Caffeine Free Low-Caffeine Tea
Caffeine is a type of alkaloid, a basic compound found in plants, and is present in coffee, black tea, green tea, cocoa, chocolate, and other similar products.
Effects of Caffeine
Caffeine, a natural component found in coffee and tea leaves, inhibits the action of adenosine, a compound that causes drowsiness. As a result, consuming caffeine can make you feel less sleepy and increase your concentration, producing a stimulating effect.
Adenosine also plays a role in transmitting fatigue to the brain, so consuming caffeine can make you feel less tired.
Caffeine also promotes metabolism and the burning of fat cells. Consuming caffeine before engaging in sports can help you feel less fatigued and promote efficient metabolism and fat burning.
However, excessive consumption of caffeine can cause dizziness, increased heart rate, excitement, anxiety, tremors, and insomnia. The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reported that excessive caffeine intake during pregnancy may increase health risks, such as low birth weight.
Many people may be concerned about caffeine intake because it can cause difficulty falling asleep, irritate the stomach (as caffeine stimulates the secretion of stomach acid, drinking it on an empty stomach can irritate the stomach), or pose risks during pregnancy or for children.
＼Recommended Daily Caffeine Intake /
What is the recommended daily maximum caffeine intake?
Based on the standards from international organizations (such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)), the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has published the following maximum daily intake levels.
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\ POINT / Maximum Caffeine Intake Healthy Adults: 400 mg per day Pregnant Women: 200-300 mg per day |
The caffeine content in foods is published in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan" by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
While tea contains less caffeine than coffee, sencha contains about one-third of the caffeine found in coffee.
【Caffeine Content and Number of Cups for Various Beverages】
| 成人 | 妊婦 | ||
| Sencha | 20mg/100ml | 11cups | 6 cups |
| Kamairicha | 10mg/100ml | 22 cups | 11 cups |
| Hojicha | 20mg/100ml | 11 cups | 6 cups |
| Black Tea | 30mg/100ml | 7 cups | 4 cups |
| Oolong Tea | 20mg/100ml | 11 cups | 6 cups |
| Coffee | 60mg/100ml | 4 cups | 2 cups |
This table was calculated based on the caffeine content per 180 ml cup from the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan" published by MEXT.
Please note that the caffeine content may vary depending on the product, as the table does not specify which coffee or tea was sampled for the analysis.
Tea is often consumed by steeping the same leaves multiple times, with the caffeine content in the second cup typically being about half that of the first. However, in the above calculation, both the first and second cups are considered to contain the same amount of caffeine.
The effects of caffeine can vary from person to person. Please prioritize your own health.
＼Time for Caffeine Effects to Manifest /
Caffeine takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours to show significant effects after consumption, and it takes about 5 to 6 hours for half of the caffeine to be eliminated from the body.
Therefore, if you are concerned about falling asleep, it is recommended to avoid consuming high-caffeine beverages at least 5 hours before bedtime.
Caffeine Content in Tea
Caffeine is also present in green tea and black tea. The caffeine in tea is used during the growth of new buds, so younger buds, particularly the first flush and "high-grade" teas, contain more caffeine.
After the tea leaves go through summer, the caffeine content drops sharplyShincha, or first flush tea, refers to tea leaves harvested in spring.
The younger the buds, the higher the caffeine content.
What About Hojicha？ /
Hojicha, which is made by roasting tea leaves, is said to have lower caffeine because caffeine sublimates due to heat.
Indeed, roasting does cause some sublimation of caffeine, but it also evaporates moisture, increasing the bulk per gram, so the reduction in caffeine content may not be as significant as expected.
Hojicha is often made from tea leaves harvested after the first flush, particularly from tea plants with low caffeine content in autumn or later. As a result, the caffeine content in hojicha is often lower than in sencha, not because of sublimation during roasting but due to the timing of leaf harvesting.
Additionally, since tea stems contain less caffeine than the leaves, "tea made from stems harvested after autumn and deeply roasted" will have lower caffeine content.
According to the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan" published by MEXT, the caffeine content of sencha and hojicha is the same (20 mg/100 ml).
Low-Caffeine Tea
Here are some recommended teas for those who want to avoid caffeine, such as those who have trouble sleeping after consuming caffeine, pregnant women, or those with small children.
There are many beverages with "tea" in their names, such as barley tea and dokudami tea, but here we will only focus on "tea" made from the tea plant, such as sencha, hojicha, and black tea.
|| Kancha ||
Caffeine-Free / Non-Caffeine / Caffeine-Free: 0 mg/100 ml
Loose Leaf Tea: The tea plant contains the least amount of caffeine in winter.
Without using any special processing, we made tea using leaves harvested during the naturally low-caffeine season, using a method that suits the tea at this time of year.
This tea comes from the tea fields of the Yamato Highlands in Nara Prefecture. The tea is grown naturally without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Unlike spring, the tea fields during this season are a deep green.
The tea plants are harvested with branches.
Unlike the light green tea fields of spring, the tea fields in winter are a deep green, with larger leaves.
First, the leaves are steamed in a large pot fired with firewood.
After steaming, the leaves are removed from the branches and dried in the sun. Finally, they are finished by drying.
This tea is completely caffeine-free, with a caffeine content of 0 mg/100 ml in all tests. While most decaffeinated teas undergo special processing to remove caffeine after the leaves are harvested, this tea does not undergo any special processing for decaffeination.
We were surprised when we sent Kancha to Tea-Foot for a caffeine content test... it was 0 caffeine!
This tea, made using traditional methods from tea plants grown without pesticides or fertilizers during the season when caffeine is at its lowest, has a rich flavor with a gentle sweetness similar to herbs.
It also warms the body when consumed.
Pour plenty of hot water!
While all tests showed a caffeine content below the detection limit of 0 mg/100 ml, please note that there may be variations due to the natural manufacturing process.
|| Kyobancha ||
Kyobancha, the local tea loved by the people of Kyoto, is made from large leaves harvested in autumn and winter. The leaves are steamed and roasted in a pot fired with firewood, imparting a smoky aroma from the firewood smoke.
The flavor is refreshing. You might be surprised by its unique aroma at first, but the taste becomes more addictive with each sip.
|| Hojicha ||
Like Kyobancha and Kancha, this low-caffeine hojicha is made from tea leaves harvested during the cold season.
|| Black Tea ||
5mg/100ml / Tea Bag
Like Kyobancha and Kancha, this low-caffeine black tea is made from tea leaves harvested during the cold season.
Low-Caffeine: Defined as tea containing less than half the caffeine content specified for each type of tea in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan."