White tea: caffeine, brewing and taste
A cup of white tea (237 ml) usually has 6–31 mg of caffeine, about 19 mg on average (20% of a cup of filter coffee).
At a glance
| Type | Minimally processed tea |
|---|---|
| Caffeine per cup | 6–31 mg |
| mg / 100 ml | 8 |
| Cups to reach 400 mg a day | more than 20 |
| Water temperature | 75–85 °C |
| Steeping time | 1–2 min |
How it is made
Mostly buds and young leaves that are only withered and gently dried, neither rolled nor oxidised. It is mainly produced in China, especially Fujian.
Taste
Lighter than most green or black teas, with a pale yellow cup.
How to brew
About 75–85 °C for roughly 1–2 minutes.
For caffeine figures we assume 2 g of dry tea per cup (237 ml).
Steeping time and caffeine
Longer steeping releases more caffeine. Calculated for 2 g of tea per cup.
| Time | Caffeine per cup |
|---|---|
| 2 min | 4–20 mg |
| 3 min | 5–26 mg |
| 4 min | 6–29 mg |
| 5 min | 6–31 mg |
When to drink it
Caffeine's half-life is usually 3–7 hours (we use about 5), so after 5 hours roughly half a cup's caffeine can still be in the body. About 100 mg before bed may affect sleep (EUFIC).
Brands and products
Caffeine stated by manufacturers for products of this type (official data only):
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in white tea?
A cup of white tea (237 ml) usually has 6–31 mg of caffeine, about 19 mg on average (20% of a cup of filter coffee).
How do you brew white tea?
About 75–85 °C for roughly 1–2 minutes. For caffeine figures we assume 2 g of dry tea per cup (237 ml).
Is white tea good in the evening?
A cup has about 19 mg of caffeine. After 5 hours roughly half can remain, so sensitive people may prefer earlier in the day. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others.
Also useful
Sources
- IFT Food Technology: Processing, how tea is processed
- Wikipedia: White tea
- KitchenAid: Tea temperatures, a guide to brewing tea
- Ayakdaş & Ağagündüz, Foods 2025;14(13):2313 (68 tea samples)
- Nutrition Reviews 2008;66(2):82–90: Psychological effects of dietary components of tea: caffeine and L-theanine
- EUFIC: EFSA opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015)
Brewing temperature and time are typical: manufacturers' instructions may differ. Data checked 2026-10-24. General information, not medical advice.
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