I have seen a lot of conflicting reports about this. I wish someone with some actual scientific know-how would settle the issue once and for all. It’s in the same category as the idea that green teas have less caffeine than black and white teas less than green. I’ve read in other places that this is complete nonsense.
Off to google what it would take to measure caffeine levels in something…
I completely agree Frank. But as I am confused myself, I didn’t think it paid to comment and possibly start an argument lol.
I’m really not trying to start an argument. I’m just wanting to find out the answers. I used to tell people the very same thing about caffeine (Well, except I heard you had to steep it for a full five minutes to remove 70% of the caffeine), but when I started seeing all of the conflicting information, I stopped talking about it because I don’t have any evidence to back up the claims. Hopefully we can get some evidence one way or the other from the chemistry students (see below) and of course, I’ll be happy to share those facts with my competitors. I just think it’s only fair to warn @Praise Tea Company that this is a bit of old information that seems to get passed around a lot, but that doesn’t seem to have any factual evidence to support it.
LOL. just reread your comment and realized I read it wrong the first time. I gotcha now, Cofftea.
So, I just got off the phone with the dean of the chemistry department at Wichita State University. He is going to try to find a student who wants to undertake the project as their research project for the semester. He seemed pretty excited about the prospect, so we’ll see…
I totally wish I was a chemistry major so I could do that experiment!! I don’t think I could pass it off as relevant to evolutionary anthropology but if I could hello senior honors thesis :)
You really go above and beyond sometimes!
It would be pretty awesome if someone accepts. Too bad, as a geology major, I can’t pass off the experiment as being anything relative to my studies.
It has been done: http://www.elmwoodinn.com/about/caffeine.html
The abstract here is also informative, though I haven’t paid for the full article http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?ob=ArticleURL&udi=B6T6V-46JPB2K-D&user=10&coverDate=05%2F31%2F1996&rdoc=1&fmt=high&_orig=search&sort=d&docanchor=&view=c&acct=C000050221&version=1&urlVersion=0&userid=10&md5=747d3fd5e1add8a99275e85d685d10e8
@52 @Cofftea. There’s no argument here. Only topic for discussion. It was stated to us by our collegues in the tea industry. However, we have passed the statement and comment on to our “tea scholars” and waiting a response. Knowledge is always power. In saying that, if one doesn’t have actual data, than how can you say “that this is a bit of old information that seems to get passed around a lot, but that doesn’t seem to have any factual evidence to support it”. So the discussion continues…….
To further comment on this…The President of the Specialty Tea Institute, Joe Simrany, has stated “that if one is needing to decaf his tea that this IS an acceptable method.” Of course, it in way takes of the place of the commercial decaf process. Tea starts off at about 40mg and goes down to 4mg with the commercial decaffeinated process. When you do it yourself, it goes from 40mg to 20mg (half). It is noted that when you decaf tea yourself, you not only lose some of the caffeine, but also the flavor and health benefits. One only needs to have the tea steep for about 20secs to achieve this. You may do it longer, but be aware that the longer you have it steep and toss out, the more healthy benefits and flavor of the tea you lose. It’s no longer tea, but a hot water cup of liquid.
There has been no scientific data/study done on this matter; however, experts of the tea industry has given this as an “emergency” acceptable method. Commercial decaf is always best for both flavor and health benefits, but when in a pinch….Decaf your tea, please!
Since posting the our blog on Decaf my tea, please there has been some venacular back and forth to the validity of decaffing your own tea and removal of caffeine therein. @52teas and anyone else who may be interested, there has been a scientic study done on this…if you would like to read it in depth the link is http://chadao.blogspot.com/2008/02/caffeine-and-tea-myth-and-reality.html. Happy Sipping!
Teahacker also just covered this http://teahacker.com/2010/07/understanding-caffeine-in-tea/
(this article also links to teh chado.blogspot link that Praise Tea Co. mentioned above)
Add a Reply
Please keep things friendly and report anything inappropriate.