Black tea (including Earl Grey, Assam, lapsang)
- Caffeine?
- Yes
- Roughly how much
- About 75mg in a mug
Which teas are caffeine free?
Rooibos, honeybush and herbal teas — chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, ginger, fruit — are naturally caffeine free. Every "true" tea has caffeine: black, green, white and oolong all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Decaf tea is black or green tea with most of the caffeine taken out, so it still has a little.
More than half of our teas are caffeine free. We tag every one, and this guide explains what the tag means.
Caffeine at a glance
Green, white and oolong tea
- Caffeine?
- Yes
- Roughly how much
- Varies with the leaf and how long you brew
Decaf black or green tea
- Caffeine?
- A trace
- Roughly how much
- A few milligrams a cup
Rooibos (red bush)
- Caffeine?
- No
- Roughly how much
- None
Honeybush
- Caffeine?
- No
- Roughly how much
- None
Herbal and fruit (chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, ginger, rosehip)
- Caffeine?
- No
- Roughly how much
- None
For comparison: filter coffee
- Caffeine?
- Yes
- Roughly how much
- About 140mg in a mug
The mug figures are the ones the NHS uses in its caffeine guidance.
Is rooibos caffeine free?
Yes. Rooibos is a South African bush, not a tea plant, and it has no caffeine at all. It's also low in tannin, so it doesn't turn bitter if you leave it brewing, and it takes milk like a builder's tea. Honeybush is its sweeter cousin and is caffeine free too.
That makes rooibos the swap most people go for when they want a proper brew in the evening. Our Rooibos is plain; Cape Ruby adds honeybush, hibiscus and cinnamon.
Decaf or caffeine free: what's the difference?
- Caffeine free means the plant never had any. Rooibos, honeybush and herbs.
- Decaf means caffeine was removed from tea leaf that had it. Our Decaf Breakfast uses the CO₂ method, which keeps the flavour but leaves a small trace.
If you want none at all, go caffeine free. If you want the taste of black tea late in the day, decaf is the closer match.
Do all herbal teas have no caffeine?
Nearly all. A few drinks sold as herbal do contain caffeine — yerba maté and guayusa, for example. And a "herbal" blend can include green or black tea, so check the ingredients. On our site, every blend lists its ingredients and carries a caffeine tag.
Our caffeine-free blends
Staying In
- Base
- Chamomile
- Tastes like
- Warm, gentle, softly spiced apple
Gentle Dream
- Base
- Rooibos
- Tastes like
- Soft lavender and rose, faintly citrus
Easy Does It
- Base
- Chamomile and peppermint
- Tastes like
- Clean and easy-going
Cape Ruby
- Base
- Rooibos and honeybush
- Tastes like
- Deep red, warm cinnamon
Sticky Pudding
- Base
- Honeybush
- Tastes like
- Warm toffee sponge
Berry Compote
- Base
- Hibiscus
- Tastes like
- Warm berries on a scone
Jam Tart
- Base
- Hibiscus and rosehip
- Tastes like
- Sharp berry jam
Peppermint
- Base
- Peppermint
- Tastes like
- Cool and clear
Rooibos
- Base
- Rooibos
- Tastes like
- Sweet, malty red
See every one on our caffeine free tea page.
Staying In
Chose the sofa — warm, gentle, softly spiced.
Ingredients | Caffeine-free
Chamomile flowers, apple pieces, cinnamon, rose petals, orange peel
£12.49 · 50g · approx 40 cups
Cape Ruby
The 8pm brew — deep red, warm and caffeine-free.
Ingredients | Caffeine-free
Rooibos, honeybush, hibiscus, cinnamon
£12.49 · 50g · approx 40 cups
Gentle Dream
The slow exhale — soft, floral, faintly citrus.
Ingredients | Caffeine-free
Rooibos, lavender, lemon verbena, orange peel, rose petals
£12.49 · 50g · approx 40 cups
How to brew caffeine-free tea
Use boiling water, 100°C, and steep for 5–7 minutes — longer than black tea, because roots, flowers and fruit take time to give up their flavour. Most won't go bitter if you forget them. Full times are in our brew guide.
Caffeine-free tea questions
Yes. Rooibos comes from a South African bush, not the tea plant, and has no caffeine.
A little. Decaffeinating removes most of it, but a trace stays — a few milligrams a cup. For none at all, choose rooibos, honeybush or a herbal blend.
Yes. Green, white, black and oolong tea all come from the same plant and all contain caffeine.
About 75mg in a mug of black tea, according to NHS guidance. A mug of filter coffee has about 140mg.
Sources: Tommy's, using NHS caffeine guidance; Tea & Coffee, on decaf tea.
From our customers