How to decaffeinate tea
You may or may not know this, but almost all tea leaves naturally come with caffeine as a basic component. For tea-drinkers that are looking to avoid caffeine, this can be a big problem. That’s why many tea drinkers would much rather drink decaffeinated tea as a result.
Decaffeinated tea is just like regular tea but without all the caffeine. At times, decaffeinated tea is commonly referred to as decaf tea. There are many reasons why one would choose to have decaf tea instead of regular tea. Perhaps one just wants to sleep longer and faster or experience jitter-free days. Some people have also been known to pull back for personal health reasons.
So what exactly is decaffeinated tea?
Decaffeinated tea is regular tea that has undergone the process of decaffeination. Please note that although decaf tea has become widely accepted over the years. How decaffeinated one brand of tea is will vary to the next. That’s because there are no hard and fast rules that have been established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This means that even though you may have purchased tea labeled as decaf, it could still contain traces of caffeine, depending on the extraction technique utilized. For this reason, some people prefer to go through the decaffeination process at home so that they can oversee the process themselves.
All types of tea can be put through the decaffeination process. However, the most common types of decaffeinated teas include black tea, green tea, and oolong tea. That’s because these three kinds of teas tend to contain higher amounts of natural caffeine than others.
Once the tea is decaffeinated, it usually contains approximately 1 to 8 milligrams of caffeine. Alternatively, regular black tea usually has about 30 to 60 milligrams, while green tea usually averages about 25-50 milligrams of caffeine.
Is there any difference between caffeine-free tea and decaffeinated tea?
Caffeine-free tea refers to lea leaves that come naturally free of caffeine. Examples of such tea leaves include most varieties of herbal tea such as mint, jasmine, or chamomile tea. Decaffeinated teas, on the other hand, contain caffeine in their natural state. However, the caffeine is later removed through the process of decaffeination.
Does decaf tea have any benefits?
Whether decaf or regular, tea in itself is a wonderful beverage that comes choke-full of antioxidants. Antioxidants are very important as they help to reduce the damage that is brought about by free radicals. It is the antioxidants that balance the free radicals, thus preventing them from damaging any other cells.
In case of any damage, antioxidants can also help to reverse it. Both decaffeinated teas and regular teas contain antioxidants. However, decaffeinated teas tend to have lower amounts of antioxidants due to the extraction process.
Why should you switch to decaffeinated tea?
The biggest benefit of switching to decaffeinated tea is that you can drink your tea at any time of the day, whether day or night, without worrying about restlessness as a result of the caffeine content. If you have a sensitivity towards caffeine for health or religious reasons, drinking decaffeinated coffee can also be an excellent alternative for you.
Are there any downsides to drinking decaffeinated tea?
As far as health benefits go, the only downside of decaffeination is that it causes the tea to lose approximately 70% of its polyphenols or flavonoids. As such, if you prefer the full flavor of tea and do not have any caffeine sensitivity, it is generally advised that you stick with regular tea.
How is tea decaffeinated?
When caffeine is being extracted from tea, four primary methods are usually used:
Carbon dioxide
The carbon dioxide method of decaffeination is used frequently to decaffeinate loose teas. This natural decaffeination method uses the basic principle of pressure cooking to extract caffeine from the tea leaves. This extraction process is regarded as the safest one to use for decaffeination as it is better at preserving the tea’s flavor than other methods.
Pressurized liquid carbon is utilized to attract the smaller caffeine molecules from the tea leaves, while the larger molecules responsible for flavor are left behind. Because flavor molecules are larger than smaller molecules, most of them remain, allowing the tea to retain most of its flavor profile.
Since carbon dioxide occurs naturally, teas that are decaffeinated using this process are preferred. They also tend to be more ecologically friendly as no chemicals are used in the extraction process. The only downside of using this method is only a few brands use it as it can get very expensive.
Water processing
This method was once reserved for coffee beans. However, more and more tea producers are using the water processing method to decaffeinate their teas. Through this method, tea is usually soaked in water for a specific period.
The solution from the soaking process is then put through carbon filtering to remove any caffeine. The caffeine-free water is then returned to the tea. This way, the flavors and oils that were removed originally can be re-absorbed into the tea. People who have tried decaffeinated tea that has undergone this process often describe the tea as watered down.
Ethyl Acetate
Ethyl acetate is a component that occurs naturally in tea leaves and some fruits. Because this is a naturally occurring component, tea manufacturers that use ethyl acetate to decaffeinate their teas often brand their teas as ‘naturally decaffeinated‘.
Ethyl acetate is commonly used to decaffeinate tea bags, while loose tea is best decaffeinated utilizing the carbon dioxide method.
Some people avoid using ethyl acetate for the decaffeination process, as it is known to decay the flavor of the tea. Some manufacturers also use ethyl acetate that has been chemically manufactured, which is something to consider for anyone looking to avoid chemicals in their teas.
Methylene Chloride
When tea leaves are soaked in methylene chloride, the chemical bonds with the caffeine molecules. With this method, the tea leaves are soaked in methyl chloride directly. Sometimes, however, some producers soak some water in methylene chloride first before soaking the tea in the infused water.
Methylene Chloride is considered essentially unfit for human consumption method has since been replaced by much safer extraction methods. As a result, some countries have even forbidden the importation of decaffeinated teas that are treated using the methylene chloride method.
How to make decaf tea at home
As mentioned earlier, almost all types of teas can be decaffeinated. However, the easiest to decaffeinate at home are black, oolong, green and white tea. The best and safest way to decaffeinate your tea at home is by using the carbon dioxide method. This will allow you to get rid of the caffeine content without adding any chemicals to your tea.
The hot water rinse method
With this method:
- Water is brought to a boil.
- The boiled water is then poured over the tea leaves and steeped for 20 to 40 seconds.
- The water is poured off and the remaining tea is brewed as one normally would.
Although this method is also used frequently by DIY enthusiasts, it is not all that effective. That’s because while some caffeine is removed from the tea leaves when tea is infused in hot water, the time the leaves are left inside the boiling water is not nearly enough to eradicate a considerable amount of caffeine.
To fully remove caffeine from loose tea, it would take at least a 3-minute infusion to bring the caffeine content to approximately 70%, depending on which type of tea you are dealing with. The bad news is that during those 3 minutes, the infusion process will cause the tea to lose most of its flavors and the majority of its antioxidants and other healthy components.
Even when the process is completed, more often than not, the end product is usually watery and dull, thus negating the joy of drinking a refreshing cup of tea. If you are trying to avoid drinking teas high in caffeine content, it is best to stick with a tea that is naturally low in caffeine to begin with, such as white tea. Japanese twig tea such as Kukicha and Hojicha is also very low in caffeine content.
Can you make decaffeinated tea using a teabag?
You can also make decaffeinated tea from a teabag. To do so, you will need to use the pour off method:
- Place a tea bag in your mug or teapot. If all you have is loose leaf tea, place it in your infuser.
- Once you’re ready, transfer some boiling water into the mug, teapot, or infuser. Leave the water and tea to settle for a minute before pouring the mixture out.
- Once you’ve done this, set aside a clean pot of water and heat it to your preferred temperature. Steep the teabag that you had infused earlier until the tea reaches your ideal strength.
Frequently asked
Is decaffeinated tea a diuretic?
Diuretics are commonly found in certain foods and drinks that people consume. However, more often than not, diuretics are typically prescribed by doctors to increase the amount of urine produced by the body when one needs to eliminate excess fluid, salt, or other toxins. People suffering from kidney problems, heart diseases such as cardiomyopathy, and high blood pressure patients are often given diuretics to manage their conditions.
Diuretics operate by preventing excess fluid and salt from entering one’s bloodstream, which in return boosts the amount of urine produced by the body. Caffeine is known to have a similar diuretic impact on the body.
Although regular tea contains caffeine, the amount in tea is not nearly enough to have a diuretic effect on the body. Research has shown that consuming 2 or 3 cups of caffeinated tea a day should have no impact on one’s health unless one is extremely sensitive to caffeine.
How much tea is too much tea?
As always, consuming too much of anything can harm your health. So you should always aim to balance your tea intake so that you can continue enjoying it stress-free.
Which decaf/ low-caffeine tea is best for you?
Drinking tea, whether it is regular or decaf, can have numerous benefits to your health. Not only does tea contain high quantities of antioxidants, but tea has also been known to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and cancer. Even though buying tea should be a straightforward affair, it is not easy as it used to be.
There is just about every type of tea out there, each promising a whole host of benefits. So which tea is best for you? Here are some tips to help you pick the right tea for your needs.
Thai Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is made from the root of the ginger plant. No tea leaves are added to Thai ginger tea, so you never have to worry about the caffeine content in the tea. To give your ginger tea a kick, you can also add a dash of lemon juice or some honey to counteract the spiciness in the ginger.
Rooibos earl grey
Decaffeinated Earl Grey tea is readily available at most grocery stores. The rooibos early Grey incorporates the red rooibos plant that has origins in South Africa. The red tea does not contain any caffeine, but you can flavor it using some bergamot for a little added flavor.
Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus tea is also natural and boasts a flavor that is very similar to what you would experience with cranberries. If you love sweet, tart hints in your tea, then you will be pleased by what hibiscus tea has to offer. Hibiscus tea is brewed often during the summer.
To make hibiscus tea, bring your water to a boil and steep the leaves in the hot water. Make sure that you give the mixture time to cool before drinking the tea. You can also add some ice cubes if you would prefer to drink the tea cold.
Jasmine tea
Jasmine tea is consumed popularly in Asia. It offers drinkers a sweet and delicate aroma that can aid in relaxation and stress relief. You can use a green tea base for your jasmine tea. If you want it decaf, be sure to buy decaf green tea leaves before adding dried jasmine leaves to the mixture.
Final Thoughts
If caffeine content has always been a concern for you, then it may do you a world of good to switch to decaffeinated tea. Decaffeinated tea comes with all the benefits of regular tea but with much lesser concentrations of caffeine. Before you settle on a brand of decaffeinated tea, always check the label to find out which extraction process was used.