Intro
People who need a cup of coffee to get started in the morning, gulp down soda pop when they’re tired, need a pick-me-up cup of tea at four o’clock, reach for chocolate for “energy”, or use pills to stay on their diets may be hooked on “the friendly drug” – caffeine.
Caffeine In Tea
Despite the presence of caffeine in tea drinks, we should know that its effect is weaker than in coffee, so the consumption of tea does not cause palpitations and insomnia.
Teas that contain caffeine are those made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, namely:
- white
- green
- yellow
- red (oolong)
- black
- puer
Herbal and fruit teas are made from other plants that normally do not contain caffeine.
Scientists believe that caffeine acts as a natural defense system that protects the plant from insects and herbs, thanks to the bitterness it adds to the taste.
Naturally, the amount of caffeine in tea depends a lot on the way the tea is made – important factors are the amount of tea, the water temperature, the brewing time, and whether the tea is bulk or sachet.
Caffeine Problems
They may be doing themselves harm for life. Caffeine is probably the most omnipresent drug in most American’s lives; not only is it found in coffee, but also in cola (and many noncola) drinks, tea, cocoa, chocolate, over-the-counter pep pills, even many brands of aspirin, headache remedies, weightloss aids, diuretics and antihistamines.
What’s worse, the number of medical problems linked to caffeine overdose is long and disturbing:
- gastrointestinal ailments
- heart disease
- cancer
- kidney disease
- hyperactivity
- some psychiatric problems
The poblem in breaking the caffeine habit is that its consumption is a socially encouraged, subliminal drug adductuib, one that is dufficult to break.
Conclusion
More tea, hotter water and longer brewing time contribute to more caffeine in the cup of tea.
