Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can improve mental processes like focus, alertness, and short-term memory yet it can also be addicting. Because caffeine is such a strong stimulant it is still unhealthy even if coming from green tea caffeine, so one must be therefore careful with. Caffeine along with other alkaloids found in green tea like theobromine and theophylline are all acting as stimulants. Conversely, L-theanine, an amino acid compound found in green tea, offers calming effects.
Does this mean that one must forgo the habit and all the health benefits along with it? If caffeine poses a problem, there are actually ways to go around the problem without sacrificing the healthy benefits of green tea. Before firming up a decision, consider the following tips that may help you:
Consider your options well by choosing the ones with lesser caffeine or decaffeinated. Make sure you read the labels to get the right information.
Loose tea leaves generally have lesser caffeine than teabags.
Steep or brew green teas using water hotter than 80 to 85oC, or use less tea leaves to reduce caffeine content.
Discard the caffeine-concentrated first infusion or add more water so it can be diluted or can make out more cups.
Tea leaves that were harvested young generally contain more caffeine, yet much healthier like ma-chang. Using less tea leaves may help without sacrificing the benefits. Using green tea that are derived from older leaves can be an option.
Catechin and theanine can bond with caffeine, thus making the caffeine less potent when the water is still hot; so drink your tea hot.
These are just some useful tips that one can use skirting around the caffeine problem. Why avoid the intake of green tea when so much health rewards are there for the taking? Besides a little caffeine will do no harm.
