Pu Erh Tea Caffeine

Pu Erh Tea Caffeine Content

Raw Pu Erh Tea

While aging, the post-fermentation process breaks down the caffeine present in the pu-erh leaves. Just as expected, the longer that pu-erh teas are aged, the less caffeine they will contain. This means that young raw pu-erh (also called sheng pu’er) aged less than two or three years will have more caffeine than raw pu-erh aged for five or ten years. Pu-erh teas that are allowed to age for fifteen, twenty, or even thirty years will contain less and less caffeine with age.

Ripe Pu Erh Tea

Ripe pu-erh (known to many as shou pu’er), on the other hand, is wet-piled in order to encourage bacterial and fungal fermentation. When compared to raw pu-erh aged without piling and dampening, ripe pu-erh contains higher levels of caffeine.

Tips:

While these generalized statements about caffeine content in pu erh teas provide a standard for your preferred selection, it’s best for tea lovers to remember that everybody responds differently to caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, try testing out your new tea in small amounts or in the early morning to see how your body responds.

Of course, if you have any condition, it is important to consult your physician.

Edited by Ziwei Chen/陈紫薇