Ceylon Black Tea - Caffeine Content, Health Benefits, And Other Properties

Ceylon black tea, often called just "Ceylon", refers to black tea that has been grown in Sri Lanka. "Ceylon" is simply an old name for Sri Lanka that has remained in use in the tea world, but fallen out of use elsewhere.

Ceylon is a mainstay of British culture, where it is frequently consumed on its own, as well as one ingredient among many in the classic English Breakfast blends. Ceylon comes in a wide variety of different grades; the standard grade is orange pekoe. Most people are familiar with the tea bags for sale in mainstream supermarkets, but single region and single estate loose-leaf Ceylon tea is popular among connoisseurs, as well as cost-conscious shoppers looking to save money, as loose tea can offer considerable savings. Because they tend to be reasonably priced, these single-harvest teas, grown in small batches from particular gardens can be an affordable luxury good.

Caffeine content:

Although this may come as somewhat of a dismay to readers, there is little that can be said about the caffeine content of Ceylon black teas. Because Ceylon refers to a growing region, and not a varietal or grade, tea sold under the Ceylon label can come from a wide variety of grades and cultivars.

As a general rule, however, an overwhelming majority of Ceylon tea is of a standard or average grade, orange pekoe, which tends to have a fairly typical caffeine content among teas (often around 60mg per cup, contrasting with the 85-135mg per typical cup of coffee). Tippy ceylon, containing a higher portion of leaf bud, common in higher grades of tea, will tend to have a higher caffeine content. Stronger-tasting Ceylon tea does not necessarily contain more caffeine: some of the higher grades of tea have a lighter flavor, but can actually contain more caffeine. If you are especially concerned with the caffeine content of a particular batch, you need to verify this information with the company selling your tea.

Health benefits:

Although green tea has gotten the lion's share of the attention when it comes to the topic of health benefits, there is a growing body of evidence that black tea is healthy as well. There have been few studies comparing Ceylon teas to teas produced in other regions, but as Ceylons are typical among black teas, and span a wide range of grades, until any research suggests otherwise, there is little reason to assume that the health benefits of teas produced in Sri Lanka differ substantially as a general rule from other standard black teas.

Learn more:

The best way to learn about Ceylon black tea is to sample it from yourself. My personal recommendation is to buy single-estate, loose-leaf Ceylon tea from companies that specialize in high-end, British-style teas.

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