Tea vs Coffee: Which Has More Caffeine?

Per a 240 ml serving, cold brew contains 200 mg of caffeine — more than any 240 ml tea listed in the dataset.

• 200 mg — caffeine in 240 ml cold brew (highest 240 ml coffee here); nitro cold brew is 215 mg.
• 85 mg — yerba mate (240 ml), the tea-like drink with the most caffeine in this dataset.
• 47–50 mg — typical 240 ml black teas (English Breakfast ~50 mg, Earl Grey ~47 mg).
• 400 mg/day — FDA recommended maximum for healthy adults; pregnancy guidance is ~200 mg/day.

Caffeine basics: how tea and coffee compare

Caffeine content depends on botanical source, preparation, and serving size. On a per-240 ml basis, coffees in the dataset range from 3 mg (decaf) to 200+ mg (cold brew), while common steeped teas fall between 16 mg (white tea) and 85 mg (yerba mate, treated here as a tea-substitute).

Labelling and government sources such as USDA FoodData Central supply many of these values; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and medical bodies like Mayo Clinic set safety guidance used below.

Caffeine levels in common teas

Values per 240 ml (dataset):

Tea type	Serving	Caffeine (mg)	mg/100 ml
Yerba mate	240 ml	85 mg	35.4 mg/100ml
Matcha (1 tsp)	240 ml	70 mg
English Breakfast	240 ml	50 mg	20.8 mg/100ml
Black tea	240 ml	47 mg	19.6 mg/100ml
Earl Grey	240 ml	47 mg	19.6 mg/100ml
Oolong	240 ml	37 mg	15.4 mg/100ml
Green tea	240 ml	28 mg	11.7 mg/100ml
White tea	240 ml	16 mg	6.7 mg/100ml
Herbal tea (caffeine-free)	240 ml	0 mg	0 mg/100ml

Caffeine content across popular coffee preparations

Coffee shows wider variation because brewing method, extraction time and roast affect concentration. Key dataset values (serving sizes included):

Drink	Serving	Caffeine (mg)	mg/100 ml (when provided)
Cold brew	240 ml	200 mg	83.3 mg/100ml
Nitro cold brew	240 ml	215 mg	89.6 mg/100ml
Pour over	240 ml	145 mg	60.4 mg/100ml
Drip coffee	240 ml	96 mg	40 mg/100ml
Espresso (double)	60 ml	126 mg
Flat white	160 ml	130 mg
Latte (240 ml)	240 ml	68 mg
Decaf coffee	240 ml	3 mg	1.2 mg/100ml

Why these numbers vary: extraction, leaf vs bean, and portion

Factors that raise or lower caffeine per cup:

• Brewing time and temperature — longer, hotter extraction gives more caffeine (cold brew is long extraction at low temperature but uses higher coffee-to-water ratios).
• Tea leaf form — matcha uses powdered whole leaf, so 1 tsp delivers ~70 mg; steeped green tea extracts far less.
• Bean/leaf amount and grind size — fine espresso grinds and concentrated shots produce high mg per ml.
• Serving size — a grande or large drink multiplies the total caffeine; e.g., Starbucks Pike Place (473 ml) = 310 mg.

Caffeine decay: how much remains hours after a drink

Population-average half-life ≈ 5.7 hours. Use the dataset dose and the decay approximations below to estimate remaining caffeine: ~69% at 3 h, ~48% at 6 h, ~33% at 9 h, ~23% at 12 h.

Drink (initial)	Dose (mg)	After 3 h (~69%)	After 6 h (~48%)	After 9 h (~33%)	After 12 h (~23%)
Cold brew (240 ml)	200 mg	138 mg	96 mg	66 mg	46 mg
Espresso (double, 60 ml)	126 mg	87 mg	60 mg	42 mg	29 mg
Matcha (1 tsp)	70 mg	48 mg	34 mg	23 mg	16 mg
Black tea (240 ml)	47 mg	32 mg	23 mg	16 mg	11 mg

Health, safety, and timing vs sleep

Guidance: FDA cites up to 400 mg/day as generally safe for most healthy adults; many organizations advise limiting to ~200 mg/day during pregnancy, and the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for adolescents. High single doses (several hundred mg) can cause palpitations, anxiety, and sleep disruption. If you are pregnant, have heart disease, anxiety disorders, or are taking interacting medications, consult your clinician.

Practical timing: because measurable caffeine remains 6–12 hours later, avoid late-afternoon high-caffeine drinks (a 200 mg cold brew still leaves ~46 mg at 12 h for the average person) to protect sleep.

Managing intake and next steps

To compare beverages for your routine, track exact servings and timings; CoffeeLog can log servings and compute daily totals so you see how close you are to 400 mg (or your personal limit). For children and teens follow AAP guidance; for pregnancy follow your obstetrician's advice.

Authoritative references used: USDA FoodData Central values, FDA safety limits, EFSA assessments, Mayo Clinic patient guidance, American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for youth.

Bottom line

Coffee generally contains more caffeine per serving than steeped tea; the strongest 240 ml coffee here (cold brew at 200 mg) far exceeds typical 240 ml teas (white to yerba mate range 16–85 mg). Individual choice should consider serving size, brewing method, and timing relative to sleep.