Coffee and chai tea are two beverages that people enjoy for their flavor and caffeine. Both provide a boost of energy.
But how much caffeine is in coffee, and how does it compare to chai tea?
This guide will explore chai tea caffeine vs. coffee caffeine.
Let’s begin!
Chai Tea Caffeine Vs. Coffee Caffeine Compared
If you’re a coffee drinker, it’s probably difficult to imagine life without your daily dose of caffeine.
You likely don’t even think about it until you go without. And then the withdrawal symptoms make you wonder why everyone isn’t addicted like you.
If this sounds familiar, chai tea may be the perfect compromise between coffee and decaf tea.
Chai tea can have half as much caffeine as coffee (depending on where it’s made).
The average cup of chai has around five milligrams of caffeine, compared to an average cup of coffee with 15 milligrams.
So if you’re looking for something with less caffeine than your usual morning brew, consider chai tea.
Chai Tea Caffeine Vs. Coffee: What Is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a drug, a central nervous system stimulant.
Yes, it’s natural—but that doesn’t mean it won’t affect your body or mind. It does!
Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans (as chocolate).
There are many different kinds of caffeine: decaffeinated coffee and tea have less caffeine than standard versions.
Dark chocolate has less than milk chocolate; some energy drinks contain more than others…and so on!
What Does Caffeine Do The The Body?
Caffeine is a stimulant that can make you feel energized and alert. It can also help you stay awake or make it harder to fall asleep.
Caffeine does all this by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain.
Adenosine is a chemical that makes you feel sleepy when it builds up in your brain during the day.
Caffeine blocks those receptors, so adenosine can’t do its job of making us tired.
If caffeine doesn’t block these receptors, you won’t get enough sleep at night.
And you’ll be tired in the morning (this is why drinking coffee after you’ve gone to bed doesn’t work).
Sources Of Caffeine
Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical in plants, including coffee beans and tea leaves.
It has been used as a stimulant for centuries and is one of the most popular drugs in the world.
There are many other sources of caffeine besides coffee or tea, however. Here’s a breakdown of each:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Chocolate (cocoa) powder
- Energy drinks like Monster or Red Bull are made from extracts from guarana berries (which contain caffeine).
Chai Tea Caffeine Vs. Coffee: Why Do People Drink Coffee?
You’re probably drinking coffee or tea because you like the taste. But there are other reasons people drink these beverages.
Caffeine is an ingredient found in coffee and tea that has been shown to have some health benefits.
It can increase your energy levels, improve concentration and make you feel more awake.
Caffeine also stimulates your central nervous system and increases blood flow around the body. However, caffeine isn’t without its side effects.
It can cause jitters, anxiety, and heart palpitations for some people who consume too much of it at once or regularly over time.
How Strong Is Chai Tea Compared To Coffee?
A recent study found that chai tea contains less caffeine than coffee.
To give you a sense of the difference:
- Three ounces of chai tea has about 30 milligrams of caffeine, about half as much as an 8-ounce cup of brewed black tea (60–80 mg). It also has less than an 8-ounce cup of coffee (100–200 mg).
- 1/2 teaspoon of chai powder has 0.5 milligrams per serving. But, of course, that’s trivial compared to what’s in your average cup of joe!
How Much Caffeine Is In Coffee And Chai Tea?
Caffeine is a common additive to most teas and coffee. But how much caffeine do you get in each cup? Let’s take a look!
About the same amount of caffeine:
Chai tea has about the same amount of caffeine as coffee (about 95 mg). However, there’s more in chai tea because it contains more water, so there’s less caffeine per gram.
More caffeine than green or black tea:
Coffee has about twice as much caffeine as black or green tea does.
That’s because coffee beans are roasted for longer than other beans.
And that releases more oils that contain naturally occurring chemicals called alkaloids.
These alkaloids make up most of the flavor compounds in coffee beans and give them their stimulating qualities!
Chai Tea Caffeine Vs. Coffee: Both Can Contain Lots Of Caffeine
Chai tea and coffee can have lots of caffeine, but it depends on how they are prepared.
You can get different amounts of caffeine in your chai or coffee, depending on what you do with it.
Drinking a cup of regular brewed chai or coffee will have about 25 mg per 8 oz serving (0.25 grams).
You can use more or less coffee to make the same beverage amount before adding milk or cream, which can also add to caffeine!
Conclusion
So chai tea caffeine vs. coffee: which is better for you? If you’re looking for a beverage to help you wake up in the morning, chai tea is a great choice!
It has less caffeine than coffee but can still boost your energy.
You can also drink chai tea throughout the day if you want something warm and comforting. Or if you just like the taste of it.