brewed black tea has more caffeine than brewed green tea: 47mg vs 28mg in the same 8 oz cup. That is a 19mg gap, and since the cups match, the per-serving number is the whole story.
brewed green tea vs brewed black tea: the numbers
| brewed green tea | brewed black tea | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 28mg per 8 oz cup | 47mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 3.5mg | 5.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 14.3 | 8.5 |
Sources: brewed green tea's figure is verified in our brewed green tea caffeine guide against USDA FoodData Central (source); brewed black tea's figure is verified in our brewed black tea guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).
Which one should you pick?
Pick brewed green tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and brewed black tea when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.
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 green tea: the full caffeine guide
- brewed black tea: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Does brewed green tea or brewed black tea have more caffeine? brewed black tea: 47mg per 8 oz cup versus 28mg per 8 oz cup for brewed green tea.
Which is stronger per ounce? brewed black tea, at about 5.9mg per fluid ounce versus 3.5mg for brewed green tea.
Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.
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