General reference · Tea
How much caffeine is in Black tea?
Tea caffeine varies with the leaves, water temperature and brewing time.
Interactive serving
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Source and provenance
- Source
- USDA FoodData Central
- Source type
- Government database
- Market
- General reference
- Value basis
- Authoritative reference
- Source reviewed
- 21 August 2026
Representative reference value; leaf, water temperature and brew time vary.
Estimated caffeine remaining over time
These figures apply CaffCalc’s exponential model to the adjusted 48 mg starting value. They are calculations, not measurements of caffeine in a particular person.
| Hours elapsed | 3-hour half-life | 5-hour half-life | 7-hour half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 48 mg | 48 mg | 48 mg |
| 3 | 24 mg | 31.7 mg | 35.7 mg |
| 5 | 15.1 mg | 24 mg | 29.3 mg |
| 8 | 7.6 mg | 15.8 mg | 21.7 mg |
| 10 | 4.8 mg | 12 mg | 17.8 mg |
| 12 | 3 mg | 9.1 mg | 14.6 mg |
With the central five-hour model, the estimate falls below 25 mg after approximately 4.7 hours. The faster and slower columns show why one fixed clearance time should not be treated as a personal fact.
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Same category, lower documented dose
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