Water is the best beverage to keep you hydrated and quench your thirst. Besides water, people prefer a healthy drink to improve their immune systems and refresh their mood.
Coffee and tea are the two most popular energy-boosting beverages consumed worldwide. If you have a high caffeine sensitivity, then decaf coffee or tea is the best option, as they contain significantly less caffeine.
You might have heard of popular options like black, green, and oolong tea in tea varieties. You may also find decaf and herbal teas besides the regular tea options.
Many need clarification regarding decaf and herbal teas. In this blog, we will clarify your doubts by explaining what herbal tea is and whether it has caffeine.
Herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free, so this beverage has 0% caffeine. Decaffeination is the process of removing caffeine from caffeinated beverages. Hence, decaffeination is not necessary for drinks that do not contain caffeine, so herbal teas are not decaffeinated.
Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is made using spices, herbs, or other herbal plant materials. Preparing herbal tea is simple; you can make the beverage by infusing the plant material (leaves, flowers, or roots) in hot water.
Herbal tea is also called herbal infusion or tisanes. This beverage is 100% caffeine-free because it is prepared from herbal plants that do not have any caffeine. Therefore, these herbal beverages are excellent for people struggling with caffeine intolerance.
You can use dried or fresh leaves, roots, seeds, or flowers when preparing herbal tea. Put the plant parts in a pot and add water over them. Let them steep for a few minutes.
While soaking, you will notice a color change in the water. Once the herbal tea is steeped well, you can remove it from the flame and strain it.
To enhance the taste of the beverage, you may also add a few drops of lemon and some sweetener. You may also purchase the herbal tea bag and steep it in hot water for 3–5 minutes to make an instant cup of herbal tea.
Do Manufacturers Decaffeinate Herbal Tea?
The article might teach you about herbal tea and how to make it. It is also vital to know whether herbal teas are decaffeinated. The truth is that herbal tea and decaf tea are two different beverages.
Herbal teas do not contain caffeine, so the beverage is called tisane (caffeine-free tea).
Decaffeination is used to remove most of the caffeine from a caffeinated beverage.
In contrast, manufacturers do not use such decaffeination methods in herbal teas, which are already 100 percent caffeine-free.
On the other hand, when you take teas like black, green, and oolong tea made using Camellia sinensis plant leaves, they will have a certain amount of caffeine.
This is because the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant naturally contain caffeine. Therefore, such tea varieties can be decaffeinated to remove caffeine but not caffeine-free herbal teas.
Exceptional Herbal Teas that Contains Caffeine
Although many resources mention that all herbal teas are caffeine-free, there are a few exceptions. Following are two tea options that will contain caffeine.
Herbal Teas Mixed With Traditional Tea
Most pure herbal teas are 100% caffeine-free. However, some companies mix these herbal teas with black, green, or oolong tea.
Since the other teas contain around 29 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, mixing them with your herbal tea will caffeinate the beverage.
As a result, the herbal tea will contain some caffeine, depending on the amount of tea mixed into it.
Therefore, checking the ingredients to verify whether you are purchasing completely caffeine-free herbal tea is essential.
Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate also uses the concept of preparing herbal teas. Here Ilex paraguariensis plant parts (leaves and twigs) are infused with hot water to make yerba mate. Ilex paraguariensis is a type of holly plant that contains caffeine.
Hence, the tea infusion will also contain caffeine. The caffeine content in yerba mate is higher than that of regular tea. Although this beverage will boost your energy level and improve focus, it is not recommended for caffeine-intolerant people.
Some manufacturers use supercritical fluid extraction methods to decaffeinate yerba mate. Decaffeination will help remove around 97% of the caffeine.
Five Best Caffeine-Free Herbal Teas
Following are some caffeine-free herbal tea options that you can include in your low-caffeine diet.
Peppermint Tea
Steep a few leaves of the peppermint plant with hot water to make this peppermint caffeine-free beverage.
Peppermint tea has antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties. This beverage will relieve stomach pain, nausea, and other digestive issues.
Chamomile Tea
This chamomile beverage is an infusion of chamomile flowers in hot water. Chamomile tea is a healthy beverage that will improve the quality of your sleep. This tea will also help reduce sore throats, inflammation, and anxiety.
Hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. This tea is an infusion of hibiscus flowers that produces a magenta-colored beverage with a tart and sweet taste.
Hibiscus flowers can treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is produced from the roots of the ginger plant. The intense flavor of this beverage has many health benefits.
Some advantages of drinking ginger tea include supporting brain health, improving the respiratory system, building immunity, and reducing blood sugar. But make sure you stay within the limits.
Rose Hip Tea
The rosehip is found below the rose flower, which looks like a fruit. The color of the rosehip will change according to the plant species; typically, it is red or orange.
These rose hips are also used to make herbal rosehip tea, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
Final Thoughts
Herbal teas are not teas but herbal infusions, also called tisanes. This herbal beverage infuses plant parts like the flower, roots, buds, leaves, or twigs with hot water.
Most herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free. Since decaffeination is used only for caffeinated beverages, herbal teas are not.
If you are hunting for a caffeine-free drink, herbal tea is the best option because decaf teas also contain a small amount of caffeine. Since some herbal teas are mixed with other teas, it is best to look for the “caffeine-free” label when purchasing.
FAQs
Are All Herbal Teas Caffeine-Free?
Most herbal teas are caffeine-free. There are a few exceptions, like yerba mate, which contains caffeine.
Can You Decaffeinate Herbal Tea?
In general, herbal teas are not decaffeinated because they are naturally caffeine-free.
However, suppose you are making it from a caffeinated herb (yerba mate). In that case, it is possible to decaffeinate such a beverage.
Is There Caffeine in Herbal Tea?
No, most herbal teas do not contain caffeine.
Jasmine, ginger, chamomile, peppermint, cinnamon, sage, and hibiscus teas are a few examples of pure herbal teas that are 100% caffeine-free.