Caffeine is typically found in plants such as coffee, tea, and coca. Commonly known as a natural stimulant, stimulating our brain and central nervous system to keep us temporarily awake and staying alert. According to the research, a certain level of caffeine intake contributes to a relatively balanced diet. The typical taste of bitterness and astringency arises from caffeine. Nowadays, we are surrounded by a range of caffeine-contained foods and drinks, but have you ever wondered what caffeine looks like?  

As you can see in the image above…. Yesss! That white-colored, crystal-like substance is actually known as “caffeine”. Fresh tea leaves carry roughly 3-5% of tea caffeine. According to the tea professional, the post-production roasting process affects the caffeine levels in tea leaves significantly. During the roasting process, caffeine will evaporate from tea leaves once the temperature reaches 120°C, and caffeine will gradually turn into the format of an odorless powdery substance on top of the roasting ovens.

At this point, you might assume that heavy-roasted tea definitely has less caffeine than non-roasted tea, but it’s actually not that simple! Besides roasting production, there are apparently other factors which may affect the caffeine levels in tea . It is believed that caffeine levels will also be varied based on the harvest season, cultivation method, tea plant variety, and part of the tea plant used, etc.

Lastly and most importantly, it’s crucial to keep in mind that different people may have different reactions to caffeine, so always be cautious of the intake of caffeine per day and enjoy the energy boost that caffeine has brought to us nowadays!