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(bruce) writes:

> When you read an article that says there is so much caffeine (or
> antioxidant, or whatever) in a cup of tea, does that mean a serving of
> leaf or does that mean in a cup of the liquor?

I'm sure they mean a cup of the liquor.

> If it is in a serving of leaf then if you re-steep one serving of
> leaf 5 times you're obviously not getting much extra caffiene (or
> antioxidant etc..) but if the numbers are averaged out for a cup of
> the brewed liquor then 5 steeps means around 35 mg of caffiene
> multiplied by five! I assume it is the former and not the latter
> but I have never read anything that would clarify it one way or the
> other, and I have done a fair amount of reading on the subject.
> Anyone know?

Even though it's only a question of the liquor, there is vagueness in
lots of published numbers when it comes to steep times and
temperatures, as well as multiple steeps. (Multiple steeps are
important with regard to caffeine when the temperature is relatively
low and the first steep is fairly swift, which is the way most people
who like green teas do it.)

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html