Coffee and tea are two kinds of drink that are very familiar in our daily life. they are enjoyed as drink by millions of people world-wide and has been for at least a thousand years. They have several same chemical components, such as caffeine, tannin, teobromin, etc. A cup of coffee has more caffeine component than in a cup of tea. Meanwhile, we can find high tannin in a cup of tea. But in this topic, we’re going to talk more about caffeine in both tea and coffee…
Caffeine was discovered in coffee in 1820. Caffeine is odorless, has a bitter taste and is highly soluble in hot water. Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa, kola nuts and a variety of other plants. Caffeine is an alkaloid that acts as a mild stimulant. It increases the blood pressure, stimulates the central nervous system and the action of the heart and lungs, and promotes urine formation. It also acts as a diuretic and delays fatigue1. Caffeine also increases dopamine. Dopamine activates the pleasure in parts of the brain. It has been suspected that this also contributes to caffeine addiction.
The amount of caffeine found in the coffee beans varies. On average, a regular cup of coffee contains approximately 90 to 150 mg of caffeine. Coffee brewed in a drip coffee maker has about 115 to 175 mg of caffeine while other coffee makers may brew coffee with about 80 to 135 mg. Typically, espresso has about as much caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. On average, a standard espresso cup would have about 100 mg of caffeine. However, the serving size for espresso is much smaller. The actual content of caffeine per milliliter in an espresso is much higher than in a regular brew. Also, caffeine is assimilated quicker when ingested in a concentrated dosage such as an espresso cup.
Then,, How much caffeine does a cup of tea contain?
The answer is” It depends”. There are two main variables that influence the caffeine content of a cup of tea: the type of leaf and the tea preparation method.
On average, tea leaves contain 3% caffeine by weight, although this can range from 1.4% to 4.5%. Many factors determine the caffeine content in the dry leaf, such as soil chemistry, altitude, type of tea plant, position of the leaf on the tea bush and cultivation practices. For example, the young bud and first leaf generally have slightly more caffeine than leaves picked from the lower part of the tea bush. The leaves from the small leaf China tea plant (Camellia sinensis) tend to have lower caffeine levels than the leaves from the large leaf Assam tea plant (Camellia assamica).
Next, how can preparation methods influence the amount of caffeine in a cup of tea?
There are many parameters that affect caffeine content such as the amount of leaf, the leaf particle size, water temperature and steeping time. For example, tea steeped in hot water for a longer time will release more of its caffeine than tea steeped with cooler water for a shorter period. A smaller leaf tea will release more of its caffeine than a larger leaf tea.
A Department of Nutritional Services report provides the following ranges of caffeine content for a cup of tea made with loose leaves:
Black Tea: 23 - 110 mg
Oolong Tea: 12 - 55 mg
Green Tea: 8 - 36 mg
White Tea: 6 – 25 mg
That was few knowledge about caffeine in tea and coffee..we can get the fact that caffeine isn,t really good for our healthy, because if we consume caffeine regularly, in the long run,our body can’t be reacted with adenosine. The result is caffeine can oppositely react the work path of adenosine.
But, if you really like the taste of coffee, you may decide to drink decaffeinated coffee. This way, you can still enjoy the great coffee taste, yet avoid the caffeine. Coffee can be "decaffeinated" by treating the green beans with solvents called chlorinated hydrocarbons. Once the solvents are removed, the beans are then roasted by ordinary procedures. Most people become accustomed to decaffeinated coffee and do not have to worry about the effects of caffeine.
How about tea? It also has caffeine..
Yup,, that,s right,, but the amount of caffeine is not so high as in a cup of coffee. But if you are sensitive to caffeine, we recommend using a little less leaf and brewing your teas with slightly cooler water for a shorter period of time. Green, white and lightly oxidized oolong teas are good choices, as they tend to benefit from lower water temperatures and shorter steeping times.
Since nearly 80% of the caffeine will be extracted within 30 seconds of steeping, you can easily remove most of the caffeine in any tea by following these guidelines: Steep the tea in hot water for 45 seconds. Discard the liquid. Then, add water to the leaves and brew for the amount of time that is appropriate for that particular tea.
The point is eat everything moderately and adequately,,do exercise,, and think positively,, then enjoy your healthy life..!!
References :
1.Anonym. 2007. Coffee and Health. Accessed in www.cosic.org
2.Anonym, 2007. Tea and Caffeine. accessed in www.thefragrantleaf.com
3.Gestl, Jon. 2007. Coffee, Caffeine, and Fitness. accessed in www.medical-check.info
4.Math, 2008. Coffee Caffeine : How Much in Your Cup?. accessed in www.streetdirectory.co.id
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