Does Green Tea Have Caffeine? How Much & How to Lower It
Yes — but a cup of green tea has roughly a third the caffeine of brewed coffee. Here are the real numbers, an honest comparison, and the brewing tricks that actually cut it down.
By The Best Tea Bags Desk · 9 min read · 2026-06-14
Yes, green tea has caffeine. Every true tea — green, black, white, oolong, pu-erh — comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, and that plant naturally produces caffeine. So if a tea is labeled "green tea," it is caffeinated unless the package specifically says decaffeinated or caffeine-free. The herbal "teas" that have no caffeine at all — chamomile, peppermint, rooibos — aren't technically tea; they're infusions of other plants.
Here's the number most people are actually looking for: a standard 8-ounce cup of green tea contains roughly 28 mg of caffeine on average, according to USDA food composition data, with a typical range of about 20–45 mg depending on the leaf, the water temperature, and how long you steep. For comparison, the same size cup of brewed coffee runs around 96 mg. In other words, green tea delivers a real but gentle lift — about a quarter to a third of what coffee does.
The good news for anyone who loves the taste but wants less of the buzz: caffeine is highly water-soluble and temperature-sensitive, which means how you brew matters as much as which tea you buy. Cooler water, shorter steeps, and choosing the right style of green tea can meaningfully lower the dose in your cup. Below, we lay out the real numbers, compare green tea to coffee and other drinks, and walk through the brewing adjustments that genuinely work — plus the ones that are myths.
The short version
- Green tea is caffeinated — a typical 8 oz cup averages about 28 mg of caffeine (USDA), roughly one-third the caffeine of an equivalent cup of coffee (~96 mg).
- Caffeine content varies widely by tea: matcha can hit 60–70 mg per serving because you consume the whole leaf, while a light hojicha or genmaicha may land closer to 15–25 mg.
- Cooler water and shorter steeps extract less caffeine — brewing at 160–175°F for 1–2 minutes pulls noticeably less than a long, near-boiling steep.
- The popular '30-second rinse to decaffeinate' trick is a myth: a short rinse removes only a small fraction of caffeine, not most of it.
- Naturally caffeine-free options exist — rooibos, peppermint, and chamomile are herbal infusions, not true tea, so they contain zero caffeine.
| Drink | Typical serving | Caffeine (avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green tea (bagged or loose) | 8 oz (240 ml) | ~28 mg | USDA average; range ~20–45 mg by leaf & steep |
| Matcha (whole-leaf powder) | 1 tsp / ~2 g | ~60–70 mg | Higher because you ingest the entire leaf |
| Black tea | 8 oz (240 ml) | ~47 mg | More oxidized, generally higher than green |
| White tea | 8 oz (240 ml) | ~15–30 mg | Often lower, but varies widely by cultivar |
| Brewed coffee | 8 oz (240 ml) | ~96 mg | FDA cites ~80–100 mg for an 8 oz cup |
| Espresso | 1 oz (30 ml) shot | ~63 mg | Concentrated, but a small serving |
| Cola (caffeinated) | 12 oz (355 ml) | ~34 mg | Comparable to a cup of green tea |
| Decaf green tea | 8 oz (240 ml) | ~2–5 mg | Trace amounts; not zero |
| Rooibos / chamomile / peppermint | 8 oz (240 ml) | 0 mg | Herbal infusions — not true tea |
Caffeine per typical serving: green tea vs. other common drinks. Tea and coffee figures reflect USDA FoodData Central averages and FDA guidance; actual amounts vary with brewing.
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Question 1 of 6
What do you want your tea to do for you?
How much caffeine is in green tea, really?
The honest answer is: it depends, but the average is well-established. The USDA's FoodData Central lists brewed green tea at roughly 28 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. Independent testing and academic reviews generally place the practical range at about 20 to 45 mg per cup, which captures most of what you'll actually pour at home.
Why the spread? Three factors do most of the work:
1. The leaf itself. Younger leaves and buds tend to carry more caffeine than older, larger leaves. Shade-grown Japanese greens like gyokuro are notably higher; roasted or twig-heavy styles like hojicha and kukicha are lower.
2. How you brew it. Hotter water and longer steeps pull more caffeine into the cup. A near-boiling 4-minute steep extracts substantially more than a 175°F, 90-second steep of the same leaf.
3. How much leaf you use. A heaping versus level scoop changes the dose. Bagged tea is portioned for you (usually ~2 g), but loose-leaf is whatever you measure.
Matcha is the outlier worth flagging. Because you whisk powdered whole leaves into water and drink the lot, a single 2-gram serving commonly lands around 60–70 mg — closer to a strong cup of black tea or a shot-and-a-half of espresso. If you're choosing green tea specifically to dial back caffeine, steeped green tea (not matcha) is the gentler pick.
Green tea vs. coffee: the caffeine difference
The single most useful comparison is the one most people make in their kitchen at 7 a.m.: green tea versus coffee. The FDA notes that an 8-ounce cup of coffee generally contains 80 to 100 mg of caffeine. Green tea, at roughly 28 mg, sits comfortably below a third of that.
But the felt experience isn't only about the number. Tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that many drinkers — and a growing body of research — associate with a steadier, calmer kind of alertness. The combination of moderate caffeine plus L-theanine is the reason green tea is often described as giving focus without the spike-and-crash that a large coffee can produce. We're careful here: L-theanine may support a sense of calm focus, and it isn't a treatment for anything. But the practical upshot is real — a cup of green tea is a lower, smoother dose.
If your goal is simply less caffeine while keeping a warm, ritual morning drink, green tea is one of the easiest swaps you can make. If your goal is zero caffeine, you'll want a herbal infusion instead (more on that below).
How to brew green tea for less caffeine (what works)
Because caffeine is water-soluble and extracts faster in hotter water, you have genuine control over how much ends up in your cup. These adjustments are backed by how extraction physically works, and they also happen to make for a sweeter, less bitter cup:
Use cooler water. Aim for 160–175°F (70–80°C) rather than a rolling boil. Lower temperatures extract less caffeine per minute — and protect green tea's delicate flavor from turning bitter. If you don't have a variable-temperature kettle, boil and then let the water sit for 3–4 minutes before pouring.
Steep for less time. A 1- to 2-minute steep pulls noticeably less caffeine than a 4-minute one. Shorter steeps give you a lighter cup; you can always add a splash more leaf next time if you want more flavor without more time.
Choose a lower-caffeine style. Reach for hojicha (roasted green tea), kukicha (twig tea), or genmaicha (green tea blended with toasted rice). These naturally contain less caffeine per cup than a young, shade-grown leaf — and the rice or roast adds body that masks the lighter brew.
Re-steep your leaves. A large share of the caffeine comes out in the first infusion. A second steep of the same loose leaves yields a milder, lower-caffeine cup — a nice option for an afternoon refill.
And the myth to retire: the 30-second rinse. The idea that a quick first steep washes away most of the caffeine, leaving a decaffeinated second cup, doesn't hold up — controlled measurements show a short rinse removes only a modest fraction (often well under a third) of the caffeine. It's a flavor and leaf-opening step, not a decaffeination method. If you need truly low caffeine, buy a decaf green tea or a herbal infusion.
Who should watch their green tea intake
For most healthy adults, green tea's modest caffeine is a non-issue — the FDA considers up to about 400 mg of caffeine per day generally safe for healthy adults, which is well over a dozen cups of green tea. Still, a few groups benefit from paying attention:
People sensitive to caffeine may notice even green tea's lighter dose, especially in the afternoon. Caffeine has a half-life of several hours, so a late-day cup can linger; switching to hojicha, decaf, or a herbal infusion after midday is a simple fix.
Anyone who is pregnant or nursing should follow their clinician's guidance — health authorities commonly suggest limiting total caffeine (often to around 200 mg/day during pregnancy), and green tea counts toward that total.
People taking certain medications should check with a pharmacist, since caffeine can interact with some drugs. This isn't medical advice — when in doubt, ask a professional who knows your situation.
None of this is cause for alarm. It's simply a reminder that green tea is a caffeinated beverage, and a little awareness of timing and total intake goes a long way.
Key terms
- Camellia sinensis
- The tea plant. Green, black, white, oolong, and pu-erh all come from it — and all naturally contain caffeine. Herbal teas like chamomile and rooibos do not come from this plant.
- L-theanine
- An amino acid abundant in tea leaves that may promote a calm, focused state. It's often credited with making green tea's caffeine feel smoother and less jittery than coffee's.
- Matcha
- Stone-ground whole green tea leaves whisked into water. Because you consume the entire leaf rather than an infusion, matcha delivers more caffeine per serving than steeped green tea.
- Decaffeinated
- Tea processed to remove most caffeine. 'Decaf' is not caffeine-free — a cup typically retains a few milligrams. Only herbal infusions are truly caffeine-free.
- Steep time
- How long leaves sit in hot water. Longer steeps extract more caffeine (and more flavor and bitterness); shorter steeps extract less.
Questions, answered
Does green tea have more or less caffeine than coffee?
Less — substantially. An 8 oz cup of green tea averages about 28 mg of caffeine, while the same size cup of brewed coffee runs around 96 mg (the FDA cites 80–100 mg). Green tea delivers roughly a quarter to a third of coffee's caffeine.
Is there a caffeine-free green tea?
Decaffeinated green tea exists and retains only trace caffeine (about 2–5 mg per cup), but it is not completely caffeine-free. For zero caffeine, choose a herbal infusion like rooibos, peppermint, or chamomile — these aren't made from the tea plant and contain no caffeine at all.
Does matcha have more caffeine than regular green tea?
Yes. Because matcha is powdered whole leaf that you whisk into water and drink entirely, a typical 2-gram serving contains roughly 60–70 mg of caffeine — more than double a steeped cup of green tea, and closer to a strong black tea or a small coffee.
Does steeping green tea longer increase caffeine?
Yes. Caffeine extracts continuously as the leaves sit in hot water, so a 4-minute steep pulls more caffeine than a 1–2 minute one. Hotter water also speeds extraction. For a lower-caffeine cup, use cooler water (160–175°F) and steep briefly.
Can you remove caffeine from green tea by rinsing the leaves first?
Not effectively. The popular 30-second rinse only removes a modest fraction of the caffeine — not most of it, as the myth claims. It's useful for opening the leaves and rinsing dust, but it won't decaffeinate your tea. Use a true decaf or a herbal infusion instead.
How much green tea can I safely drink in a day?
The FDA considers up to about 400 mg of caffeine per day generally safe for healthy adults, which is well over a dozen cups of green tea. People who are caffeine-sensitive, pregnant, nursing, or on certain medications should aim lower and consult a clinician. This is general information, not medical advice.
Which green tea has the least caffeine?
Roasted and twig-forward styles tend to be lowest: hojicha (roasted green tea), kukicha (twig tea), and genmaicha (green tea with toasted rice) generally contain less caffeine per cup than young, shade-grown leaves like gyokuro. Decaf green tea is lower still.
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