Caffeine has had a bad reputation now for a long time; and has been blamed for a number of different ills ranging from sleeplessness to causing fetal abnormalities. We have all known for a long time that coffee contains caffeine; however now we also know that tea contains caffeine, which would naturally lead us to raise questions about the safety of drinking the caffeine it contains. So need we be worried about caffeine in tea?

How much Caffeine does Tea contain?

The fact is that tea contains very little caffeine; and there are different levels of caffeine in different types of tea.  This is determined by the kind of soil in which it is grown, the altitude at which it is grown, cultivation practices, the stage at which the tea leaves are plucked, the processing that the tea leaves undergo; and even the position on the bush that the leaves are picked from (higher up on the bush or lower down).

Does the way you prepare Tea affect the amount of Caffeine?

Another major factor that affects the levels of caffeine contained in tea is the method of preparation. The amount of time that the tea is allowed to steep and the temperature of the water in which it is steeped are both important is determining how much caffeine one ends up consuming.  The higher the temperature of the water and longer it is steeped, the higher will be the caffeine content of the tea.

So is the Caffeine in Tea harmful?

The levels of caffeine in tea are variable and can range from 1.4% to 4.5% according to some estimates. Though high levels of caffeine content can indeed be detrimental, it has been seen that caffeine can in fact be beneficial:

• It stimulates the kidneys and digestive juices, so aids digestion
• It can have a positive effect on the metabolism and may help to remove toxins from the body
• Caffeine is known to increase mental alertness and improve one’s reaction time
• Some experts also claim that caffeine improves circulation and functioning of the respiratory system so that heart health improves and the brain is better oxygenated

In any case for those who are averse to caffeine for whatever reasons or if pregnant women and lactating mothers would like to be cautious about caffeine, it is easy to pick teas that are low on caffeine and are safe for anyone to consume at any time!

Tags: caffeine, Health, tea