White & Green Tea Contents (Theobromine v.s Caffeine)

[muie]

Articles say that green & white teas contain caffeine resulting in their stimulatory effects, but this is not the case I've been told.

I've asked doctors and they've told me that green and white tea's stimulatory effects are due to theobromine.

Although sources like Wikepedia say that green tea *does* contain caffeine, I personally feel a different stimulant effect when drinking green or white tea as opposed to coffee.

I would conclude from my personal experience, sources and information I have read that theobromine is responsible for the effects in white and green tea, and caffeine for the effects of coffee. I believe that if there is any caffeine present in green and white teas then it would be in such small amounts that it wouldn't be active at that dose.

If you go on Wikepedia and search theobromine you will see that the description of effects is exactly like that as green and white tea.

What does everybody else think?

 

[dirkduck]

Another factor to consider that contributes to the effects is theanine.

 

[a thing]

I think the differences lie in the ratios of xanthines (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline). Tea has all three.

 

[Nibiru]

Some green teas can contain a sizable amount of caffeine, depending on where they were grown, what variety was grown, at what stage the leaves were harvested and how the tea was processed. There are hundreds of different varieties of green tea. But a good rule of thumb is that the older the tea leaf, the more the caffeine. Higher grades of tea, like the Japanese sencha, gyokuru and matcha, and Chinese white teas and yellow teas are all made from rather young leaves, and so generally contain little caffeine.

As for theobromine and theophylline, their concentration in teas is usually very low.

 

[LivingInTheMoment]

Theobromide in tea!

Theobromine measured in tea (especially when the bag is used over), is very low: 1.5-3mg/cup for first brew, 0.5-1 in second, 0.2-0.5 in third.

Black teas had slightly more theobromine, attributed to the fact that younger leaves have more theobromine, and the young leaves are chosen for black tea production due to higher polyphenol levels.

Tea contains one third caffeine than coffee which is good for health. Green tea contains Camellia Sinensis, which undergoes minimal oxidation during processing. Camellia Sinensis has many medical and scientific benefits. Those who consume green tea regularly will have lower chances of heart disease and it also helps in weight loss.

Green tea has two metabolites theophilline (stronger than caffeine) and theobromine (lighter than caffeine). Theophilline will cure respiratory problems like asthma and can control blood pressure in a better way than any other drug in use. Theobromine can cure many heart diseases and can reduce hypertension to a great effect. In recent medical treatments, theobromine drug is used to cure cancer. Thus it is good to have green tea twice a day which will help to prevent many diseases.

 

[a thing]

I doubt the doses of theophylline and theobromine in tea have significant disease-preventing properties. Perhaps in other xanthine-containing plants (particularly cocoa and yerba mate) they do though.

Green tea contains Camellia Sinensis,

No, Camellia sinensis is tea.

 

[LivingInTheMoment]

I doubt the doses of theophylline and theobromine in tea have significant disease-preventing properties. Perhaps in other xanthine-containing plants (particularly cocoa and yerba mate) they do though.



No, Camellia sinensis is tea.

^^I was trying to see if you were focussed to notice. (lol)

I got lost in translation, glad you noticed the error.

 

[muie]

For someone that doesn't drink neither, and where one small cup of coffee or a 4 gram white tea/green tea makes one pretty wired, which would you suggest?

Caffeine or Xanthine containing plants?

 

[a thing]

For someone that doesn't drink neither, and where one small cup of coffee or a 4 gram white tea/green tea makes one pretty wired, which would you suggest?

Caffeine or Xanthine containing plants?

Caffeine is a xanthine. What I suggest depends on what effect you want. If you just want to stay awake, I find black tea effective (that is, with no tolerance). If you want to be fucking hyper for the hell of it, I am not sure. Coffee probably. If you want to piss a lot, drink yerba mate or cocoa.

I have wanted to try raw guarana berries for a while...

 

[aanallein]

anybody know why...

chocolate makes me feel like throwing up
caffeine makes me feel shitty all over
green tea makes me feel less shitty but still not great
brown tea has no ill effects just a pleasant/mild upper feeling


edit..

after look at some stuff online I think its the theobromine because coffee, chocolate, and green tea all give me the same upset stomach feeling. the feeling is strongest from chocolate to the point where i won't even eat it because it makes me feel so awful.

 

[LivingInTheMoment]

^^Then drink herbal teas such as chamomile, or ginger in warm water or others!

 

[Jamshyd]

One thing that tea contains which coffee and chocolate don't is L-Theanine. Not only is this mildly-GABAergic, but it also seems to cancel out a lot of the negative side-effects of Caffeine, resulting in a good synergy not present in Coffee or Cacao. It is also a powerful anti-oxident, which works out well with the other anti-oxidents in tea.

The content of Theobromine and Theophylline in tea is negligible, IMO. But just in case you were wondering, Theobromine actually has more of a sedative effect on the mind even though it is still a cardiac stimulant; and Theophylline is almost completely peripherally-acting and quite toxic at high doses.

That said, chocolate contains hundreds of other chemicals, many of which are believed to be psychoactive.

 

[aanallein]

^ Thanks Jam. There's so many compounds in each its hard to say which is causing what. I have no issues with caffeine. I take it in pill form or energy drinks and it doesn't bother me. I take L-theanine each evening before bed and it mellows me out. Chocolate turns my stomach over. Just the thought of eating anything chocolate sends a throwup impulse through me. Sometimes I will eat some but I will be dealing with an upset stomach pretty much immediately. Coffee both upsets my stomach and causes me to have to urinate like a machine. I also get too jittery physically. Pure caffeine gives me a much better mental alertness without all the physical nastiness I get from coffee.

I can drink black tea all day long though. My dad used to drink gallons of it a day (probably not the best thing to do haha). I have a glass for breakfast usually these days because I enjoy the taste and sometimes one in the afternoon as well depending on how high my caffeine intake has been for the day (I take 300mg before working out so I try not to take anymore past 3pm).

 

[Jamshyd]

It might be that you're allergic to Theobromine or some other compound present in cocoa, coffee and green tea.

Black tea is actually the most healthy for you (theoretically), although some people might object to the high concentration of tannins.

I drink tea of one type or another every day, though I can binge on Pu-Erh black tea.

 

[muie]

1. In conclusion, what chemical/chemicals are responsible for the stimulant effect in Green & White tea?

2. Is there cross tolerence between Caffeine and other Xanthines?

p.s. Jamshyd, I thought (and still believe) that White Tea is healthier/richer in anti-oxidants after which follows Green Tea. White tea is simply the younger leaves of Green Tea generally and I believe they skip the oxidation process unlike Black or Green Tea, please correct me if I am wrong as I may well be.

 

[Jamshyd]

1. In conclusion, what chemical/chemicals are responsible for the stimulant effect in Green & White tea?

Really just caffeine. The amounts of Theobromine and Theophylline are too small to be counted in.

2. Is there cross tolerence between Caffeine and other Xanthines?

I am 95% sure the answer is yes, since they all have more or less the same mode of action.

p.s. Jamshyd, I thought (and still believe) that White Tea is healthier/richer in anti-oxidants after which follows Green Tea. White tea is simply the younger leaves of Green Tea generally and I believe they skip the oxidation process unlike Black or Green Tea, please correct me if I am wrong as I may well be.

I'll be perfectly honest with you: I have not heard of "white" tea until last year, and strongly believe it to be a marketing thing. As far as I'm concerned, "white" and green tea are the same thing. However, I could definitely be wrong about the marketing thing... but the fact remains that White and Green are both non-fermented.

Traditionally speaking (in China), there are three types of tea - all from the same plant, just different ways of preparing it: Green Tea, Blue Tea ("oolong") and Black Tea.

It is a myth that green tea has less caffeine than black tea - it is actually the opposite, however - green tea has more L-Theanine, which makes it less stimulating. I am not sure why black tea has less L-Theanine but assume it has to do with the plant producing less of it as it ages.

 

[ebola?]

It is a myth that green tea has less caffeine than black tea - it is actually the opposite, however - green tea has more L-Theanine, which makes it less stimulating.

Really? All of the figures that I've seen place the caffeine content of green tea at ~25 mg/cup, and then 40-50 mg/cup for black tea. Is this all based on supposition? And what makes black tea theoretically healthiest?

ebola