Our Pick: Jade Leaf
Check price →Tea Caffeine Chart: Black, Green, White, Oolong & Matcha (mg)
The reference table: milligrams of caffeine in every major tea type per 8 oz cup, from published USDA and laboratory ranges, with the steep-time and temperature levers that move the number.
By Justin Park · ~10 min read · Updated 2026-07-22
Our top picks
The high tier: 38 to 88 mg per bowl
Jade Leaf Matcha Ceremonial Grade, Teahouse Edition (30g)Jade Leaf
The top of the chart in a pouch: whole-leaf powder at roughly 19 to 44 mg per gram, whisked rather than steeped.
$22.99 (30g, ~15 bowls)
Check price →Read review ↓The black tier: 40 to 70 mg per cup
Twinings English Breakfast, 100 CountTwinings
The reference cup for the chart's workhorse row: a smooth breakfast black at USDA's ~47 mg typical value.
$12.38 (100 bags)
Check price →Read review ↓The green tier: 15 to 45 mg per cup
Twinings Pure Green Tea, 100 CountTwinings
The gentle middle of the chart: a mild green at USDA's ~28 mg typical value, in a big forgiving box.
$14.97 (100 bags)
Check price →Read review ↓Per 8 oz cup, brewed as typically recommended: black tea carries roughly 40 to 70 mg of caffeine, oolong 30 to 50 mg, green 15 to 45 mg, white 15 to 35 mg, decaf 2 to 5 mg, and true herbal teas 0 mg. Matcha is the outlier at roughly 38 to 88 mg per standard 2 gram serving, because you consume the whole powdered leaf. Those ranges come from USDA FoodData Central values and published laboratory analyses, and they are ranges for an honest reason: leaf, water temperature, and steep time move the number more than brand choice does.
This page is the chart, built to answer the lookup questions fast: every type in one table, the tea-vs-coffee comparison in USDA numbers, cups-per-day math against the FDA's published 400 mg adult guidance, and the three brewing levers that raise or lower any cup. For the narrative version, why tea's caffeine feels different, the L-theanine story, the history, our caffeine in tea explainer is the companion read, and matcha gets its own dedicated conversion tables in the matcha caffeine guide.
At the bottom: one verified in-stock pick per caffeine tier, high to zero, each checked live through the Amazon Creators API on July 22, 2026. We are reader-supported and may earn a commission through our links. Not medical advice; caffeine sensitivity is individual, and pregnant readers should consult a doctor about limits.
The short version
- Per 8 oz cup: black tea 40 to 70 mg, oolong 30 to 50 mg, green 15 to 45 mg, white 15 to 35 mg, decaf 2 to 5 mg, herbal 0 mg.
- Matcha: roughly 19 to 44 mg per gram (peer-reviewed range), so a standard 2 g serving is 38 to 88 mg, typically 60 to 70.
- USDA typical values: brewed black tea about 47 mg, green about 28 mg, drip coffee about 95 mg, espresso about 64 mg per 1 oz shot.
- Every cup of true tea is caffeinated; only herbal infusions (peppermint, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus) are naturally 0 mg.
- Steep time is the biggest lever you control: a 5 minute steep extracts meaningfully more caffeine than a 1 minute one; hotter water extracts faster.
- Against the FDA's published 400 mg daily adult guidance, that is roughly 6 to 8 cups of black tea or a dozen cups of green.
01 · The high tier: 38 to 88 mg per bowl
HighestJade Leaf Matcha Ceremonial Grade, Teahouse Edition (30g)
The top of the chart in a pouch: whole-leaf powder at roughly 19 to 44 mg per gram, whisked rather than steeped.
Origin & grade: USDA Organic certified first-harvest Japanese matcha from Uji and Kagoshima, per the brand.
Matcha sits alone at the chart's top because the format skips the infusion entirely: the leaf is the drink. Jade Leaf's Teahouse ceremonial is the pouch we recommend for building the habit, about $1.53 per 2 gram bowl, verified in stock at $22.99.
Grade changes flavor more than caffeine; buy ceremonial for taste, and see best matcha for the field.
- Chart tier
- Highest
- Caffeine (2 g)
- 38 to 88 mg, typically 60 to 70
- Format
- Powder, consumed whole
- Certification
- USDA Organic
- Size
- 30g (~15 bowls)
What we like
- Top of the chart, adjustable by scoop
- Organic ceremonial at a fair price
Worth noting
- Whisk-and-thermometer format
- Fades after opening
Who should buy it: Drinkers deliberately shopping the chart's high end for focus or a coffee replacement.
What we don't like: Needs a whisk and cooler water; it is the least convenient format on the chart.
Bottom line: If you are shopping the top of the chart, this is our standing matcha pick: organic, first-harvest, and smooth enough plain, with a 2 gram bowl landing at 38 to 88 mg (typically 60 to 70).
02 · The black tier: 40 to 70 mg per cup
Black TierTwinings English Breakfast, 100 Count
The reference cup for the chart's workhorse row: a smooth breakfast black at USDA's ~47 mg typical value.
Origin & grade: A blend of Kenyan, Malawian, and Assam black teas from the 300-year-old London house.
Black tea is the chart's center of gravity: roughly half a coffee per cup, strong enough to matter, mild enough to repeat. Twinings' English Breakfast is our default recommendation for the row, smooth, cheap, and individually wrapped.
The row's stronger residents, Assams and Scottish blends, are ranked in best black tea and best English Breakfast.
- Chart tier
- Black: 40 to 70 mg
- Typical cup
- ~47 mg (USDA)
- Count
- 100 wrapped bags
- Per cup
- ~12 cents
- Brew
- Boiling, 3 to 4 min
What we like
- The chart's benchmark row, cheaply
- Dose steers with the timer
Worth noting
- Milder than builder's brews
- Nothing exotic about it
Who should buy it: Anyone wanting the chart's standard daily dose in its most forgiving form.
What we don't like: Devotees of the row's ceiling will graduate to stronger blends.
Bottom line: The black tea row is where most daily drinkers live, and Twinings English Breakfast is our standing example of it: about 47 mg in a typical cup, steepable up or down the 40 to 70 range with your timer, at 12 cents a bag.
03 · The green tier: 15 to 45 mg per cup
Green TierTwinings Pure Green Tea, 100 Count
The gentle middle of the chart: a mild green at USDA's ~28 mg typical value, in a big forgiving box.
Origin & grade: 100% pure green tea in individually wrapped bags.
The green row is where afternoon drinkers belong: 15 to 45 mg, typically about 28, enough lift to notice, rarely enough to cost sleep if you stop by early evening. Twinings' version is deliberately mild and consistent bag to bag.
Whole-leaf Japanese greens, which run toward the row's top, are ranked in best green tea.
- Chart tier
- Green: 15 to 45 mg
- Typical cup
- ~28 mg (USDA)
- Count
- 100 wrapped bags
- Water
- ~175°F
- Steep
- 2 minutes
What we like
- Moderate tier, big-box price
- Consistent and forgiving for greens
Worth noting
- Mild for green tea veterans
- Punishes boiling water
Who should buy it: Afternoon drinkers and anyone stepping down from black tea's row.
What we don't like: Thin next to a good sencha; this is the row's easy chair, not its peak.
Bottom line: Green tea is the chart's moderate tier, about a third of a coffee per cup, and Twinings Pure Green is the easy way to live there: mild, consistent, and cheap enough to pour all afternoon without ceiling math.
04 · The zero tier: 0 mg
Zero Tier
Buddha Teas Organic European Peppermint, 18 Bags
The chart's true zero: single-ingredient peppermint leaf, no tea plant involved, 0 mg at any steep length.
Origin & grade: USDA Organic certified single-ingredient peppermint leaf in bleach-free bags, per the brand.
Everything above this row is a range; the herbal row is a fact. No Camellia sinensis, no caffeine, whether you steep 2 minutes or 20. Peppermint is the zero-tier pick that still reads bright and awake, which matters at the hours you are down here.
The row's other residents, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus, have their own rankings in chamomile, rooibos, and hibiscus.
- Chart tier
- Herbal: 0 mg
- Caffeine
- 0 mg at any steep
- Certification
- USDA Organic
- Count
- 18 bags
- Bag
- Bleach-free
What we like
- Guaranteed zero, any strength
- Crisp, not sleepy
Worth noting
- No lift by definition
- Small box
Who should buy it: Evening drinkers, the caffeine-sensitive, and anyone tapering a day's total to a hard zero.
What we don't like: Zero is the point, but it means zero lift; the small box also empties fast.
Bottom line: The bottom row is the only one with a guarantee: herbal infusions contain no tea leaf, so the caffeine is zero at any strength. Buddha Teas' organic peppermint is our standing example, crisp enough to feel like a real drink rather than an absence.
The chart: caffeine by tea type
All figures are per 8 oz (240 ml) cup, brewed as typically recommended for the type; matcha is per standard 2 gram serving. Ranges reflect real variation in leaf, cut, water temperature, and steep time, not measurement of any single product on this site.
| Tea type | Caffeine (typical range) | Midpoint | Vs coffee (~95 mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matcha (2 g serving) | 38 to 88 mg | ~60 to 70 mg | ~2/3 of a cup |
| Black tea | 40 to 70 mg | ~47 mg (USDA) | ~1/2 |
| Oolong tea | 30 to 50 mg | ~40 mg | ~2/5 |
| Green tea | 15 to 45 mg | ~28 mg (USDA) | ~1/3 |
| White tea | 15 to 35 mg | ~25 mg | ~1/4 |
| Decaf tea | 2 to 5 mg | ~4 mg | ~1/25 |
| Herbal (peppermint, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus) | 0 mg | 0 mg | none |
Three readings worth pinning. Matcha tops the chart not because the leaf is unusual but because the format is: powder, consumed whole, versus an infusion you discard; the full gram-by-gram math is in our matcha caffeine guide. The ranges overlap: a strong 5 minute green tea can out-caffeinate a quick 1 minute black, so type is a starting point, not a guarantee. And "decaf" is not "caffeine-free": decaffeination leaves 2 to 5 mg per cup, while herbal infusions, which contain no tea leaf at all, are the only true zeros; our decaf guide and types of tea explainer cover the distinction.
Tea vs coffee and other drinks (USDA values)
Context for the chart, using USDA FoodData Central values for the comparison drinks and Starbucks' own published menu figure for the cafe matcha:
| Drink (8 oz unless noted) | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| Brewed drip coffee | ~95 mg |
| Matcha, 2 tsp / 4 g (koicha or strong latte) | 76 to 177 mg |
| Espresso, single 1 oz shot | ~64 mg |
| Matcha, 1 tsp / 2 g (standard bowl) | 38 to 88 mg |
| Starbucks grande (16 oz) Matcha Tea Latte | 80 mg (published) |
| Black tea, steeped | ~47 mg |
| Green tea, steeped | ~28 mg |
| Decaf coffee | ~2 to 5 mg |
| Herbal tea | 0 mg |
The one-line summary: a cup of black tea is about half a coffee; a cup of green is about a third. That gap is either tea's drawback or its entire appeal, depending on which direction you are walking; our tea vs coffee and coffee switcher's guide take the second view, and matcha vs coffee covers the format that nearly closes it.
Cups per day: the chart against the FDA's 400 mg guidance
The FDA's published guidance is that up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally associated with negative effects for healthy adults. Dividing the chart's midpoints into that number gives the practical ceiling per type, assuming it is your only caffeine source:
| If you only drank... | Midpoint per cup | Cups to reach ~400 mg |
|---|---|---|
| Matcha (2 g bowls) | ~65 mg | ~6 bowls |
| Black tea | ~47 mg | ~8 cups |
| Oolong | ~40 mg | ~10 cups |
| Green tea | ~28 mg | ~14 cups |
| White tea | ~25 mg | ~16 cups |
| Decaf tea | ~4 mg | ~100 cups |
| Herbal tea | 0 mg | no limit from caffeine |
Real days mix sources, a coffee here, a matcha there, so the useful habit is knowing the chart's midpoints and adding roughly. Timing matters as much as total: caffeine commonly lingers 6 to 8 hours, which is why our study guide builds the day as a taper, black and matcha in the morning, green mid-day, herbal after dark. Pregnant and caffeine-sensitive readers should hold lower numbers and consult a doctor; none of this page is medical advice.
The three levers that move any cup's caffeine
Type sets the range; brewing picks the point inside it. Steep time is the biggest lever: caffeine extracts steadily across the steep, so 1 minute versus 5 can roughly double a cup's dose, which is why the ranges above are wide. Water temperature is second: hotter water extracts caffeine faster, so a 208°F black-tea steep pulls harder than a 175°F green-tea steep of the same length (temperatures per type are in our brewing temperature chart). Leaf form is third: the broken leaf and dust in standard bags expose more surface area and release caffeine faster than whole leaf, and a second steep of the same leaves carries meaningfully less, a free taper trick for whole-leaf drinkers.
Two persistent myths, addressed with the data: a 30 second "rinse" does not meaningfully decaffeinate a cup (it removes only a modest fraction of the caffeine while dumping flavor), and green tea is not caffeine-free, as the chart shows and our green tea caffeine explainer details. If you need a true zero, brew an herbal.
Methodology and sources
- Per-type ranges: the per-8 oz ranges published across USDA FoodData Central entries and standard laboratory analyses of brewed tea: black 40 to 70 mg, oolong 30 to 50, green 15 to 45, white 15 to 35, decaf 2 to 5, herbal 0. Cups are 8 oz (240 ml), brewed as typically recommended per type.
- USDA typical values: FoodData Central's brewed values of about 47 mg (black tea), 28 mg (green tea), 95 mg (drip coffee), and 64 mg (single 1 oz espresso shot).
- Matcha: 18.9 to 44.4 mg per gram from the 2021 peer-reviewed review of matcha chemistry (Kochman et al.), rounded to 19 to 44 throughout; a standard serving is 2 grams. Starbucks' published 80 mg figure is used for its 16 oz grande Matcha Tea Latte.
- Daily guidance: the FDA's published 400 mg per day figure for healthy adults.
- What we did not do: lab-test individual products, or state a single false-precision number where honest sources give a range. Figures are for types, not specific boxes; any product's real cup varies with your brewing.
Questions, answered
How much caffeine is in each type of tea?
Per 8 oz cup, brewed as typically recommended: black tea 40 to 70 mg, oolong 30 to 50 mg, green tea 15 to 45 mg, white tea 15 to 35 mg, decaf tea 2 to 5 mg, and herbal teas 0 mg. Matcha runs 38 to 88 mg per standard 2 gram serving because the whole powdered leaf is consumed. Figures come from USDA values and published laboratory ranges.
Which tea has the most caffeine?
Matcha, by format: at the published 19 to 44 mg per gram, a 2 gram bowl carries 38 to 88 mg and a strong 4 gram serving can reach 177 mg, more than a cup of drip coffee. Among steeped teas, black tea leads at roughly 40 to 70 mg per cup, and a long, hot steep pushes any type toward the top of its range.
Which tea has the least caffeine?
Among true teas, white tea typically brews lightest at roughly 15 to 35 mg per cup, and decaffeinated tea drops to 2 to 5 mg. The only genuinely caffeine-free cups are herbal infusions, peppermint, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus, which contain no tea plant at all and are 0 mg at any steep length.
How much caffeine is in tea compared to coffee?
USDA FoodData Central puts brewed drip coffee at about 95 mg per 8 oz cup, versus about 47 mg for black tea and 28 mg for green: roughly half and a third respectively. A single 1 oz espresso shot is about 64 mg. Matcha is tea's closest match, with a standard bowl at 38 to 88 mg and larger servings reaching or passing coffee.
Does steeping tea longer increase caffeine?
Yes, substantially; caffeine extracts steadily throughout the steep, so a 5 minute cup can carry roughly double the caffeine of a 1 minute cup of the same tea. Hotter water extracts faster as well. That is why per-type figures are honest only as ranges, and why timer discipline is the easiest caffeine control you have.
Is decaf tea completely caffeine-free?
No. Decaffeination removes most but not all caffeine, leaving roughly 2 to 5 mg per cup, which can matter to highly sensitive drinkers over several mugs. For a true zero, choose herbal infusions like peppermint, chamomile, or rooibos, which are naturally caffeine-free because they contain no tea leaf.
How many cups of tea a day is safe?
The FDA's published guidance is that up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally associated with negative effects for healthy adults, which works out to roughly 8 cups of black tea, 14 of green, or about 6 matcha bowls if tea were your only source. Sensitivity varies by person, timing affects sleep for hours, and pregnant readers should consult a doctor about lower limits.
Keep reading
How Much Caffeine Is in Tea?
The narrative companion: the why behind this page's numbers.
Matcha Caffeine by Grams, Teaspoons & Serving Size
The sibling data page: matcha's full conversion tables.
Best Tea for Studying
This chart put to work: building a focus day from high tier to zero.
Does Green Tea Have Caffeine?
The most-asked row of the chart, answered in depth.
Best Decaf Tea
Living in the 2 to 5 mg row: the decafs actually worth brewing.
Tea Bag Price Index (July 2026)
Our other original dataset: live cost per cup for 162 verified teas.