Drinking tea can be a very popular activity among people all around the world, however some people may not realize that tea leaves contain caffeine. Caffeine can have negative effects on a person's mood, sleep, and nerves.

Many people believe that decaffeinated tea is a healthier option than regular tea. However, there is no clear evidence that this is the case. Some decaffeinating methods may remove other healthy compounds from the tea along with the caffeine, and it is not clear whether these compounds have the same health benefits as caffeine. It is also not clear whether decaffeinated tea is entirely free of caffeine.

We looked into all of these questions and more to see what we could find.

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What is decaf tea?

Caffeine-free tea is tea that has been processed to remove the caffeine. It is not the same as naturally caffeine-free teas, which are usually fruit blends or herbal infusions such as peppermint, rooibos, or turmeric tea.

There are different types of decaf tea including black tea, chai, Oolong, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and green tea and they are all virtually zero in calories. It’s when you add ingredients like milk, sugar and honey that the calories increase.

Is there any caffeine in decaf tea?

Although decaffeinated teas do not have a lot of caffeine, they still contain some.

According to ‘Which?', tea makers claim that decaffeinated tea must, by law, contain less than 2.5% of its original caffeine. Apparently, this averages out to around 2mg of caffeine per cup, sometimes more.

If your body is sensitive to caffeine, you may find it builds up if you drink more than one cup per day. In this case, it might be better to stick to herbal or fruit teas.

How is decaf tea made?

Decaffeination can be done through two methods: chemically or naturally.

Chemical decaffeination

The decaffeination process using chemical solvents such as methylene chloride and ethyl acetate removes the caffeine from the coffee beans.

The first is called “open baths” and the second is “enclosed space degreasing.” Methylene chloride is a dangerous chemical used as an industrial solvent, paint stripper, and thinner.1 It can be used in two different ways: “open baths” and “enclosed space degreasing.”

In the direct method of decaffeinating coffee, the beans are soaked in a solvent that breaks down the caffeine molecules.

The first decaffeination method is called the direct method. In this method, the caffeine is removed from the leaves by adding methylene chloride to the water they are soaked in. The water is then returned to the leaves so they can absorb the flavors and oils. The second decaffeination method is called the indirect method. In this method, the leaves are soaked in water to remove the caffeine. Then, methylene chloride is added to the water to decaffeinate it. The water is then returned to the tea leaves for reabsorption of flavors and oils.

The process of decaffeinating tea with methylene chloride leaves behind some chemical residue, which falls within supposedly safe limits. This method is said to be the best at retaining the flavour of the original tea, but many believe it to be harmful to our health.

Ethyl acetate is seen as a safer non-organic method of decaffeination because it uses the same method as methylene chloride.

Ethyl acetate is a chemical that is found in many products, including nail polish remover, cigarettes, glue, and paint. It is often referred to as a “natural decaffeination” solvent because it is naturally found in tea.

It can be hard to remove ethyl acetate from decaffeinated tea, which can give it a chemical taste, according to Premium Teas.

Non-chemical decaffeination

The process of decaffeination can be made safer by using carbon dioxide (CO2) or water processing, which is also known as ‘natural decaffeination'.

This decaffeination method is more popular among organic tea brands and is approved by the Soil Association. It is seen as safe and doesn't leave any unpleasant chemical residues.

Brewing tea with loose leaves instead of tea bags results in less waste and still tastes good while keeping some of the health benefits.

CO2 extraction is a method of extracting tea that doesn't soak the leaves in a solvent or water. Instead, it uses pressure and moisture.

The process of decaffeination involving heated, pressurised CO2 passing through the leaves helps to retain the flavour of the tea by attracting the caffeine molecules and leaving the tea intact.

The Swiss Water Method is not as common for processing water as it is for coffee. It is more popular among coffee drinkers than tea drinkers.

The tea is soaked in hot water to remove the caffeine, then the liquid is passed through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine before being reunited with the tea. This is referred to as the watering down method, and apparently it watered down the flavor.

Here are some tea brands that I recommend that use this safer form of decaffeination:

• Birchall Great Rift (Decaf Breakfast Blend)
• Taylors of Harrogate (Decaffeinated Breakfast Tea)
• Brew Tea Co (Decaffeinated Loose Leaf Tea)
• Choice Organic (Decaffeinated Earl Grey)

Decaf tea vs regular tea: What are the differences?

Caffeine content

Decaf tea contains less caffeine than regular tea, with around 2mg of caffeine per cup. However, some varieties of decaf tea may contain more caffeine than others.

What’s the caffeine content in each type?

It is difficult to find an exact answer for this question, and it seems to differ depending on the brand.

Decaffeinated black and green tea can contain anywhere from 2mg to 6mg and 2mg to 4mg of caffeine respectively.3 This is still considerably less than a standard cup of PG Tips, for example, which contains 50mg of caffeine per 200ml cup.

Although we are not sure of their decaffeination method, a cup of PG Tips decaf black tea contains only 1mg caffeine per cup.

Does decaf tea contain fewer antioxidants?

Decaffeination of green tea removes many of its nutrients.

Decaffeinated green tea does not have as many flavonols (plant polyphenol antioxidants) as regular green tea. Flavonols are measured in mg/g, and decaffeinated green tea has a range of 4.6 to 39.0 mg/g, while regular green tea has a range of 21.2 to 103.2 mg/g.

The researchers didn't mention whether the teas were decaffeinated using a chemical-free method, which would preserve more nutrients. It's hard to say how many nutrients would be retained, as not all of them would be.

Though it is commonly believed that the decaffeination process strips black tea of its beneficial nutrients, it is believed to strip them less using the CO2 method.

Some studies on animals have shown that decaffeinated black tea is not as effective as regular black tea at reducing cancer growth.

How Is Tea Decaffeinated? 4 Different Decaffeination Methods

There are four methods to remove the naturally occurring caffeine from tea leaves: those using chemical solvents, carbon dioxide, and water. Each method effects the flavor and consistency of the tea differently.

1. Carbon Dioxide

Many international brands, including Hag and Harney & Sons, use carbon dioxide to decaffeinate their tea. Carbon dioxide is a natural, effective way to remove caffeine from tea without changing the tea's flavor profile or any of its potential health benefits. Carbon dioxide decaffeination is more expensive than other methods, but it is the best way to preserve the composition of the tea.

The leaves are put under a lot of pressure and heat until the carbon dioxide reaches a level called the super-critical state. When it reaches this state, the carbon dioxide changes into a solvent and pulls the caffeine molecules out of the leaves. The flavor molecules in the leaves are too big for the carbon dioxide and caffeine molecules to affect them, so they stay in the leaves.

2. Ethyl Acetate

The ethyl acetate method of removing caffeine is often labeled as naturally decaffeinated because ethyl acetate occurs naturally in tea leaves. This method is popular because it is less toxic and less expensive than alternative methods, but it is known to alter the flavor of tea.

After the caffeine is removed from tea leaves by soaking them in ethyl acetate, it is nearly impossible to remove the ethyl acetate from the loose tea leaves, resulting in an altered flavor that is often described as having a chemical or bitter taste.

3. Methylene Chloride

This method of decaffeinating tea is similar to the ethyl acetate method, but uses a different chemical to extract the caffeine. Tea decaffeinated using this method retains its natural flavor profile better than those decaffeinated using ethyl acetate (1). However, there can still be residual amounts of the methylene chloride present, which is a chemical linked to cancer and birth defects. Some countries ban the importation of teas decaffeinated using this method and the European Union has placed limits on the allowable amounts of residual methylene chloride present in teas. In the United States, the FDA regulates the use of this method.

4. Water Processing

This method of decaffeination, which involves soaking the tea leaves in water and then passing the water through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine, is more popularly used when it comes to decaffeinating coffee beans, but some tea brands also use it for loose leaf teas. One downside of this method is that it often results in watery flavors and it does not maintain the potency of breakfast black teas or other strong teas well.

Is Decaf Tea as Healthy as Regular Tea?

Many people wonder if they will still be able to get the health benefits of tea when they switch to decaf. The decaffeination process removes not only caffeine but also polyphenols and some antioxidants. This means that decaf tea may not be as potent as regular tea when it comes to health benefits.

Despite the fact that decaf tea contains lower levels of flavanol and antioxidants than caffeinated tea, it can still offer some health benefits.

Why You Should Drink Decaf Tea

You can drink decaf tea at any time of day without worrying about getting the jitters or having insomnia. You can mix it up with a decaf herbal blend before bed to help you sleep peacefully and a rejuvenating Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon or white tea in the morning to jump start your day. You don't need to only drink decaf brews unless you have sensitivity to caffeine or another medical, religious or personal reason to take into account.