Without hesitation, the majority of people reach for coffee first thing in the morning. The process of grinding, brewing, drinking, and repeating is nearly instinctive. However, an increasing number of people are beginning to stop and consider an unexpectedly useful question: how much caffeine am I really consuming, and is there a better way to get it?
This is the succinct response. Depending on the blend and brewing time, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee usually contains between 80 and 100 milligrams of caffeine, occasionally approaching 165 milligrams. The same method of brewing green tea yields about 20 to 45 milligrams per cup. That’s about half, sometimes less. Matcha, which is a middle ground worth mentioning because it uses ground whole leaves instead of steeped ones, comes in closer to 60 to 80 milligrams per cup.
Thus, coffee is superior in terms of caffeine content. There isn’t much debate on that point. What happens after you consume each one becomes more intriguing.
The caffeine in coffee is delivered quickly. In 30 to 45 minutes, sometimes even sooner, you start to feel it. That spike is the whole point for many. However, the familiar restlessness, the slight hand tremor by late morning, and the crash around 2 p.m. that sends people back to the machine for cups two or three are all caused by that same speed. Although it seems productive, this cycle frequently isn’t.
One compound, L-theanine, is the reason why green tea functions differently. Tea leaves naturally contain this amino acid, which has a relaxing effect on the nervous system. An intriguing reaction occurs when it mixes with caffeine in the blood. The energy still comes in, but it does so more steadily and slowly. Both a sharp peak and, crucially, a steep drop are absent. People who switch from coffee to green tea frequently report feeling alert without being wired, which may seem insignificant until you’ve had both.
And there’s the stomach problem. It’s acidic, coffee. Green tea tends to be easier for people who have experienced heartburn after their morning cup or who feel a little off before they’ve even had breakfast. Doctors may occasionally recommend it to patients who enjoy caffeine but whose bodies resist it because it is less likely to cause that type of digestive friction.
Brewing technique is more important than most people think. Although it will still be far less than a typical cup of coffee, steeping green tea for a longer period of time or in overheated water extracts more caffeine. The ideal temperature for green tea is typically between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, steeped for two to three minutes. Many people who claim they don’t like green tea may have been brewing it incorrectly because using hotter water for longer periods of time adds bitterness in addition to caffeine.
It’s also important to note that not all coffee is made equally. A shot of espresso contains roughly 127 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, which sounds strong. However, because a shot is small, the total amount of caffeine per serving is either equal to or less than that of a full drip coffee mug. Depending on the ratio used, cold brew—which involves steeping ground coffee in cold water for hours—may contain more caffeine than a typical hot brew.
Green tea is a sensible option for those who wish to reduce their caffeine intake without completely giving it up. It reduces the intensity while maintaining the ritual, which includes the warmth, the pause, and the quiet moment before the day begins. Depending on what a person wants from their morning beverage, that trade-off may or may not be worthwhile. For some, the shock is necessary. It turns out that others simply required something more stable.
