Since decaffeinted tea is processed with liquid carbon dioxide, is this a health risk?

Is regular green tea more beneficial than decaf tea? What is the difference.

Thank you.

-- Jen (vsavage26@hotmail.com), September 11, 2002

Answers

Decaffeinated teas do not have any health risks that we know of currently. The one thing that could happen with decaf teas that would not be desirable is that the decaf process will strip some health beneficial antioxidants, essential oils, and flavor. Green tea is a family of tea that is not oxidized. It is the oxidation process creates caffeine. Black teas are 100% oxidized and therefore would have the most caffeine while green teas and white teas would have the least caffeine.

One good way to decrease the amount of caffeine consumed is to find a whole leaf tea that can be reinfused multiple times. Since caffeine is very water soluable, making the first infusion would remove most of the caffeine from the tea leaves. Just water your plants with that first infusion (once it is cooled, ofcourse) and reinfuse the tea for a cup of tea with much less caffeine.

We sell many varieties of teas that can be reinfused multiple times.

Check us out at www.harmonytea.com

-- frank wong (fwong@harmonytea.com), December 03, 2002.

More about the claim that it is the oxidation process which creates caffeine: not os. I found this on www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

'"Tea is a popular drink worldwide. It is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, a close relative to the camellia plant found in Australian gardens. There are three main types of tea: green, black and oolong. Green tea is made by quickly steaming or heating the leaves, while black tea is made by subjecting the leaves to further processing, including oxidation by exposure to air. This turns the leaves a deep brown colour and intensifies the flavour. Oolong tea is in between green and black - it is more processed than green tea, but less so than black. Oolong tea is also exposed to heat, light and crushing, but for less time than black tea.

The major difference between these types of tea is their degree of oxidation (exposure to oxygen). Excessive oxidation is thought to be unhealthy and, as a result, it is suggested that green tea may have greater health benefits than black or oolong tea.

Green tea is favoured in Asian countries, while in Western countries, black tea is preferred. Both varieties contain caffeine, a nervous system stimulant."

-- juma kahn (jumako@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004.