How to Minimize Green Tea Caffeine

originated by:Julian Tai, Sondra C, Anonymous, V Rod (see all)

Green tea is delicious and very high in antioxidants. It has one drawback, however, and that is its caffeine
content, which can surprise and affect some tea drinkers deleteriously. Instead of foregoing the health benefits
of this tea, here are some simple and effective measures to enjoy green tea without suffering from its caffeine
side effects.

Steps1

Know your green tea.The younger the tea leaves, the more caffeine will be produced in the tea. The most
prized part of green tea is the terminal bud and the adjacent two leaves, also called the tea flush. They are the
sweetest, but also contain the most caffeine.

• Color is a poor indicator of caffeine levels - Gyokuro, a top level Japanese green tea, contains more caffeine
than a dark tea such as Lapsang Souchong. High grade teas are made from the bud and two adjacent leaves
(the tea flush), where the caffeine content is highly concentrated. On the plus side, these are the sweetest part
of the tea and also contain the catechins and the theanine (mentioned below). 2

Become familiar with your level of tolerance. Many experts recommend consuming no more than 300
milligrams of caffeine a day. When compared to black teas, coffee and soft drinks, green tea has been found to
provide a gentle and steady source of stimulation with few reports of common caffeine side effects, such as
nervousness or headaches. Caffeine in green tea works differently in the body because unlike coffee, green tea
also contains L-Theanine. Theanine is an amino acid that produces a calming effect on the brain (Yokogoshi et
al. 1998b). Japanese researchers have discovered that theanine is a caffeine antagonist, offsetting the "hyper"
effect of caffeine (Kakuda et al. 2000). Of the 20 different types of amino acids in tea, more than 60% are
theanine. This is unique to green tea and white tea because the steaming process does not eliminate it.
Theanine also provides the elegant taste and sweetness in green tea. To realize the cancer-fighting benefits of
green tea, researchers generally agree that drinking 14-16 ounces (415-475 mL) per day is reasonable. [1]. If
there's is 30 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup of green tea, drinking the recommended amount translates into 60 mg
of caffeine per day (much less than 300 mg), and even that caffeine level can be reduced by following the
instructions in this article. Here is a comparison of caffeine content is various beverages. Coffee (5 oz.cup) 40 -
170 mg.; Cola (12 oz. can) 30 - 60 mg.; Black Tea 8 oz. cup 25 - 110 mg.; Oolong Tea 8 oz. cup 12 - 55 mg.;
Green Tea 8 oz. cup 8 - 30 mg.; White Tea 8 oz. cup 6 - 25 mg; Decaf Tea 8 oz. cup 1 - 4 mg. 3

Drink green teas known to be naturally low in caffeine. Some green tea's are processed in such a way as
to be naturally low in caffeine. Here are three: 1) Japanese houjicha green tea is pan-fried or oven roasted. The
tea is fried at high temperature and the roasted flavor predominates this blend. The main types of Houjicha are
light and deep-fried. The deeper fried leaf produces a deeper roast aroma and taste. 2) Japanese genmaicha is
a blend of bancha green tea and Genmai (roasted rice grain). The proportioning of tea to rice is important, the
more aromatic Genmaicha teas have a higher amount of rice. 3) Japanese Bancha is a coarser and heavier
grade of green tea, representing a late season crop. Bancha is a class of sencha harvested as a second flush
tea between summer and autumn containing less caffeine. Caffeine comparisons per serving are as follows:
Black Tea 0.05%; Gyokuro Green Tea 0.02%; Sencha Green Tea 0.015%; Houjicha Green Tea 0.008%;
Genmaicha Green Tea. 4

Purchase Green Tea that is decaffeinated. There are two types of decaffeination processes used for tea. Be
sure to purchase green tea that uses the far healthier natural decaffeination process called “effervescence.” It
use no chemicals, and instead relies on a natural process using water and carbon dioxide (C02) that retains 95
percent of the polyphenols. The other process sometimes somewhat cynically referred to as "natural
decaffeination" uses the chemical solvent ethyl acetate, retaining only 30 percent of the healthy polyphenols.
Both coffee beans and tea leaves are chemically decaffeinated with ethyl acetate as a solvent/diluent, because
of its low cost, low toxicity, and agreeable odor. However its other uses are to clean circuit boards, in some nail
varnish removers and in paints as an activator [2]. Note that any decaffeination process will alter the taste to
some extent. Always check the label to ensure the effervescence or C02 process is used. 5
 Avoid green tea teabags. Green tea teabags contain a lot more caffeine - and you will suffer some loss of
quality as the teabags are poorer in flavor than the loose green tea leaves. Try to buy loose green tea leaves.
You can use the same high-quality leaves three times before throwing them away, so after you've thrown out
the first infusion (as described below), you still have two more cups of green tea to enjoy. 6

Throw away the first infusion. Caffeine is quicker to dissolve than the other tea compounds. Dr Andrew Weil,
the noted Doctor and Nutritionist states that you can remove most of the caffeine on your own by steeping the
tea for 45 seconds in hot water and then pouring off the liquid. He states that up to 80 percent of the caffeine is
released in the first infusion of water so only minimal amounts will remain when you add water the second time.
This method eliminates very little of the tea's flavor and aroma [3]. The length of the first infusion can affect the
strength of the second infusion--the longer the infusion, the blander the next, but also the lower the caffeine
presence. Try to find the longest first infusion time that still preserves enough green tea flavor for your liking. 7

Start slowly. One cup of green tea can contain anywhere from 15 to 75 milligrams of caffeine. The best thing
that you can do is to try green tea in small doses and monitor your own reactions. Start with a half of a cup per
day and increase the amount gradually, observing your reaction to the increase and adjusting accordingly. If
you feel calmly stimulated and content, you will know that green tea works for you. 8

Brew your green tea half strength. This can be a helpful solution if you are suffering from caffeine
intolerance. Purchasing loose green tea will allow you to adjust how many leaves are brewed in your tea. Most
people brew approximately one to two teaspoons of loose green tea per cup; [4] you can try cutting that in half. If
the resulting brew is too weak, increase it little by little. 9

Drink it hot. Green tea contains catechins (location of the antioxidants) and theanine (provides sweetness and
freshness) that reduce caffeine activity. Brewing green tea allows these molecules to combine with caffeine in
hot water, rendering the caffeine less effective. If you let it cool off too much after brewing, the catechins break
down and more caffeine is released.

edit Tips

 If drinking green tea still has undesirable effects, consider the alternatives. Flower and herbal infusions
are not Camellia sinensis and do not contain caffeine. Rooibos and honeybush, both from South
Africa, do not contain caffeine but do contain high levels of antioxidants, however, so you still get the
 health benefits minus the caffeine. Or consider a blend of the two (rooibos and green tea) to half the
caffeine content.
 If green tea is steeped in cooler water (158 degrees F), relatively more caffeine and antioxidant
polyphenols will be extracted in the second infusion. When hotter water (about 185 degrees F and
above) is used, more caffeine and polyphenols will be extracted during the first infusion. (See Source
by Yang et al below.)
 Be aware that the green tea polyphenols, such as epigallocatechin gallate, are the primary
antioxidants that are found in green tea. These antioxidants have been consistently shown to protect
liver function due to their antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. The polyphenols may also
protect against certain types of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease. It is
also assumed that the polyphenols help to protect against the deleterious effects of caffeine. It has
been theorized that when caffeine is consumed in moderation, especially as a natural part of a
polyphenol-rich beverage such as green tea, the caffeine actually provides health benefits. (See
Sources by Zhen et al, Chen et al, Wang et al, and Paganini-Hill et al below.)
 Theanine is calming and has been shown to partially counteract the rise in blood pressure that can
occur with caffeine intake. (See Source by Rogers et al below.)

edit Warnings

 Enviga

Avoid any green tea energy drink. Many, but not all soft drink versions of green tea contain a high
concentration of caffeine. Coca-cola’s Enviga, for example, contains 100 milligrams of caffeine per
serving. They also contain quite a high amount of sugar that doesn't provide any health benefits
(although some brands like Enviga contain no sugar).

 If you are pregnant or have a medical condition and have been advised to reduce your caffeine intake,
consult with your doctor before consuming green tea on a regular basis. While research indicates
green tea is generally a healthy, beneficial beverage, in some circumstances such as with specific
health conditions or drug interactions it is not recommended [5].
 Don't go overboard. The caffeine in green tea isn't the only thing that might be bad in large quantities.
The polyphenols found in green tea, when consumed excessively, can cause liver and kidney damage.
Don't drink more than 10 cups per day, and be careful with green tea supplements, which can contain
50 times the polyphenol found in one cup of green tea. [6]