The short answer
Herbal teas are caffeine-free. True teas are not.
If a blend is made from flowers, fruit, herbs, spices or rooibos, it contains no caffeine at all. If it is made from the leaves of the tea plant — Camellia sinensis — it contains caffeine. That includes green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong and matcha.
This single distinction answers most caffeine questions about tea.
Why "herbal tea" is not really tea
The word tea is used loosely. In the strict sense, tea means one plant: Camellia sinensis. Every green, black, white and oolong tea comes from that same plant, processed differently.
Everything else — chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, hibiscus, ginger, fruit blends — is technically an infusion, sometimes called a tisane. These plants never contained caffeine to begin with, which is why an infusion is naturally caffeine-free rather than decaffeinated.
Naturally caffeine-free is not the same as decaffeinated
This difference matters more than most people realise.
Naturally caffeine-free means the plant never contained caffeine. Nothing has been done to it. Rooibos, chamomile and fruit infusions fall into this group.
Decaffeinated means the tea did contain caffeine, and it was removed through a chemical or water-based process. Decaf green tea and decaf Earl Grey are real teas that have been treated.
Two things follow from this. First, decaffeinated tea is rarely caffeine-free — most processes leave a small residual amount, typically around one to two percent of the original. Second, decaffeination can soften the flavour, since some aromatic compounds are stripped out along with the caffeine. A naturally caffeine-free infusion has no such trade-off.
If you are avoiding caffeine for medical reasons, during pregnancy, or because you are sensitive to it, naturally caffeine-free is the safer choice.
How much caffeine is in each type of tea?
These are general ranges for a standard cup. Actual amounts vary with leaf quantity, water temperature and steeping time — a longer steep pulls out more caffeine.
- Coffee: 80–100 mg
- Black tea: 40–70 mg
- Oolong tea: 30–50 mg
- Green tea: 20–45 mg
- White tea: 15–30 mg
- Decaffeinated tea: 2–5 mg
- Herbal infusion or rooibos: 0 mg
The useful takeaway is that green tea is not caffeine-free, only lower in caffeine than black tea or coffee. People often assume green tea is a safe evening drink. It usually is not.
Choosing by time of day
Morning. Black tea or a strong green tea gives the clearest lift. If caffeine makes you jittery, green tea is gentler than coffee because it also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that softens the edge of the caffeine.
Afternoon. Caffeine has a half-life of roughly five to six hours, meaning half of it is still in your system that much later. If you are sensitive and want to sleep well, a useful rule is to stop drinking caffeinated tea around six hours before bed.
Evening. This is where herbal infusions belong. Rooibos, chamomile and fruit blends let you keep the ritual of a warm cup without affecting your sleep.
A note on steeping
Caffeine dissolves quickly, so most of it comes out in the first minute or two of steeping. A very short steep does produce a slightly lower-caffeine cup, but not a caffeine-free one.
You may have read that a brief first steep, discarded, removes the caffeine. It does not. Research on this consistently finds that a short rinse removes only a small fraction. If you need to avoid caffeine, choose a herbal infusion rather than trying to wash it out of a real tea.
Where the Moodvera blends sit
Our four blends split evenly.
Caffeine-free
Moon Calm is a rooibos blend, naturally caffeine-free and made for the evening. Rooibos comes from a South African shrub with no caffeine at all, and it carries a natural sweetness that needs no sugar.
Rosé Glaze is a herbal infusion of fig, almond and rose petals. No tea leaves, no caffeine — a gentle treat for a slow afternoon or a quiet evening.
Contains caffeine
Jasmine Flow is an organic green tea scented with jasmine. As a true tea it contains caffeine, giving a light and clear-headed lift best suited to the morning.
Blue Fog is an Earl Grey built on a black tea base, so it sits at the higher end of the tea caffeine range. Warming and aromatic, it suits a slow afternoon.
If you are choosing an evening cup, Moon Calm or Rosé Glaze. If you want a lift, Jasmine Flow in the morning or Blue Fog in the afternoon.
Frequently asked
Does green tea have caffeine?
Yes. Green tea contains roughly 20 to 45 mg per cup, less than black tea or coffee but enough to affect sleep in sensitive people.
Is rooibos caffeine-free?
Yes, completely. Rooibos is not a true tea and has never contained caffeine.
Is decaf tea caffeine-free?
Not entirely. Most decaffeinated teas retain a small residual amount, usually a few milligrams per cup.
Which tea is best before bed?
A herbal infusion. Rooibos is a popular choice because it is naturally caffeine-free, naturally sweet and low in tannins, so it does not turn bitter if you forget it while it steeps.
Can I remove caffeine by steeping briefly and discarding the first cup?
No. This removes only a small portion. Choose a herbal infusion instead.