Tea vs Coffee: A Comprehensive Caffeine Comparison

On a per-standard-cup basis, coffee typically contains more caffeine than tea: a 240 ml drip coffee has 96 mg while a 240 ml black tea has 47 mg.

• Average drip coffee (240 ml): 96 mg caffeine; black tea (240 ml): 47 mg.
• Strongest common coffee in the dataset: nitro cold brew (240 ml) 215 mg85 mg.
• Population half-life ≈ 5.7 hours — caffeine roughly halves every 5.7 h (after 6 h ≈ 48% remains).
• FDA guideline for healthy adults: keep caffeine ≤ 400 mg/day; pregnancy ≈ 200 mg/day advised by some authorities.

Average caffeine levels in tea and coffee

Coffee shows far larger variation by brew method and serving size. In the dataset, common 240 ml coffees range from instant coffee at 62 mg to nitro cold brew at 215 mg. Teas are lower per 240 ml: black tea ~47 mg, green tea ~28 mg, white tea ~16 mg, and matcha (1 tsp prepared) ~70 mg. Yerba mate is the tea-like outlier at 85 mg per 240 ml.

Direct comparison table: common drinks

Drink	Serving	Caffeine (mg)	mg/100 ml (if listed)
Drip coffee	240 ml	96	40 mg/100ml
Pour over	240 ml	145	60.4 mg/100ml
Cold brew	240 ml	200	83.3 mg/100ml
Nitro cold brew	240 ml	215	89.6 mg/100ml
Espresso (single)	30 ml	63
Flat white	160 ml	130
Decaf coffee	240 ml	3	1.2 mg/100ml
Black tea	240 ml	47	19.6 mg/100ml
Green tea	240 ml	28	11.7 mg/100ml
Matcha (1 tsp)	240 ml	70
Yerba mate	240 ml	85	35.4 mg/100ml

Why coffee usually has more — brewing, beans and serving size

Three main reasons explain the typical gap: roast/bean concentration, extraction method, and serving size. Espresso concentrates espresso-soluble compounds into 30–60 ml shots (63 mg per 30 ml); a 240 ml latte dilutes espresso with milk (a 240 ml latte in the dataset has 68 mg). Cold-brew methods steep grounds for long periods and yield high mg/100 ml (cold brew 83.3 mg/100ml).

Variations within tea and coffee types

Tea: cultivar, leaf grade, and steep time change caffeine. Black teas and blends (English Breakfast ~50 mg) are generally highest; green and white teas are lower. Matcha uses the whole leaf powder and therefore delivers about 70 mg per 240 ml dose in the dataset — higher than brewed green tea.

Coffee: extraction method matters. Pour over in the dataset is relatively high (145 mg per 240 ml) because brew ratio and grind can concentrate caffeine; French press is 107 mg per 240 ml. Instant coffee here is moderate at 62 mg per 240 ml.

How caffeine decays in the body (half-life math)

Population-average half-life ≈ 5.7 hours; an approximate remaining fraction at times used here: 3 h ≈ 69%, 6 h ≈ 48%, 9 h ≈ 33%, 12 h ≈ 23%.

Drink (initial mg)	0 h	3 h	6 h	9 h	12 h
Drip coffee (96 mg)	96 mg	66 mg	46 mg	32 mg	22 mg
Cold brew (200 mg)	200 mg	138 mg	96 mg	66 mg	46 mg
Black tea (47 mg)	47 mg	32 mg	23 mg	16 mg	11 mg
Matcha (70 mg)	70 mg	48 mg	34 mg	23 mg	16 mg
Double espresso (126 mg)	126 mg	87 mg	60 mg	42 mg	29 mg

Use these numbers to plan timing: a 200 mg cold-brew at 4 PM still leaves roughly 96 mg at 10 PM (6 h later) — enough to affect sleep for sensitive people.

Health context and safety limits

Authoritative guidance: the U.S. FDA cites up to 400 mg/day as reasonable for most healthy adults; some authorities and obstetricians recommend staying under 200 mg/day in pregnancy. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for young children and recommends limiting adolescent intake; for specific medical advice consult a clinician. Sources: FDA, EFSA, Mayo Clinic and AAP.

Symptoms of excess: jitteriness, elevated heart rate, sleep disruption, and in extreme cases panic or palpitations. Caffeine withdrawal (headache, fatigue) can occur when regular intake stops.

Choosing between tea and coffee: practical guidance

If your goal is lower caffeine per cup, choose white or green tea (16–28 mg per 240 ml) or decaf coffee (3 mg per 240 ml). If you want sustained wakefulness with fewer sips, cold brew or nitro cold brew deliver the most caffeine per 240 ml (200–215 mg). For fine-grained tracking of totals across multiple cups, use CoffeeLog or a similar caffeine tracker to sum milligrams and time them against sleep.

Takeaway: which is ‘stronger’?

Measured by mg per standard cup, coffee almost always contains more caffeine than tea, though exceptions exist (matcha and yerba mate approach coffee territory). Brewing method and serving size change the story: a small concentrated espresso shot (63 mg per 30 ml) can deliver more caffeine per milliliter than a large weak drip. Use the tables above and the half-life numbers to manage timing, sleep, and daily totals.

Information only — not medical advice. For personal medical guidance, consult a healthcare professional.