Does Iced Tea Have Caffeine?

Does iced tea have caffeine?

In this article, we will answer the question “Does iced tea have caffeine?”, how much caffeine is in colas and sodas, why is the caffeine content important, and what does the caffeine content depend on.

Yes, iced tea has caffeine. The average caffeine content of iced tea is 47 mg per 236 ml serving, which is moderate. A 499 ml bottle of the Nestea Iced tea contains about 23 mg of caffeine. Iced tea has less caffeine than hot tea but regular consumption can have long-term health effects.

	Caffeine content
Lipton Brisk Lemon Iced Tea	7 mg/12-ounce serving
Nestea Iced Tea	26 mg/12-ounce serving
Generic instant iced tea mix	27 mg/teaspoon of mix
Generic decaf iced tea mix	1 mg/teaspoon of mix

How much caffeine is in Colas and Sodas?

	Caffeine in 8-ounce serving
Pepsi Zero Sugar	69 mg
Mr. Pibb	40 mg
Sunkist Orange	40 mg
Wild Cherry Pepsi	38 mg
Pepsi-Cola / Pepsi Twist / Diet Pepsi Jazz	37.5 g mg
Pepsi One	37 mg
Mountain Dew / Mountain Dew Code Red / Diet Mountain Dew	37 mg
Diet Pepsi	36 mg
Coca-Cola Zero	35 mg
Mello Yello	35 mg
Coca-Cola Classic / Cherry Coke / Lemon Coke / Vanilla Coke	34 mg
Tab	31.2 mg
Diet coke	30.4 mg
Dr. Pepper / Diet Dr. Pepper	27 mg
Barq’s Root Beer	23 mg

Why is the caffeine content important?

Caffeine in the right amounts can help improve focus, agility, alertness, physical performance, and mood. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the safe upper limit for caffeine intake is 400 mg per day.

Overdosing on caffeine can lead to depression, anxiety, restlessness, and sleep disturbance. Since every individual has a different caffeine sensitivity, even moderate intakes of caffeine can cause headaches and migraines.

What does the caffeine content depend on?

The caffeine content of tea or coffee varies with the origin, type, and preparation of the beverage. The caffeine content of tea leaves and coffee beans is 3.5%, and 1.1-2.2%, respectively.

Despite this, coffee has a greater caffeine content than tea. It is because coffee is extracted using hot water and utilizes a greater amount of coffee beans.

Tea varieties

Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The extent of oxidation and the time of harvest determines the type of tea i.e black, white, or green. Out of the three types of tea, only black tea undergoes oxidation. No wonder why black tea contains about 47 mg of caffeine.

The caffeine content of black tea is comparable to that of matcha tea. A single 1-gram serving of matcha tea contains about 35 mg of caffeine.

Another type of tea, the yerba mate, that comes from the Ilex paraguariensis plant, offers as much as 85 mg of caffeine per cup (237 ml). Herbal tea may contain caffeine at the rate of 12 mg per cup.

Tea preparation

The steeping time and temperature have a direct relation to the caffeine content of tea or coffee. For example, if you steep the Tazo Earl Gray for 1 minute at 194–203°F (90–95°C), the caffeine comes out to be 40 mg per 6 ounces of water. If you steep the tea for 3 minutes, the caffeine comes out to be 59 mg.

Coffee varieties

On average, a single 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine. Unlike you may believe, roasting does not impact the caffeine content of the coffee beans.

The reason why dark roast coffee beans have a greater caffeine content is not roasting but the fact that you use more of the dark beams due to their lighter density than their light roasted counterparts. The caffeine content of espresso and coffee drinks is given in the table below.

	Caffeine content
Starbucks Espresso	58 mg/1-ounce (30-ml) shot
Starbucks lattes and cappuccinos containing double espresso shot	116 mg
Decaf espresso	3–16 mg/16-ounce (473-ml) cup
Decaf coffee	3 mg/8-ounce (237-ml) cup

Coffee preparation

The brewing temperature of coffee i.e 195–205°F (90–96°C) is higher than that of tea. Hotter brewing water means a greater dissolution of caffeine. This does not mean that a cold brew will have lower caffeine content.

Because the amount of coffee beans used for brewing is also important. You tend to use a higher quantity of coffee beans for a cold brew, thus yielding more caffeine in a single cup.

Other FAQs about Tea that you may be interested in.

Does boba tea have caffeine?

Can you eat boba?

How long does shroom tea last?

Does black tea cause constipation?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Does iced tea have caffeine?”, how much caffeine is in colas and sodas, why is the caffeine content important, and what does the caffeine content depend on.