Summer School- All About Tea Chapter Four

Christian Littell's mug with a cute
ManaTEA infuser

Chapter Four was all about the caffeine. I never really thought much about the amount of caffeine in a cup of tea, I just drank it because I like it and since I never really had a problem with caffeine keeping me awake I often had tea in the evening, so chapter four was very informative for me. The typical cup of tea has less than half the amount of caffeine as the same amount of coffee. Tea contains the compound L-Theanine which works with the caffeine to create a sense of alertness but without the jitters often associated with coffee. Interesting to know, but I've never really felt like tea gave me any kind of boost like coffee, which is ok too.

Now, one thing that was very interesting to me was all the similarities between tea processing and winemaking. Where the tea leaves are grown, their cultivation, and how they're handled after picking all influence the level of caffeine in the finished product, just like wine grapes. Leaf size, the length of time you allow it to infuse as well as the water temperature can always change the level of caffeine in your cuppa. A tea that has a lot of leaf "tips" will usually be higher as well since caffeine tends to accumulate in the tips of the leaves. All of this was totally new to me and very interesting. A lot of science goes into making tea!

Laura Duffield Beigger has this cute collection

Teas can also be decaffeinated, although tiny amounts will remain after the process. Caffeine is extracted either by chemical processing or with high pressure and no chemicals, which obviously is more environmentally friendly. The process varies from brand to brand, so always read and do your research if you are concerned about chemicals you might be consuming or environmental issues. We all should be concerned, if you ask me! Just like some tea is decaffeinated, other teas have the caffeine increased, usually by the addition of green tea extract. This is your tea if you're looking for a big caffeine buzz. 

Only two more chapters remain in this fun tea course. I've learned all kinds of interesting facts about tea and it's made me want to learn even more. I know a chapter on matcha tea is coming, and I'm really looking forward to that!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."