What is it?
Did you know that theine and caffeine are actually the same molecule? Coffee contains much more: three to four times more than in a cup of tea. This explains its stimulating effect, while tea has the effect of a simple tea infusion. Just what you need to stay awake and alert during meditation, some Buddhist monks say.
Theine is found in tea leaves and is released when they are immersed in hot water. There are also big differences between the different types of tea: black tea is the richest in theine (mainly because it releases it more quickly), ahead of green and white tea, considered the “lightest”.
This is why Kusmi advises drinking black tea in the morning and preferring green, white or oolong tea during the day.
Why drink tea without tea?
If the stimulating and energizing effects of green or black tea are sought after because they are considered beneficial, some people, on the contrary, may want to do without them. This is the case for people who are sensitive to theine or caffeine and who fear having trouble falling asleep. Perceived stimulation, rate of absorption of theine and tolerance vary according to each person. Another target group that might want to reduce their tea consumption is pregnant women, who are generally advised by doctors to reduce their consumption to two cups of tea per day. Or children, whose lower weight means the fuel in their body is more concentrated and excreted more slowly. Finally, people suffering from heart or digestive problems may be advised to remove theine from their diet. For anyone who doesn't want to miss their tea break, tea without tea or de-dethanized tea is the solution.
Plus, decaffeinated or decaffeinated tea tastes just as good as regular tea. The tastes are no less intense. The absence of theine avoids the bitterness that can occur with an overly infused drink.
What types of tea are there without theine? Focus on herbal teas and rooibos
Rooibos, also wrongly called “red tea”, is a decaffeinated tea originating from South Africa: however, as it does not contain theine, it belongs to the category of infusions. And for good reasons: it is not made from tea leaves, but from a shrub, rooibos, which belongs to the legume family. As the national drink of South Africa, rooibos has attracted people far beyond the country's borders thanks to its delicious taste (not very tart, not very bitter) and its high antioxidant content.
Red tea is a drink with many benefits, known for health. Rich in flavonoids, it is said to help prevent many diseases, promote digestion, increase energy (minerals: potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, zinc and iron) and help combat water retention (excretion). However, these hypotheses have not yet been confirmed by a clinical trial. We therefore recommend that you be vigilant regarding these health claims. As it does not contain theine or caffeine, rooibos has no effect on sleep and can be drunk calmly in the evening before going to bed. Kusmi offers two: an organic vanilla rooibos and an organic almond rooibos.
Another possible decaffeinated drink is the multitude of Kusmi herbal teas, fruity and floral. As well as a decaffeinated Earl Gray tea with bergamot and citrus fruits. Since theine is poorly distributed in cold water, iced tea is a low-calorie drink. For an iced mint tea, for example, you should let Kusmi Organic Mint Tea steep in the refrigerator for two to three hours, as the infusion is much slower when cold. Count on 2 to 3 teaspoons of tea for 1 liter of cold water. Then add sugar, lemon, fresh mint leaves, etc. according to your tastes...
How to defuse tea?
Preparing “low theine” tea is very simple. Just brew it once for a minute, then throw in the first water that contains the most theine. The molecule is released as soon as the leaves come into contact with hot water. The same tea (the same bag, the same infuser, etc.) is then stored and infused again in new boiling water. This second infusion is much less acidic, but retains the flavor of your favorite tea.
Organic tea without caffeine is better
Choosing an organic decaffeinated tea guarantees the quality of the product. The organic seal means that numerous quality controls are carried out during the production and processing of the drink.
Would you like to know more about the different types of green tea? More information is available here.