Tea and coffee are the world's two favorite ways to get a gentle lift, and both owe it to the same natural stimulant: caffeine. Caffeine is the same molecule whether it comes from a tea leaf or a coffee bean, but the amount that ends up in your cup, and how it feels, can be quite different.
Here's how the two compare, and how to pick a tea that matches the kind of energy you want.
How much caffeine is in a cup?
According to the Mayo Clinic's caffeine chart, typical amounts per 8-ounce cup look like this:
Brewed coffee: about 95 mg
Black tea: about 47 mg
Green tea: about 28 mg
These are averages, and real cups vary a lot. Still, a cup of tea usually has roughly half the caffeine of a cup of coffee, or less.
Wait, don't tea leaves have more caffeine?
By weight, dry tea leaves can actually contain more caffeine than coffee beans. The difference is how much you use. A cup of tea takes about 2–3 grams of leaf, while a cup of coffee takes roughly twice that or more in ground beans. Coffee is also brewed in a way that pulls out more of its caffeine, so the cup ends up stronger.
What changes the caffeine in your tea
Steep time. The longer the leaves sit, the more caffeine comes out.
Water temperature. Hotter water extracts caffeine faster, which is one reason green tea, brewed cooler, often ends up lower.
Amount of leaf. More tea means more caffeine.
Leaf size. Broken leaves release caffeine faster than whole leaves.
Re-steeping. The first infusion carries the most caffeine, and each one after that carries less.
Matcha. Because you whisk and drink the whole powdered leaf, matcha tends to be on the higher end for tea.
The color of the tea isn't a reliable guide on its own. Some green and white teas made from young buds can be fairly high in caffeine, while some black teas are mild.
Why tea feels different
Tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid found almost only in the tea plant. Research suggests that L-theanine and caffeine together support a calm, focused kind of alertness, which may be why many people find tea gives them a smoother lift than coffee. We dig into that research in calm focus in a cup.
Teas for every energy level
A strong morning cup: English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast.
A lighter lift: Hojicha or Kukicha, which are generally lower in caffeine.
The evening: Decaf Cream Earl Grey or one of our herbal and fruit teas, which are naturally caffeine-free. See more ideas in our caffeine-free tea guide.
How much is too much?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is generally fine for most healthy adults. That's several cups of tea. If you're pregnant, sensitive to caffeine, or taking medication, check with your doctor about what's right for you.
Coffee and tea both have their place. If you'd like a gentler, steadier lift with a lot of flavor to explore, tea is a wonderful choice.