higher caffeine than Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, which is widely grown in China.
Leaf position and age: Buds and young, tender leaves tend to have more caffeine. Older, larger leaves usually have less. Lapsang Souchong, made from older leaves, is often on the lower end.
Shade growing: Shade-grown teas like Gyokuro build higher levels of certain amino acids and can also be higher in caffeine.
Processing: Oxidation, which turns leaves into black or oolong tea, does not create or destroy caffeine. The main drivers of caffeine in your cup are water temperature, steep time, and leaf-to-water ratio.
Brewing variables: Hotter water, longer steeps, smaller leaf grades, and higher leaf amounts extract more caffeine.

Does black tea always have the most?

Not always. When you compare equal weights of tea and brew them the same way, black, oolong, green, and white teas can overlap in caffeine. Black tea often ends up higher in the cup because it is usually steeped hotter and longer, and many black teas use smaller leaf grades that release caffeine quickly. Still, two different black teas may not differ enough for you to notice.

Also remember the “tea feel” is not just caffeine. L-theanine, an amino acid abundant in tea, promotes calm focus and can smooth out caffeine’s edge. Antioxidants like catechins, including EGCG in green tea, support wellness but are not stimulants.

Daily caffeine guidelines

For most healthy adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is considered safe by the FDA. That is roughly four 8 oz cups of brewed coffee, or many more cups of tea, since a typical 8 oz cup of black tea averages about 47 mg.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or have a health condition, talk with your healthcare provider about what is right for you.

White, green, and oolong tea

These teas usually sit below black tea in the cup, though there is overlap. Expect about 10 to 30 mg per 8 oz cup on the low end, and up to the 40s for stronger steeps or shade-grown styles. White teas made from mostly buds can be higher than expected, while white teas made from larger, older leaves tend to be lower.

Herbal tea and caffeine

Most herbal infusions are naturally caffeine free. Notable exceptions:

Yerba mate: generally about 30 to 85 mg per 8 oz, strength varies widely by preparation
Guayusa: often about 40 to 70 mg per 8 oz
Yaupon holly and guarana also contain caffeine

Teas to try for energy

Looking for a smooth lift without the coffee jitters? Try these customer favorites.

Strong Assam black teas: Assam is known for bold flavor and a brisk, wake-up character. Finer leaf cuts extract quickly for a stronger cup. Great for breakfast blends and lattes.
Happy Tea: A spirited blend featuring guayusa for a clean energy boost, with roughly 40 to 60 mg per 8 oz depending on strength.
Yerba Mate: Earthy, herbaceous, and loved across South America. Provides a steady, focused energy. Brew lighter for less caffeine or stronger for more.
Yerba Mate blends: Balanced with complementary herbs and citrus for bright flavor and a just-right lift.
Matcha: Stone-ground green tea you whisk and drink entirely. Expect about 60 to 70 mg per standard 2 g serving, along with plenty of L-theanine for calm focus. Try it straight or as a latte.

Tip: Want more or less caffeine from the same tea? Use hotter water, more leaf, and longer steeps for more, or dial all three down for less. Cold brewing extracts less caffeine and yields a smoother cup.

Key takeaways

Black tea often delivers the highest caffeine in practice, mainly because of how it is brewed, but there is overlap across tea types.
Plant variety, leaf age, shade growing, and especially brewing all influence the caffeine in your cup.
Most herbal teas are caffeine free, but yerba mate, guayusa, and yaupon holly are not.
For most adults, up to 400 mg caffeine per day is considered safe.

Ready to explore? Browse our bold Assams, energizing mate blends, and vibrant matcha to find your perfect pick-me-up.

References

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
USDA FoodData Central. Tea, brewed, prepared with tap water. Typical caffeine values for black and green tea. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
Astill C, Birch MR, Dacombe C, Humphrey PG, Martin PT. Factors affecting the caffeine and polyphenol contents of black and green tea infusions. J Agric Food Chem. 2001;49(11):5340-5347.
Liang Y, Lu J, Zhang L, Wu S, Wu Y. Estimation of tea quality by infusion color difference analysis. Part 2. Correlation of infusion color difference and chemical composition of tea infusions. Food Chem. 2003;80(3):283-290. Notes leaf position and composition differences.
Song R, Kelman D, Johns KL, Wright AD. Correlation between leaf age, shade treatment, and chemical composition of tea leaves. Food Chem. 2012;131(2):517-526.
Polito CA, Cai ZY, Shi YL, et al. Association of Theanine with attention performance and stress response. Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1203.
Heck CI, de Mejia EG. Yerba Mate Tea: A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations. J Food Sci. 2007;72(9):R138-R151.

Note: Reported caffeine values vary by source because of differences in farming, processing, serving size, and brewing.