Tim Hortons Tea: Caffeine Content and Caffeine-Free Options

A typical 240 ml cup of Tim Hortons-style steeped black tea contains approximately 47–50 mg of caffeine, depending on the blend and steeping time.

• Steeped black tea: ~47–50 mg per 240 ml (standard cup).
• Green tea: 28 mg per 240 ml; matcha is higher at 70 mg per 240 ml.
• Chai latte (spiced black tea base): 50 mg per 240 ml.
• Caffeine-free herbal teas: 0 mg per 240 ml; decaf coffee ~3 mg per 240 ml.

Caffeine in Tim Hortons steeped tea

Tim Hortons' steeped tea sold as black or English-style steeped tea will fall in the same range as generic black tea: the dataset values for black tea are 47 mg (240 ml) and English Breakfast tea 50 mg (240 ml). Those numbers come from standard beverage analyses (see USDA FoodData Central for comparable entries). If you order a standard steeped black tea at Tim Hortons expect roughly 47–50 mg per 240 ml; a medium Tim Hortons cup is often larger (295 ml for the Original Blend coffee), so serving size matters.

Green tea and matcha: lower, but know the exceptions

Green tea contains markedly less caffeine than black tea: 28 mg per 240 ml in the dataset. Matcha is different because you ingest the powdered leaf — the dataset lists matcha (1 tsp) at 70 mg per 240 ml. If you want lower caffeine, choose green tea or herbal varieties rather than matcha or chai (which use black tea).

Caffeine-free drink options at Tim Hortons

If you need zero caffeine, herbal teas are the only true 0 mg option in the dataset (herbal tea: 0 mg per 240 ml). Decaffeinated coffee is not tea, but worth noting: decaf coffee in the dataset has about 3 mg per 240 ml. Bottled iced teas and soft drinks carry low but nonzero caffeine (example: bottled iced tea 45 mg per 355 ml).

Comparing tea and coffee — quick reference table

Chai tea and flavored tea drinks

Chai lattes are typically made from a black tea base spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. The dataset lists chai latte at 50 mg per 240 ml, the same order of magnitude as steeped black tea. Flavored iced teas and sweetened tea lattes can increase serving size — and therefore total caffeine — even if concentration is similar.

What changes the caffeine in your cup?

Key variables that move the number: serving size, steep time, water temperature, tea leaf grade (broken/CTC bags release more quickly than whole-leaf), and whether the drink uses concentrated powders (matcha) or extracts. A longer steep increases extraction; doubling the serving volume doubles the total milligrams even if concentration is unchanged.

How long caffeine lasts: half-life and concrete decay

Caffeine clearance varies, but population-average half-life is about 5.7 hours. That means caffeine roughly halves every 5.7 hours: after 3 h ≈ 69% remains, 6 h ≈ 48%, 9 h ≈ 33% and 12 h ≈ 23%.

Practical takeaway: a late-afternoon cup of steeped tea (47 mg) still leaves ~23 mg after six hours — enough to affect sensitive sleepers.

Health, safety and daily limits

Major authorities provide clear guidance: the FDA recommends a maximum of 400 mg/day for healthy adults; many agencies (including EFSA) have similar advice. For pregnancy most guidance suggests limiting caffeine to about 200 mg/day. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for children and adolescents. If you have medical conditions, anxiety, or are pregnant, consult a clinician before relying on general limits.

Tracking and practical tips

If you’re monitoring intake for sleep, pregnancy, or sensitivity, track portions and milligrams — a 295 ml Tim Hortons coffee is 140 mg, while a 240 ml steeped tea is about 47–50 mg. Use an app like CoffeeLog to log cups, set daily limits, and see remaining caffeine hours based on half-life math rather than guessing.

Sources and method notes

Numbers above follow beverage analyses in common food databases (comparable to USDA FoodData Central entries) and standardized beverage samples in the dataset. Safety limits cited from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, EFSA, Mayo Clinic guidance on sensitivity and sleep, and policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics. This page is informational, not medical advice.

What happens if I have a Tim Hortons steeped tea and a medium Original Blend coffee together?

If you drink a 240 ml steeped black tea (47 mg) plus a Tim Hortons medium Original Blend coffee (140 mg) your initial caffeine load is 187 mg, according to the dataset. Using the population-average half-life of 5.7 hours (decay model used on this page), that 187 mg falls to about 90 mg after 6 hours (187 × 0.5^(6/5.7) ≈ 187 × 0.48 ≈ 90 mg).

Combined dose is the simple sum of milligrams from each beverage. At the common checkpoints from the decay model, the arithmetic is: after 3 h ≈ 187 × 0.69 ≈ 129 mg, after 6 h ≈ 187 × 0.48 ≈ 90 mg, after 9 h ≈ 187 × 0.33 ≈ 62 mg, and after 12 h ≈ 187 × 0.23 ≈ 43 mg (population-average half-life 5.7 h). For context on safe daily totals, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises 400 mg/day for healthy adults (FDA, 2026), and the European Food Safety Authority notes a 200 mg single-dose benchmark (EFSA, 2015).

If you want to model other combinations quickly, use our caffeine half-life calculator to plug in 47 mg and 140 mg separately or as a summed 187 mg to see mg remaining at any hour.

Can regular Tim Hortons steeped tea cause caffeine withdrawal if I stop?

Yes — regular daily caffeine intake from steeped tea can cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped abruptly; for example, drinking four 240 ml steeped black teas (4 × 47 mg = 188 mg/day) can produce withdrawal when abruptly discontinued. Mayo Clinic describes common caffeine withdrawal symptoms (headache, fatigue, irritability) that usually begin within about 12–24 hours after stopping and can last several days (Mayo Clinic).

Withdrawal timeframe is the delay between stopping caffeine and symptom onset. To reduce symptoms, taper by substituting lower- or zero-caffeine drinks: swap a 240 ml steeped tea (47 mg) for a 240 ml green tea (28 mg) or for an herbal tea (0 mg) in the dataset, or choose decaf coffee at 3 mg per 240 ml as a near-zero option. See our caffeine withdrawal guide, the caffeine-free herbal tea guide, and the decaf coffee guide for taper plans and practical substitutions.

How does a 240 ml steeped tea compare to a soda or an energy shot?

A single 240 ml steeped black tea is 47 mg per the dataset, which is more than a 355 ml Coca-Cola at 34 mg (dataset) but far less than many energy products; for example, a 250 ml Red Bull is 80 mg and a 57 ml 5-Hour Energy contains 200 mg (dataset). Numerically, 47 mg ÷ 34 mg ≈ 1.38, so one 240 ml steeped tea equals about 1.4 cans of Coca-Cola (355 ml) by caffeine content.

Caffeine content is the milligrams of caffeine per serving. If you compare across categories using our dataset and public food-data sources such as USDA FoodData Central, a 240 ml steeped black tea (47 mg) sits between common sodas and single energy shots; use our side-by-side drink comparison and the USDA FoodData Central (USDA FDC) for per-serving lookups of other beverages.

How many steeped teas equal one Tim Hortons medium coffee?

About three 240 ml steeped black teas equal one Tim Hortons medium Original Blend coffee: the dataset gives 47 mg for a 240 ml steeped black tea and 140 mg for a Tim Hortons medium, so 140 ÷ 47 ≈ 2.98, i.e., ~3 cups. That arithmetic uses the dataset values directly (3 × 47 mg = 141 mg vs. Tim Hortons 140 mg).

Equivalent servings is a simple conversion of total milligrams. If you prefer fewer caffeinated drinks, a single 295 ml Tim Hortons medium coffee (140 mg) is roughly the same caffeine as three standard steeped teas, so swapping one coffee for one tea cuts intake by about 93 mg in the dataset comparison; see our Tim Hortons coffee caffeine breakdown for more size-to-mg conversions and our black tea caffeine guide for concentration details.

How should I order at Tim Hortons if I want a lower-caffeine cup?

Order a 240 ml herbal tea (0 mg) or a 240 ml green tea (28 mg) to minimize caffeine; if you still want a hot coffee-like beverage choose decaf coffee (3 mg per 240 ml in the dataset). Requesting a smaller size or choosing green/herbal/decaf are the most reliable ways to reduce mg on the menu because serving size and base ingredient drive the milligrams in the dataset.

Order options are menu choices you control. Specific examples from the dataset: herbal tea = 0 mg per 240 ml, green tea = 28 mg per 240 ml, matcha (1 tsp) = 70 mg per 240 ml, and decaf coffee = 3 mg per 240 ml; for step-by-step ordering and alternatives, see our herbal tea guide, green tea breakdown, and decaf coffee guide.

Bottom line

One standard 240 ml Tim Hortons-style steeped black tea contains about 47 mg (dataset) while English Breakfast is about 50 mg per 240 ml (dataset); green tea is 28 mg per 240 ml and matcha (1 tsp) is 70 mg per 240 ml (dataset). Decaf coffee is not zero but is very low at 3 mg per 240 ml (dataset). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets a reference upper intake of 400 mg/day for healthy adults (FDA, 2026) and EFSA notes 200 mg as a common single-dose benchmark and 200 mg/day in pregnancy (EFSA, 2015).

Use the population-average half-life of 5.7 hours (decay model used here) to estimate mg remaining: remaining mg = initial mg × 0.5^(hours/5.7). For example, a single 240 ml steeped tea at 47 mg decays to ≈23 mg after 6 hours (47 × 0.48 ≈ 23 mg) and to ≈11 mg after 12 hours (47 × 0.23 ≈ 11 mg). If you combine drinks, add their milligrams first (e.g., 47 mg tea + 140 mg Tim Hortons medium coffee = 187 mg) then apply the same formula to the summed dose; see our caffeine half-life calculator to run custom times and doses.

Practical takeaways: order green tea or herbal tea to lower mg per cup, remember a Tim Hortons medium coffee (140 mg) equals roughly three 240 ml steeped teas (3 × 47 mg ≈ 141 mg in the dataset), and keep daily totals below the FDA 400 mg guideline for healthy adults unless advised otherwise by a clinician. For quick comparisons and swaps consult our drink comparison tool and the guides on black tea and decaf for exact per-serving numbers.