The amount of caffeine in tea is dependent on the type of tea one is referring to. There are significant differences in green tea and black tea, for example. The other difference, of course, is in whether the tea has been specifically manufactured to reduce the amount of caffeine in it.
Generally speaking, the amount of caffeine in black tea, by far the most popular type of tea in the West, including the United States, is slightly more than the amount of caffeine in major soft drink brands -- at least those that are not specifically known for their caffeine content. In some cases, this may be enough of a difference to encourage some individuals to change their minds on what they going to drink.
The other thing to remember when choosing a tea is that brands originating from outside the United States often have a different caffeine content, on average, than those from with the U.S. In fact, there are often 33 percent more milligrams of caffeine in brands from outside the United States. This may also play a role in the decision-making process of some tea drinkers, especially if caffeine is a concern.
In general, caffeine in tea is thought to average approximately 60 milligrams for brands in the United States. This compares to Pepsi®, which has 37.5 milligrams. Coca-Cola Classic® has 34 milligrams of caffeine. However, oftentimes people do not drink as much tea, especially hot tea, in a single sitting as they may various soft drinks. Therefore, comparisons using the same amount of liquids may not be the most accurate measure.
For green tea, the caffeine content is much lower. This is just one of the many of the health benefits associated with the green tea product. It has 66 percent less caffeine, on average, than American brands of black tea. Although the tea is less popular in Western cultures, its health benefits have increasingly helped it gain market share. Caffeine is just one of the considerations which may be helping this product gain market share all over the world.
For those who like the taste of black tea, there are other options that may help them if they are concerned about caffeine. These products are called decaffeinated tea, or decaf tea. This type of tea is not completely caffeine free, but cuts down by as much as 90 to 95 percent amount of caffeine in a product. This can be done with no noticeable effect on taste.