Multiple tea infusions and caffeine concentration
I have read conflicting things about the volatility and solubility of caffeine, and at what point during the tea brewing process caffeine is released.
When tea is used for multiple infusions, such as in Gongfu style brewing, do the different infusions have different amounts of caffeine?
Best Answer
This study specifically addresses the question regarding multiple infusions:
Results for all kinds of tea samples showed that the second tea infusion contained the highest contents of caffeine, catechins, and gallic acid when bag teas were steeped in 70°C water. It was different from that steeped at 85 and 100°C, the highest contents existed in the first infusion. These compounds decreased gradually in later infusions.
The paper measured 8 successive infusions on a variety of teas. You can see how caffeine content varied exactly in their data.
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Quick Answer about "Multiple tea infusions and caffeine concentration"
Health benefits in the second infusion Second and later infusions are mainly for taste and quality rather than its benefits. However, it does not imply that it does not have any effect on health. According to a study, the caffeine content in first infused tea is 68%, and later it decreases to 23%.Does second infusion of tea have less caffeine?
The answer to this depends a lot on variables in the steeping process. Steeping at a higher temperature will remove more caffeine. Steeping for longer will remove more caffeine. Doing either or both of these will leave less caffeine for a second or third (or more) steeping.Can you infuse tea multiple times?
While you can infuse any tea multiple times, some teas hold up better after multiple steeps than others. In general, we recommend black, green, oolong, and pu-erh teas for multiple infusions. But if you're curious about what a second steeping might taste like for another tea, feel free to experiment!Does adding more tea bags add more caffeine?
The more tea leaves added to a cup, the more caffeine will be released. Tea bags naturally provide a standard amount of tea leaf, but if using loose leaf tea you could add more to the pot to increase caffeine levels. The longer the tea leaves sit in hot water, the more caffeine is released.What tea has the highest caffeine concentration?
Black tea. Black contains the highest amount of caffeine, ranging between 64 and 112 milligrams (mg) per 8-fluid ounce (fl oz) serving. Black tea does not contain calories, fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, or sugar.Caffeine extraction and separation
More answers regarding multiple tea infusions and caffeine concentration
Answer 2
Here's an interesting light article that gives some data points that would let you construct your own curve for caffeine extraction per time (for green tea only):
http://www.tching.com/2009/10/thirty-second-decaffeination-method-or-myth/
Answer 3
Yes, they would all have different amounts of caffeine. It all depends on the kind of tea, the water temperature, how long the tea is brewing and how much water you use. If you want to make a reasonable comparison, you need to know the caffeine content as a percentage of the dry product's mass.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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