Our Farm Blog

Monday 21 July 2014

Green Vs Black, A Common Misconception

Green Vs Black, A Common Misconception

There's a common misconception that green tea contains less caffeine than black with many health conscious consumers selecting a cup of green as part of their efforts to reduce their caffeine intake.

As always with natural products the way is not clear cut. Black tea is generally made from Camelia Sinensis Assamica, whilst green from Camelia Sinensis Sinensis, the different varieties have different properties and Camelia Sinensis Assamica has naturally occurring higher levels of polypenols and caffeine. However in Kenya most green teas are made from the same Camelia Sinensis Assamica as are black, so have in general slightly higher level of caffeine than Asian varieties, but black and green are on par.

These fundamental differences in caffeine levels in the bushes are compounded by human intervention, with the more you pluck and process the leaves the less caffeine is available for absorption, so the coarser the leaf the lower the caffeine. Black involves more processing so offers less caffeine than the green.

But this matter is confused to the consumer as most green teabags in the UK tend to be 2grams rather than the 2.5grams with black. So the caffeine levels are lower but only through a reduced volume rather than true comparison.

Finally there is the variation of brew time, with the longer you brew the more caffeine that diffuses into the liquor, so human intervention again plays a crucial part in the differences in caffeine levels in both green and black tea.

Whilst its important to note that at Williamson Tea we are farmers and neither doctors nor scientists so cannot comment on personal caffeine consumption, Jenna Zoe of "Food's to Love" recently commented that "if you are someone who derives a lot of pleasure out of tea, the benefit could outweigh any slight negatives so tea has a net positive impact on overall wellbeing".

So go on and have a feel good brew!


Wednesday 9 July 2014

A Question Of Caffeine

A Question of Caffeine


“Life is short so stay awake for it” is the strap line of Caribou Coffee from America, but in todays fast lifestyle and a rising awareness of the components of food and drink, caffeine has gained a rather mixed and muddled image. But what exactly is Caffeine and what does it do?

Caffeine is a member of the family of chemicals called methylaxanthines and is found naturally in tea, coffee, mate and cocoa. Caffeine is generally higher in tea than coffee, however in coffee you consume the ground bean, whereas tea you brew then remove. Despite being recognised as identical forms of caffeine, the caffeine in tea is distinguished from that in coffee because it forms different bonds with other substances, changing how it affects the body.

When tea leaves are infused, the caffeine combines with tannins, which attenuate and stabilise its effect. Tannins prevent caffeine from being released rapidly, so it is absorbed over a longer period of time, meaning that the effects occur more regularly and for longer.

In tea, caffeine stimulate the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system by enlarging the diameter of the vessels in the cerebral cortex. On the other hand when coffee is ingested it has a direct effect on blood circulation through the coronary system, stimulating an acceleration of the heart rate.In short tea is more of a natural stimulant than an excitant, sharpening the mind, increasing concentration, eliminating fatigue and enhancing intellectual acuity.