Caffeine in Tea: Chart and Counter
An 8 oz cup of brewed black tea has about 47 mg of caffeine, oolong about 38 mg and green tea about 28 mg, compared with about 95 mg in brewed coffee (USDA FoodData Central). Most herbal teas and rooibos have none; yerba mate, guayusa and yaupon do, and so do blends that contain tea.
Caffeine by tea type
| Tea | Caffeine (approx.) | Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea | ≈ 47 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Oolong | ≈ 38 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Green tea | ≈ 28 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Matcha | ≈ 48 mg | 1.5 g of powder |
| White tea | varies, often 15–40 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Pu-erh | varies, often 30–70 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Hojicha | varies; listed close to sencha (MEXT) | 8 oz brewed |
| Yerba mate | varies, often 30–80 mg | 8 oz brewed |
| Most herbal teas, rooibos | 0 mg (yerba mate, guayusa and yaupon do have caffeine) | any |
| Brewed coffee | ≈ 95 mg | 8 oz brewed |
Approximate values. Sources: USDA FoodData Central (black, green and oolong tea, coffee); Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (MEXT) for matcha and hojicha. Ranges for white tea, pu-erh and yerba mate are rough estimates: real values vary widely with the leaf and how much of it you use.
Caffeine in each tea: our guides
- Does chai tea have caffeine?
- Does Earl Grey have caffeine?
- Does English Breakfast tea have caffeine?
- Does hojicha have caffeine?
- Does iced tea have caffeine?
- Does jasmine tea have caffeine?
- Does oolong have caffeine?
- Does white tea have caffeine?
- How much caffeine is in sweet tea?
- Is herbal tea caffeine-free?
- Tea vs coffee
- Black tea vs coffee
What changes the caffeine in your cup
- How much tea you use. More leaf in the same water means more caffeine.
- Steep time and water temperature. Longer, hotter steeps pull out more caffeine.
- The tea itself. Matcha is drunk as whole powdered leaf, and yerba mate varies a lot with how much leaf is used.
- Blends. A rooibos or herbal blend that also contains black or green tea, yerba mate or guayusa has caffeine.
More caffeine or none at all
For a stronger morning cup, see the best high-caffeine teas. For the evening, see the best caffeine-free teas and the best decaf teas.
Frequently asked questions
Which tea has the most caffeine?
Per serving, matcha and strong black teas are usually at the top. Yerba mate can be high too, depending on how much leaf you use.
Does green tea have less caffeine than black tea?
Usually yes. USDA data give about 28 mg for an 8 oz cup of brewed green tea and about 47 mg for black tea, but individual teas vary.
Is herbal tea caffeine-free?
Most are: chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, fruit blends and rooibos have no caffeine. Yerba mate, guayusa and yaupon are caffeinated plants, and blends that include black or green tea have caffeine too, so check the ingredients.
How much caffeine is in matcha?
About 48 mg in a 1.5 g serving, based on Japan's food composition tables. A larger serving has more.
Does decaf tea have caffeine?
A small amount remains after decaffeination, so decaf tea is low in caffeine but not caffeine-free.
