Roughly how much caffeine (in mgs) is in one black tea bag, steeped in a cup, and reused multiple times?

Question

I'm trying to cut down on caffeine by cutting out the coffee this week. Cold turkey almost killed me (hah). Instead of my two cups of coffee a day, I'm using one Earl Grey Twinings Black tea bag and filling it with hot water from my water machine throughout the day. I reuse the tea bag; the tea gets weaker with each refill but is still tasty. I want to know if the 40-110 mg. black tea bag caffeine average holds for this method, or if, as I read somewhere else (and am thoroughly confused by), it's the same as steeping in a tea pot, giving you 40 mg. PER CUP.

Answer 1

Coffee normally starts at 85 mg of caffeine.

Most tea is about 50 mg per serving. If you use the bag more than once the caffeine content will be less as the total content of the tea bag will be less.

Answer 2

You are right, the tea will be weaker and weaker the more you use it, and the amount of caffeine will get less and less.

If you want to even out the amount of caffeine you could make the tea in a pot and make it really strong.  During the day use a small amount of the tea and top your cup up with boiling water, this way the amount of caffeine will be the same all day long.

Answer 3

Here is a link to a drinks calories counting website.....

I wouldnt bother reusing the bags..... just give them a quick dunk.

Why not try decaff tea - I aint had much in the way of side-effects and is taste the same (Tetley)