does anyone know if the different green teas sold on adagio have different amounts of caffeine?
if yes which ones have the most?
in general how do black teas and green teas compare caffeine wise?
i know that white tea has significantly less caffeine than green tea.
Can't answer you Adagio query I'm afraid. As far as black and green tea go, I believe green tea is supposed to have around a third of the caffeine as black. I'm not sure about the difference between white and green, but I've never read anything which has said anything about white tea having significantly less.
Jack
Jack
I believe the buds have a greater concentration of caffeine and polyphenols than the leaves. Thus white teas or teas with high concentration of buds should be higher in caffeine content.
I have heard that Anji green is made from a tea bush naturally low in caffeine.
Thus a very relaxing tea, theanine high, low caffeine.
I have heard that Anji green is made from a tea bush naturally low in caffeine.
Thus a very relaxing tea, theanine high, low caffeine.
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
Jan 29th, '09, 11:11
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This is a somewhat controversial or at least highly debated topic. My perception is that by weight, most leaf will have similar amounts of caffeine. By volume, black will typically have more since it is more dense than green or white.
So, a teaspoon of black will have more than a teaspoon of green or white which is more fluffy and lighter.
However, a gram of black, oolong, green, or white will likely have similar amounts of caffeine, IMmostHO. But as Woozl just mentioned, if it is bud ... or at least very young actively growing leaf, it is likely to have more caffeine. But many blacks, greens, and whites and even oolongs have this content, so it is difficult to draw a conclusion about this.
It is possible that some varietals of the species may have slightly more caffeine, but this is more likely to be small differences.
It is possible that some production methods may reduce caffeine, this is the industry claim. Roasted houjicha for instance is claimed to be very low in caffeine due to the slow and long roasting (versus a fast roast which reduces the caffeine supposedly much less). I have heard similar commentary regarding pu-erh. It seems the less processed the leaf is, the more caffeine it seems to have. Following this argument would lead us to conclude that greens and whites have more caffeine.
But what do I know ...
So, a teaspoon of black will have more than a teaspoon of green or white which is more fluffy and lighter.
However, a gram of black, oolong, green, or white will likely have similar amounts of caffeine, IMmostHO. But as Woozl just mentioned, if it is bud ... or at least very young actively growing leaf, it is likely to have more caffeine. But many blacks, greens, and whites and even oolongs have this content, so it is difficult to draw a conclusion about this.
It is possible that some varietals of the species may have slightly more caffeine, but this is more likely to be small differences.
It is possible that some production methods may reduce caffeine, this is the industry claim. Roasted houjicha for instance is claimed to be very low in caffeine due to the slow and long roasting (versus a fast roast which reduces the caffeine supposedly much less). I have heard similar commentary regarding pu-erh. It seems the less processed the leaf is, the more caffeine it seems to have. Following this argument would lead us to conclude that greens and whites have more caffeine.
But what do I know ...
Jan 29th, '09, 11:27
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Looking at the answer from another angle
Tea caffeine-like compounds don't have the same effects on the human brain as coffee, for a very important reasons: theanine
Theanine is the natural 'couple' to caffeine, in that it counteracts the effects of caffeine. Unlike coffee, the effect of caffeine on brain stimulation is modulated by theanine.
L-Theanine and Caffeine in Combination Affect Human Cognition... American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 138:1572S-1577S, August 2008
It has been shown to induce brain waves known to be associated with calm but focused attention.
Because highly water solution caffeine can be extracted more efficiently in partially and fully oxidized teas (think of them as having tiny holes punched in the leaf structure, versus the intact leaves of unoxidized teas), you are likely to get more effect from teas that have 'lossy' effects from oxidation of theanine, so that the effect of the caffeine isn't modulated as it would be in green teas.
Among the green teas, those that have larger and not so young leaves will have caffeine that isn't heavily modulated by theanine. Theanine content in green teas ranges from 4-6 mg per gram of leaf, whereas the content in black and oolong teas may be as low as 1.5-2 mg/g of leaf.
If you are looking for a jolt from caffeine, use the first short infusion and discard the rest, because by infusions 3-4, you're extracting the theanine and that will reduce the caffeine vasodilation effects that temporarily increase brain blood flow and enhance cognition and also induces an epinephrine (adrenaline) release.
Theanine not only counters the vasodilation effects of the caffeine family of stimulants, it directly binds to the transporters that move glutamate from its storage point to neurotransmitter receptors - this tempers the glutamate action associated with nerve cell stimulation.
So you want less theanine and more caffeine, by choosing certain teas lower in theanine and you can influence caffeine dose by using first infusion.
But you can get the same effect by choosing a low theanine content black tea or more oxidized oolongs - known for their caffeine punch if the tea leaves aren't 'washed'. The choice to wash or not wash addresses whether or not the user is interested in the retention of quick release aromatic compounds that comprise flavor.
Theanine is the natural 'couple' to caffeine, in that it counteracts the effects of caffeine. Unlike coffee, the effect of caffeine on brain stimulation is modulated by theanine.
L-Theanine and Caffeine in Combination Affect Human Cognition... American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 138:1572S-1577S, August 2008
It has been shown to induce brain waves known to be associated with calm but focused attention.
Because highly water solution caffeine can be extracted more efficiently in partially and fully oxidized teas (think of them as having tiny holes punched in the leaf structure, versus the intact leaves of unoxidized teas), you are likely to get more effect from teas that have 'lossy' effects from oxidation of theanine, so that the effect of the caffeine isn't modulated as it would be in green teas.
Among the green teas, those that have larger and not so young leaves will have caffeine that isn't heavily modulated by theanine. Theanine content in green teas ranges from 4-6 mg per gram of leaf, whereas the content in black and oolong teas may be as low as 1.5-2 mg/g of leaf.
If you are looking for a jolt from caffeine, use the first short infusion and discard the rest, because by infusions 3-4, you're extracting the theanine and that will reduce the caffeine vasodilation effects that temporarily increase brain blood flow and enhance cognition and also induces an epinephrine (adrenaline) release.
Theanine not only counters the vasodilation effects of the caffeine family of stimulants, it directly binds to the transporters that move glutamate from its storage point to neurotransmitter receptors - this tempers the glutamate action associated with nerve cell stimulation.
So you want less theanine and more caffeine, by choosing certain teas lower in theanine and you can influence caffeine dose by using first infusion.
But you can get the same effect by choosing a low theanine content black tea or more oxidized oolongs - known for their caffeine punch if the tea leaves aren't 'washed'. The choice to wash or not wash addresses whether or not the user is interested in the retention of quick release aromatic compounds that comprise flavor.
Jan 30th, '09, 08:57
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Chip wrote:Intuit, do you have any research/studies directly related to your post?
Thing is, I have heard so many different "truths" that I don't know who to believe anymore, TBPH.
That is his source. I think he copied and pasted some of the stuff, or just gave us the source of his data. All that info should guide you to the correct issue and pages. It looks like a peer reviewed journal, and if it is, I would consider it very reliable.L-Theanine and Caffeine in Combination Affect Human Cognition... American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 138:1572S-1577S, August 2008
This information isn't very different from what the standard theory of black teas have more caffeine than greens. The difference is that they are focusing on what is available to affect us. If there is something to cancel some out, then the affects will be negated. I interpret this article to state that all tea has essentially the same caffeine, and the oxidizing doesn't affect that a great deal. But it apparently does affect the theanine which effects our bodies ability to absorb the caffeine.
I would compare this to vinegar and chili oil. You can use pure chili oil and burn your mouth or use a little bit more and a ton of vinegar to cancel it out. Yes the 2nd option has more oil by volume, but the pure oil will provide more heat. That is how I interpret it.
Jan 30th, '09, 14:12
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