Does Chai Have Caffeine? How Much Is in Your Cup, Compared to Coffee
Teatentional
Short answer: yes. Traditional chai is made with black tea, so it contains caffeine. But it has a lot less than a cup of coffee, and how much you get depends on how you brew it. Here is what to know.
What Is Chai?
In Hindi, chai simply means tea. What most people call chai in the West is masala chai: black tea simmered or steeped with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and black pepper, usually with milk and a little sweetener. The spices have no caffeine. All of it comes from the black tea.
How Much Caffeine Is in Chai?
An 8 oz cup of chai made with black tea usually has somewhere around 40 to 70 mg of caffeine. An 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg. So a cup of chai has roughly half the caffeine of coffee, sometimes less.
- Brewed coffee (8 oz): about 95 mg
- Black tea or chai (8 oz): about 40 to 70 mg
- Green tea (8 oz): about 20 to 45 mg
- Herbal tea: 0 mg
These are typical ranges. The exact amount depends on the tea, how much you use and how long you steep it.
What Changes the Caffeine in Your Chai?
- How much tea you use. More leaves, more caffeine.
- Steep time. A 5-minute steep pulls more caffeine than a 2-minute one.
- Water temperature. Hotter water extracts more caffeine.
- Milk. Milk doesn't remove caffeine, but a latte made with half tea and half milk has less tea in the cup.
- Concentrates and café lattes. Coffee-shop chai lattes are made from concentrate and come in large sizes, so a big one can have more caffeine than a cup you brew at home.
Is Chai Good for a Coffee Drinker?
Very. Chai gives you a gentler lift than coffee, plus bold, spiced flavor that feels just as satisfying. Many people who want to cut back on coffee find a morning chai latte is the easiest swap. Black tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that many tea drinkers find makes the energy feel steadier.
Our Chai: Chai Caramel No. 01
Chai Caramel Loose Leaf Tea | Spiced Black Tea Blend | No. 01
Black tea with cinnamon, ginger, anise, cardamom, cloves and black pepper, finished with a smooth caramel note. It has the caffeine of a regular black tea, so it is best in the morning or early afternoon.
How to brew: steep 1 teaspoon in 8 oz of water at 200°F for 4 to 5 minutes. Add steamed oat milk and honey for a chai latte. Full recipe: How to Make a Chai Tea Latte at Home.
How to Enjoy Chai With Less Caffeine
- Steep shorter. Try 2 to 3 minutes instead of 5.
- Use less tea. Half a teaspoon with more milk still tastes rich.
- Go caffeine free. For an evening spiced cup, try Herbal Wellness No. 07 (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and more, with no tea leaves) or Spiced Apple Cider No. 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chai tea have more caffeine than coffee?
No. A cup of chai usually has about half the caffeine of a cup of brewed coffee.
Does a chai latte have caffeine?
Yes, if it is made with black tea. A homemade chai latte usually has a little less caffeine than a full cup of black tea, because part of the cup is milk.
Can I drink chai at night?
If you are sensitive to caffeine, it is best to have black tea chai earlier in the day. In the evening, choose a caffeine-free spiced herbal blend instead.
Is there caffeine-free chai?
Yes. Chai-style blends made with rooibos or herbs instead of black tea are caffeine free. Look for blends with no black or green tea in the ingredient list.
Does chai keep you awake?
It can, if you drink it late or you are sensitive to caffeine. Most people do best stopping caffeine 6 hours or more before bed.
Steep intentionally. Sip with intention.
Related Reading
Keep exploring with How to Make a Chai Tea Latte at Home, Coffee Alternatives That Actually Work and The 6 Types of Tea Explained.
