21 Tips For Choosing
Green Tea Caffeine Levels

This is Part 4 of a 7 part series on green tea caffeine.

How to choose green tea for caffeine levels

To increase caffeine

• Choose a tea with leaves plucked during the first spring harvest like Dragon Well, Pi Lo Chun, Mao Feng, and Gyokuro
• Choose the gourmet bud or first leaf set teas (with up to 50% more caffeine) like Dragon Well, Pi Lo Chun, Lu Shan Yun Wu, Mao Feng, or Gyokuro,
• Choose shaded leaves like Gyokuro and Matcha
• Choose green tea made from Camellia v. assamicus like Green Assam
• Choose whole, twisted, rolled, and “pearl” shaped leaves like Gunpowder Green

To decrease caffeine

• Choose a tea with leaves plucked later in the spring or summer like Japanese Sencha
• Choose second leaf teas like Lu’An Melon Seed
• Choose unshaded leaves like Chun Mee
• Choose green tea made from Camellia v. sinensis which are all green teas except Green Assam
• Choose broken leaf green tea or green teabags

How to prepare green tea for different green tea caffeine levels

To increase caffeine

• Increase the amount of leaf per cup
• Increase the length of time you steep the tea (be careful–steeping your tea too long can make your tea bitter)
• To get most of the caffeine right away, use broken leaf green tea or green teabags
• Always drink the first cup

To decrease caffeine

• Decrease the amount of leaf per cup
• Decrease the length of time you steep the tea (be careful–the desirable antioxidant polyphenol catechins are extracted slowly over 5 minutes of steeping)
• Try three steepings with gourmet green teas like Dragon Well, Pi Lo Chun, Gyokuro, and Lu Shan Yun Wu. While higher in caffeine, these teas are perfect for multiple short steepings which spreads out the caffeine and how your body handles it.
• Give your tea a 30-second “hot water wash”

How to serve green tea for different green tea caffeine levels

To increase caffeine absorption

• Drink your tea alone–at least 30 minutes before meals or two hours after meals

To decrease caffeine absorption

• Drink your green tea with meals–remember never add milk or sugar to a good green tea
• The new Green Chai and Bubble teas may have less caffeine absorption, but usually have sugar which can have a strong effect on your body

All other choices are up to your individual body

If you have individual caffeine sensitivity or caffeine intolerance, your liver may not be effectively clearing the caffeine from your body. Changing how you select and use green tea may help your body handle green tea caffeine so you can enjoy the antioxidant benefits and delicious flavors.

Caffeine clearance will be different for children, pregnant women, alcoholics, and people with genetic liver problems.

If you have a medical condition and use prescription drugs, you must check with your physician about drug interactions with natural sources of caffeine like chocolate, coffee, teas including black, oolong, flavored, and green tea, and some herbs.

How much caffeine in a cup of green tea?

Which green tea has more caffeine?

How to choose your caffeine level

What about decaffeinated green tea?

Effects of caffeine on your body: positive and negative

Is caffeine dangerous?

Continue to Part 5

Where To Buy Tea: Resources and Marketplace

Green tea varieties: Dragon Well | Mao Feng | Matcha | Gunpowder Green | Pi Lo Chun | Gyokuro | Lu Shan Yun Wu | Japanese Sencha | Lu An Melon Seed | Jasmine | Blooming Tea | Chun Mee | All Flavored | Organically Grown | Premium Estates

This page was last updated by Sharon Jones on February 3, 2012.

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