Contrary to popular belief, strong tea is not harmful to humans, but a weak broth with a low content of nutrients is not much different from plain water. A properly brewed quality drink has excellent taste and invigorates due to the caffeine it contains.
Oddly enough, tea contains more caffeine than coffee itself. For example, high quality espresso made from 100% Arabica contains only 1.2% caffeine. In expensive teas, for example, in "Assam", this share can reach 4%. But its actual content is slightly lower, because the caffeine contained in dry tea leaves is not fully extracted into the broth.
Tea caffeine is milder, so it doesn't have such a dramatic effect on the nervous system and heart. This is due to the fact that tannin mutes the action of the alkaloid and reduces its concentration. These two substances, in combination with each other, receive a new component - theine. It is very slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, but quickly excreted from the body. Taine makes tea safe for health, because it is impossible for them to be poisoned.
The caffeine content in tea can be very different, it is influenced by its type. The highest content of this substance is found in young tender leaves and buds (tips). These parts of the plant are necessarily part of a good tea, which can have up to 4-5% caffeine. The second leaflet of the flush contains 3-4% of this component, the third - 2.5%, the rest - 0.5-1.5%.
The place where tea is grown is also important. The content of the amount of caffeine is influenced by climate, soil, altitude. Low temperatures slow down the growth of the plant, so there is more caffeine in the leaves. Intense sunlight produces the same results.
It is worth paying attention to the degree of fermentation of the tea leaves. The higher the number, the less caffeine is in the plant. Therefore, green, white and oolong teas contain more alkaloid.
The method of brewing also affects the caffeine content of tea. In boiling water, this substance is released faster, therefore, with prolonged infusion, a lot of caffeine has time to be released, you should not brew the drink for more than five to six minutes.
