Does caffeine-free green tea exist?

[icepinkdiamond]

Hello all! I'm a tea noob. I have recently realized that I really enjoy tea, and am just starting to try different types of tea. I am extremely sensitive to caffeine. It's both a blessing and a curse. I really enjoy green tea, but I can only have it midday because the caffeine really affects me. I did a quick search of this forum and google, but found conflicting answers and nothing definitive. My question is: is there even such a thing as caffeine free green tea? And where can I find it? I know they make decaf green tea, and I have some. Trouble is, I'm so sensitive to caffeine that even decaf can be a problem if I have it too late. I would love to have a cup of green tea some nights, but haven't been able to find some without caffeine. I have read a lot of threads in this forum about the quick 30-second flash method to reduce the caffeine content, but then I also read the recent thread regarding the study that showed the 30-sec flash method actually doesn't reduce the caffeine content. [http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=12300] Thanks!

[Chip]

In a word ... NO! All green tea has caffeine, there are lower caffeine alternatives such as houjicha, kukicha, houji-kukicha, gennmaicha. Like many other tea lovers, you have to know when to say no to the desire/craving to drink tea.

Even decaf green tea will have small amounts of caffeine, and a lot LESS flavor.

You can always go for alternative "teas" such as plain roasted mugi or genmai with no tea leaf added, these will be caffeine free.

[JBaymore]

Ah.....mugi-cha in the summer. A fond taste of Japan.

best,

.................john

[entropyembrace]

yeah if you´re that sensitive to caffeine you´ll have to try tisanes when it gets too late for green tea...

could try some like peppermint, rooibos, honeybush, chamomile and hibiscus...there´s some nice high quality loose herbal tisanes out there so you don´t have to settle for tea bags in the evening

[debunix]

there´s some nice high quality loose herbal tisanes out there so you don´t have to settle for tea bags in the evening :)

Just last weekend the most stunning tea I had was caffeine free, korean hydrangea leaf. Probably a bit too pricey for everyday, but a good reminder that there are amazing non-C. sinensis choices out there.

[icepinkdiamond]

Like many other tea lovers, you have to know when to say no to the desire/craving to drink tea.

Bummer!!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll have to work on trying new kinds of herbal teas that are caffeine-free

[brian]

I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine myself, I typically stay away from any tea after about noon. That said, I'll second Chip's suggestions to consider the houjicha or kukicha. I was looking for the same thing, a (preferably green) tea that wouldn't keep me up at night. The kukicha (made from tea stems) it naturally lower in caffeine than tea made from leaf, and the roasting process that results in houjicha reduces the caffeine as well. I went all the way, bought some houji-kukicha (roasted stem tea), and I've been able to have a cup late in the evening and haven't noticed any caffeine effect. And bonus for me, I really like the taste, I think it's great for winding down in the evening.

You might give it a try. Of course, try it first early in the day and see if you feel any effect. And a note -- while houjicha is technically "green tea" in that it is not oxidized, it is brown in color from the roasting, and the resulting tea liquor is brown in color, sweet and roasty. If you're looking for a tea with more typical green tea color and flavor, you'd probably prefer the regular, unroasted kukicha.

And if that doesn't work, on to the tisanes! As entropyembrace pointed out, nothing wrong with a good rooibos or honeybush in the evening. Add a little vanilla soy milk and it's like dessert

[Jack_teachat]

Perhaps give white tea a go if you've not already, much lower in caffeine but importantly still tea!

[Chip]

Perhaps give white tea a go if you've not already, much lower in caffeine but importantly still tea!

Possiby by leaf volume, but if you use the same weight of leaf of various teas, I believe they have about the same amount of caffeine. Sometimes there is marketing hype that touts white tea as low caffeine, beware.

I tend to like the milder more Asian tisanes versus the in your face more Western versions. Thus genmai or mugi or roasted corn sans tea is nice and warming and comforting. Tried a new one last night, gamro aka Hydrangea leaf from Hankook which is popular in Korea. Sweet and different.

[Victoria]

It's definitely a bummer. I need to stop by 3:00 pm. And I have yet to find any real enjoyable replacement, sorry to say. I keep looking. Some are better than others, but still ...

Oh and welcome to the forum!

[TokyoB]

I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine myself, I typically stay away from any tea after about noon. That said, I'll second Chip's suggestions to consider the houjicha or kukicha. I was looking for the same thing, a (preferably green) tea that wouldn't keep me up at night. The kukicha (made from tea stems) it naturally lower in caffeine than tea made from leaf, and the roasting process that results in houjicha reduces the caffeine as well. I went all the way, bought some houji-kukicha (roasted stem tea), and I've been able to have a cup late in the evening and haven't noticed any caffeine effect. And bonus for me, I really like the taste, I think it's great for winding down in the evening.

You might give it a try. Of course, try it first early in the day and see if you feel any effect. And a note -- while houjicha is technically "green tea" in that it is not oxidized, it is brown in color from the roasting, and the resulting tea liquor is brown in color, sweet and roasty. If you're looking for a tea with more typical green tea color and flavor, you'd probably prefer the regular, unroasted kukicha.

And if that doesn't work, on to the tisanes! As entropyembrace pointed out, nothing wrong with a good rooibos or honeybush in the evening. Add a little vanilla soy milk and it's like dessert

Brian,
Which houji-kukicha do you prefer for low caffeine and taste? I find even some houji (non-kukicha variety) to have some caffeine. Thanks!.

[brian]

It's the houji-kukicha from Den's.

One additional thing I should say, I'm still pretty careful when drinking it in the evening. If it's been a stressful day, or I have things from work running around in my head that may already keep me awake, I won't drink it. But if I'm feeling more mellow, I'll brew up a pot, and even a few cups from multiple infusions doesn't cause me any problems getting to sleep. I think for me at least there's a lot of "set and setting" type thing going on -- if I'm already in a good state where I'm going to be able to unwind for the evening, I find the houjicha aroma and flavor comforting and calming, even though there is certainly a little caffeine still there. I'll probably never drink it in the morning, as I just don't want to relate to it as a morning "wake up" tea (<- superstitious tea guy talking)

[iannon]

personally I have no problem with caffeine so I can drink til I go to bed...BUT my wife is super sensetive so usally drinks caffeine free after dinner. not sure what type of tea you like but my wife really likes the Adagio decaf green teas. they have some fruits added so it kicks up the flavor profile a notch over regular lower tatse dcaf. she particularly likes the decaf apricot green. I have even made a custom blend using that and spearmint and chamomile that she drinks almost daily.