Caffeine certainly has its place, but what if you want the taste of green or black tea without the signature jolt?
Of course, the answer is decaffeinated green or black tea—but finding one that is flavorful and satisfying is another matter entirely.
Caffeine in the Tea Leaf
“Caffeine accounts for 14–28 mg/g of the tea leaf in fresh tea leaves. The levels of caffeine vary depending on the tea plant variety or the tea leaf harvested. Fresh tea leaves from growing shoots contain higher amounts of caffeine than older leaves,” explains Life Is Better with Tea.
A brewed cup of tea may contain anywhere from 15–75 milligrams of caffeine per eight-ounce cup. The amount can vary depending on the tea, the quantity of leaves used, the volume and temperature of the water, and the length of the steep.
A Brief History of Decaffeination
The science of decaffeinating mass-market beverages dates to the early 1900s, when the Sanka brand began offering decaffeinated coffee to consumers.
Tea, however, proved more difficult to work with. Early efforts to remove caffeine often resulted in a noticeably weaker product. Commercial tea-decaffeination methods began developing during the twentieth century, but decaffeinated tea did not gain broad popularity in the United States until the late 1970s and 1980s, when limiting caffeine became increasingly common.
Many early decaffeinated teas relied on chemical solvents to attract and remove caffeine molecules. Similar processes are still used today.
“The most common method uses chemical solvents—typically ethyl acetate or methylene chloride—to remove caffeine,” explains UCLA Health. “The process includes a step in which the solvents are rinsed, evaporated or vaporized away.”
The Carbon Dioxide Process
In the 1990s, another method involving carbon dioxide became available for tea decaffeination.
The carbon dioxide method uses high-pressure, or “supercritical,” CO₂ to extract caffeine from the leaves. The process is designed to remove most of the caffeine while retaining as much of the tea’s flavor, aroma, and natural compounds as possible.
Both tea and coffee can be decaffeinated using this method. “It’s a bit more costly to produce decaf teas and coffee this way, and they may not be as widely available,” states UCLA Health.
Is Decaffeinated Tea Caffeine-Free?
When discussing decaffeinated tea there are a couple additional things to note…
“The amount of caffeine that remains varies depending on the product,” explains UCLA Health.
The Spruce Eats weighs in on this adding, “Contrary to popular belief, decaf is not the
same as caffeine-free. Caffeine-free means the product is completely void of
caffeine—never had it, never will. However, decaf means the natural caffeine in the
beverage has been removed.”
Most estimates put this remainder at 1-8% depending on the product and method.
Does Decaffeination Change the Tea?
The decaffeination process may also alter some of the tea’s naturally occurring compounds.
“The decaffeination process slightly reduces the polyphenol content of black tea and may affect polyphenol absorption,” explains Tufts University. One human study found that polyphenols from decaffeinated black tea were still absorbed, although to a lesser extent than those from regular black or green tea.
Decaffeination may also produce subtle differences in flavor and aroma. The goal of the carbon dioxide process is not to leave the tea completely unchanged, but to preserve a recognizable and satisfying expression of the original leaf while removing most of its caffeine.
Two New Ways to Enjoy Tea
Customers have long asked us for black and green teas they can enjoy with less caffeine. In response, we are introducing two familiar tea styles in a new form.
Decaffeinated Ceylon Black Tea offers a brisk, well-rounded cup reminiscent of a traditional English Breakfast tea. Decaffeinated Sencha Green Tea is lighter and clean-finishing and can be enjoyed hot or poured over ice.
Decaffeinated tea may be a newer chapter in tea history, but its purpose is a lasting one: making room for more people at the tea table.
