Oolong Tea Caffeine Content

As soon as we get up in the morning, the most important activity that we all love to do is sipping a cup of tea, a beverage that has millions of fans all over. For many, it is impossible to start the daily morning chores, without a hot refreshing tea.

As we all know, tea is manufactured by processing the leaves of the bush known as Camellia sinensis. Depending upon the type of procedure used to process the leaves, this beverage comes in four varieties, one of them being oolong tea.

It is a well-known fact that caffeine is an important constituent of tea. So, it does not matter what type of tea you are drinking or the method used to prepare tea. Of course, the method of preparation will have an impact on the caffeine content. How much caffeine does oolong tea have?

Although, oolong tea is a source of caffeine, the content of caffeine is very low as compared to coffee. On the whole, when you take a cup of oolong tea (6 oz), you actually consume approximately 12-55 mg of caffeine. This data suggests that the amount of caffeine in oolong tea is even lower than black tea that is found to be approximately 60-180 mg.

Depending upon the method you adopt to make oolong tea, it can increase or decrease the caffeine content. As we all know, the tea steeping process is an important step in making the tea. The process of tea steeping involves introducing tea or tea bag in boiling water and continue boiling for some time.

This process changes the color of water and gives it a refreshing flavor. It is observed that the amount of caffeine in oolong tea is dependent on steeping time. More the steeping time, more will be caffeine content in oolong tea.

Also, tea made from small leaf China plant has lower caffeine content than the tea manufactured from bigger leaf Assam (India) plant.

Many say that tea contains caffeine and hence it's not good for health. Well, many popular beverages contain caffeine, does that mean one should avoid taking these beverages. Certainly not! The general thumb rule states that anything taken in moderation is not a cause for worry, but when consumed in excess can be harmful.

This rule is true for caffeine as well. Tea being a good source of caffeine, it doesn't make sense to consume several cups of tea. 2-3 cups of oolong tea daily is all that is required to reap benefits of caffeine. Consuming 5-6 cups of oolong tea means too much caffeine intake, which can be detrimental to health.

Caffeine taken in moderate amounts can provide a wide range of benefits. Caffeine beverages are known to provide stimulating effects, thereby decreasing mental fatigue and increasing alertness. The stimulant also positively affects the nervous system, which helps to uplift mood. This can help to enhance overall performance in the office and execute assigned tasks more efficiently.

Caffeine accelerates metabolic rate, thereby helping to reduce weight. As oolong tea caffeine content is moderate, one can reap caffeine benefits, provided too much consumption of tea is avoided. In case, you are having 5-6 cups of oolong tea, then caffeine side effects are bound to occur.

Too much caffeine, can result in poor quality of sleep, which may lead to insomnia. As it is a stimulant, it causes rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure. So increased caffeine intake may eventually lead to cardiovascular problems.

As caffeine levels in oolong tea are not substantial, you can safely drink it, but don't get carried away by the flavor and consume it excessively. The aroma and flavor of oolong tea makes it one of the most preferred morning beverage. But taking it in excess will only predispose you to caffeine side effects.