Tea, Anyone? The Brew How Much of a Buzz? Tea Enthusiasts

Just how much of a boost can a drowsy person expect to get from a fragrant cup of tea? It depends on several factors. A 6-ounce cup of black tea can (if brewed long enough) provide over 100 mg of caffeine, about as much as an average cup of coffee. There is a catch, though. The longer the tea sits in the water, the more the tannins leach out with the caffeine. This can make the tea unnecessarily bitter and upset some sensitive stomachs. One thing you can do, if you're determined to drink your tea coffee-strength, is add milk. It will bind to the tannins and neutralize them, without affecting the caffeine. If you're one of those people who prefers to dangle a tea bag in hot water just until the liquid turns a pretty color, you won't get much caffeine at all. The tea leaves release the color first -- caffeine takes a bit longer to start to dissolve. So, at the low end of the stimulant-spectrum, a cup of tea provides about 20 mg of caffeine. As a general rule, you can expect a cup of black tea to have about 50 mg.