If you are wondering how much caffeine in green tea there is, then you must read this and be informed. And yes, tea also contains caffeine just like any other beverages.

Caffeine was first discovered from coffee beans by the German chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge in 1820 and a year later by French chemists, Robiquet and the team of Pelletier and Caventou on an independent researches on caffeine. However it was Pelletier who coined the word “cafeine” from the French term café (coffee) now is referred to as caffeine in the English dictionary.

Caffeine’s effect on human being is ergogenic, which means that it has the ability to increase a person’s capability for mental or physical labor. This is the reason why coffee-drinkers are alert and active after taking a cup or two. Caffeine is a psychoactive substance to the central nervous system that keeps one from feeling drowsy or sluggish. However if too much caffeine is in the body, this can lead to panic attacks, dehydration, coffee addiction, PMS in women and emotional fatigue. Thus tea is a perfect substitute for coffee.

Tea varieties have caffeine content that is lower than coffee. An 8-oz cup of coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine. Black tea has 40 to 50 mg; Oolong tea contains 25 to 35 mg and green tea has only 20 to 30 mg. If you prefer the decaffeinated tea, an 8-oz cup contains 4 mg of caffeine in both black and green tea.

Comparing the caffeine content of green tea with other beverages, you can say that green tea has the lowest caffeine content of all per 8 oz. cup as shown below:

• Green tea 15-40 milligrams
• Black tea 40-80 milligrams
• Instant coffee 50-100 milligrams
• Drip coffee 100-200 milligrams
• Espresso 400 milligrams
• Soft drinks 0- 80 milligrams
• Sports drinks average 80 milligrams
• Over-the-counter caffeinated pain relief tablets 30- to 100 milligrams
• Caffeine tablets 100 – 200 milligrams

How much caffeine in green tea cannot equal to the benefits it brings to you. Regular intake of green tea can be very good for optimum health. Green tea contains a rich variety of chemicals grouped under Catechin Polyphenols or commonly known as tannins. Some tannins include Catechin, Epicatechin, Epicatechin Gallate (ECG), Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), and Pro-Anthocyanidins which give the bitter taste and astringency to green tea. These chemicals are also called Flavonoids. They are potent antioxidants for the body immunity.

Flavonoids, combined with amino acids like Thianine, are responsible for the bitter taste of green tea. Other Amino Acids found in green tea are Theanine, Butyric Acid & Liganin, and a number of Xanthine Alkaloids such as Adenine, Dimethylxanthine, Theobromine, Theophylline and Xanthine; Pectin (also found in fruits). Green tea also contains saccharides (sugar), Chlorophyll and Triterpene Saponins. And some vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C and vitamin E.

In short, green tea contains substances, aside from caffeine, that can aid you in keeping yourself healthy and prevent some disorders such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high bad cholesterol levels, hypertension and cardiac disorders including infections.