Does Mint Tea Have Caffeine? The Complete Guide

A 240 ml cup of pure peppermint or spearmint (an herbal mint infusion) contains 0 mg of caffeine.

• Peppermint and spearmint herbal tea: 0 mg per 240 ml (caffeine-free).
• Moroccan mint brewed with green tea: roughly 28 mg per 240 ml (green tea base).
• Black tea comparison: 47 mg per 240 ml; drip coffee: 96 mg per 240 ml.
• FDA recommends a daily caffeine limit of 400 mg for healthy adults; pregnancy guidance ~200 mg.

Caffeine in different types of mint tea

“Mint tea” is a category, not a single ingredient. Pure mint infusions (peppermint, spearmint) are herbal teas and contain no caffeine: the dataset entry “Herbal tea (caffeine-free)” is 0 mg per 240 ml. When mint is blended with a true tea leaf (Camellia sinensis), the cup inherits that tea’s caffeine.

Common pairings and what they mean for caffeine

• Pure peppermint/spearmint: 0 mg (herbal).
• Mint blended with green tea (e.g., Moroccan mint): green tea level — 28 mg per 240 ml.
• Mint with black tea: black tea level — 47–50 mg per 240 ml depending on blend (dataset lists black tea 47 mg, English Breakfast 50 mg).

Quick comparison table: mint teas versus other drinks

Drink / blend	Serving	Caffeine (mg)
Peppermint / Spearmint (herbal)	240 ml	0 mg
Moroccan mint (green tea base)	240 ml	28 mg
Black tea	240 ml	47 mg
Matcha (1 tsp)	240 ml	70 mg
Yerba mate	240 ml	85 mg
Drip coffee	240 ml	96 mg
Cold brew	240 ml	200 mg

Peppermint tea: why it’s caffeine-free

Peppermint and spearmint are not Camellia sinensis; they’re aromatic herbs. USDA FoodData Central and common tea databases classify these as herbal tisanes and list them as caffeine‑free (dataset: herbal tea 0 mg/240 ml). That makes them a reliable choice if you want mint flavor without stimulant effects.

Spearmint and specialty mint blends

Spearmint behaves like peppermint: pure spearmint infusions are 0 mg. Specialty commercial blends sometimes add black or green tea for body and color—always check the label. If the ingredient list names green tea, use 28 mg per 240 ml as a practical baseline (USDA / FoodData Central numbers).

Moroccan mint tea: the caffeine caveat

Traditional Moroccan mint is typically gunpowder green tea steeped with fresh mint. Because the base is green tea, assume the caffeine is the same as green tea: 28 mg per 240 ml. If a café makes a stronger concentrate or uses multiple teabags, caffeine will rise accordingly.

What affects caffeine in mint blends

Key variables: tea base (herbal vs. Camellia sinensis), number of tea bags, steep time, water volume, and serving size. Longer steeping and more leaf mass pull more caffeine from Camellia sinensis leaves — labels with plain “mint tea” can mean either 0 mg (herbal) or a nonzero value if blended with real tea.

Caffeine decay: how long mint‑tea caffeine stays active

Use a population-average half‑life of 5.7 hours: caffeine roughly halves every 5.7 h. Below are concrete remaining amounts at 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours for typical initial doses (percentages: ~69% at 3 h, ~48% at 6 h, ~33% at 9 h, ~23% at 12 h).

Initial dose (mg)	3 h (~69%)	6 h (~48%)	9 h (~33%)	12 h (~23%)
0 mg (peppermint/spearmint)	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
28 mg (green tea / Moroccan mint)	19 mg	13 mg	9 mg	6 mg
47 mg (black tea)	32 mg	23 mg	16 mg	11 mg
85 mg (yerba mate)	59 mg	41 mg	28 mg	20 mg
200 mg (strong cold brew / pre‑workout)	138 mg	96 mg	66 mg	46 mg

Health, safety, and timing

FDA guidance cites 400 mg/day as a general upper limit for healthy adults; during pregnancy many authorities (including some guidance summarized by Mayo Clinic and EFSA) recommend limiting caffeine to about 200 mg/day. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises caution for adolescents. Pure mint herbal teas let you enjoy hot or iced mint without contributing toward those limits.

Sleep considerations

Even modest caffeine from a green‑tea mint blend (28 mg) can remain measurable overnight — our decay table shows ~13 mg after 6 hours and ~6 mg after 12 hours. If you’re sensitive, avoid green/black tea–based mint in the late afternoon.

Special situations

Children, pregnant people, and those with arrhythmias or anxiety should ask a clinician about limits. If medication interactions are possible, consult a professional. This page is informational, not medical advice.

How to be sure: read labels and track intake

When in doubt, check the ingredient list: “peppermint” or “spearmint” alone = caffeine‑free; “green tea,” “black tea,” “mate,” or “matcha” = contains caffeine and use dataset benchmarks (green tea 28 mg /240 ml, black tea 47–50 mg /240 ml, matcha 70 mg). For accurate daily totals, track drinks in an app like CoffeeLog to sum milligrams across beverages and snacks.

If you want a mint flavor with zero caffeine, choose certified herbal mint or rooibos‑mint blends. If you enjoy a caffeine lift, opt for Moroccan mint or mint black tea and be mindful of steep and serving size.