yerba mate has more caffeine than brewed white tea: 85mg vs 28mg in the same 8 oz cup. That is a 57mg gap, and since the cans match, the per-serving number is the whole story.
brewed white tea vs yerba mate: the numbers
| brewed white tea | yerba mate | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 28mg per 8 oz cup | 85mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 3.5mg | 10.6mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 14.3 | 4.7 |
Sources: brewed white tea's figure is verified in our brewed white tea caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source); yerba mate's figure is verified in our yerba mate guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source).
The concentration gap is the striking part: yerba mate packs roughly 3 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 8 oz cup finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.
Which one should you pick?
Pick brewed white tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and yerba mate 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 white tea: the full caffeine guide
- yerba mate: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
FAQ
Does brewed white tea or yerba mate have more caffeine? yerba mate: 85mg per 8 oz cup versus 28mg per 8 oz cup for brewed white tea.
Which is stronger per ounce? yerba mate, at about 10.6mg per fluid ounce versus 3.5mg for brewed white 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.