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Fact check: Green tea has more caffeine than black tea

Checked on March 10, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The original statement is incorrect according to multiple independent sources. Black tea consistently contains more caffeine than green tea:

  • Black tea contains approximately 47 milligrams of caffeine per cup [1] [2]
  • Green tea contains approximately 29 milligrams per cup [1] [1]
  • The broader range shows black tea containing 40-70 milligrams and green tea containing 20-45 milligrams per cup [3] [4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important nuances are missing from the original statement:

  • There is a significant variation in caffeine content within each tea category, with ranges rather than fixed amounts [3]
  • Matcha, a specific type of green tea, can be an exception to this rule, sometimes containing caffeine levels that rival or exceed black tea [4]
  • The measurements are specifically for 8-ounce cups, which is an important standardization detail [4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The oversimplified nature of the original statement could benefit:

  • Green tea producers who might want to market their product to caffeine-seeking consumers
  • Health supplement companies that sell green tea extracts as energy boosters
  • The statement ignores the natural variation in caffeine content that occurs in both types of tea, presenting a false binary comparison

The scientific evidence consistently shows that, barring specific exceptions like matcha, black tea contains more caffeine than green tea, making the original statement misleading without proper context.

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