Brewed decaf coffee has 5.6mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup, decaf tea has 4mg per 8 oz cup. Both are small numbers: the 1.6mg between them is a rounding error next to a regular 8 oz cup of coffee at 95mg.
Brewed decaf coffee vs decaf tea: the numbers
| Brewed decaf coffee | Decaf tea | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 5.6mg per 8 oz cup | 4mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 0.7mg | 0.5mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg | 71 | 100 |
| Source | Caffeine Informer | Caffeine Informer |
Both figures were checked against their source before this page went up: brewed decaf coffee against Caffeine Informer (source) and decaf tea against Caffeine Informer (source). Brewed drinks and cocoa foods vary by batch, so published figures are averages rather than guarantees.
Why neither one is zero
Decaffeination pulls caffeine out of green beans or leaves before roasting, and no commercial process takes out all of it. A 2006 University of Florida study measured 8.6 to 13.9mg of caffeine in a 16 oz serving of decaf drip coffee, and chain decaf varies widely: Starbucks 15 to 30mg for a medium, Dunkin 7 to 18mg, decaf K-cups 2 to 4mg, per Caffeine Informer. That is why brewed decaf coffee and decaf tea both land in single or low double digits instead of reading zero. If you need genuinely zero caffeine, the answer is a herbal infusion such as rooibos or chamomile, not decaf.
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If you are chasing the low end on purpose, the bean and the process matter more than the brewer: browse decaf coffee beans on Amazon and check whether the bag says Swiss Water or CO2.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
Related reading
- Brewed decaf coffee: the full caffeine breakdown
- Decaf tea: the full caffeine breakdown
- Does decaf have caffeine? Every decaf drink ranked
- Hidden caffeine: the foods and drinks people forget to count
- The verified caffeine database
- Compare any two drinks side by side
Related reading
FAQ
Does brewed decaf coffee or decaf tea have more caffeine? Brewed decaf coffee, at 5.6mg per 8 oz cup against 4mg per 8 oz cup for decaf tea.
How much caffeine is in brewed decaf coffee? 5.6mg per 8 oz cup, which works out to about 0.7mg per fl oz. The figure comes from Caffeine Informer.
Is decaf tea caffeine free? No. Decaf tea carries 4mg per 8 oz cup. It is a small amount, but small is not the same as none.
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