Caffeine in Tea – Your Questions Answered

One question we get asked often at Twinings, is ‘Is there caffeine in tea?’. The truth is, it’s not a simple yes or no answer, as there are so many teas and infusions available! But fear not! We’ve put together this handy guide for the caffeine-conscious among you.

Types of Tea

There are six main types of tea, (‘tea’ refers only to those produced using leaves and buds from the Camellia Sinensis plant), all of which contain naturally occurring caffeine. Herbal and fruit ‘teas’ (more correctly known as ‘infusions’) do not contain the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Ultimately, the amount of caffeine in tea varies greatly depending on the heat of the water, the type of tea, and how long it’s been brewed for, so if you’re monitoring your caffeine intake, one of our delicious decaf teas or fruit & Herbal infusions is a great option.

Black Tea

Black tea is one of the six main types of tea. Popular varieties of Black tea include; English Breakfast tea, Chai tea, Earl Grey, Lapsang Souchong and Darjeeling. All come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, which naturally contains caffeine (although a typical cup will have considerably less caffeine than a cup of coffee).

Green Tea

Green tea, like the other teas, contains naturally occurring caffeine. However, because it’s typically brewed for less time at lower temperatures than black tea, less caffeine tends to be released.

There are loads of exciting Green teas available to explore, and they’re a great choice if you want to avoid the higher caffeine content of black teas. Popular Green tea varieties include; Jasmine green tea and Sencha tea, along with our famously eclectic selection of flavoured Green teas!

Fruit & Herbal Tea - Twinings Strawberry & Raspberry Infusion

Fruit & Herbal Teas

Herbal and fruit ‘teas’, or infusions, do not contain leaves or buds from the Camellia Sinensis plant, so they are naturally caffeine free (and delicious!). We have an enormous range of infusions for you to discover. Some of our favourites include lemon & ginger, fennel, camomile and peppermint!

Rooibos

Rooibos (also known as ‘red bush’ or African red tea), like herbal and fruit teas, is technically an infusion. Made from leaves of the South African Rooibos plant, Rooibos tea is naturally completely caffeine free.

Why not check out some of our caffeine free herbal teas or decaffeinated teas?