How Much Caffeine Does Green Tea Contain?

Green tea enjoys a reputation for its myriad health benefits, including aiding weight loss, protecting the heart and possibly inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. Some people have traded their daily coffee habit for tea in an attempt to kick caffeine. Green tea is beneficial for health but does contain caffeine unless you purchase tea marked as decaffeinated.

Significance

If a person has switched to green tea solely to eliminate caffeine, he might be surprised to learn green tea has about 30mg of caffeine per 8 oz. This is a modest reduction from a cup of brewed coffee, which has about 40mg, but a significant reduction from espresso, with 212mg of caffeine per 8 oz.

Benefits

EGCG is the polyphenol in green tea that makes it so healthy because of its antioxidant qualities.

Expert Insight

A study conducted by doctors from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, discovered that when they added EGCG to drinking water of mice with breast cancer, the polyphenol inhibited the growth of tumors significantly.

History

The first documented use of green tea for medicinal benefits dates back to 2737 B.C. China.

Fun Fact

Never brew green tea with boiling water, because it destroys the polyphenols and catechins that give the beverage its health benefits.

References

• Science Daily
• Health Mad: Benefits of Green Tea
• Medicinal Food News