Does tea have calories? Barely!
In this article, we are going to explore the calorie content of different types of teas and see what you can do to cut down.
We’ll take a look at how many calories does tea have and why some teas are higher than others.
Let’s brew this thing!
How Many Calories in Tea? The short answer
Tea barely contains any calories, between 0-2 calories per cup.
There are some exceptions to this, which we will cover later, but for the most part if you brew tea leaves in water and don’t add anything, you will end up with 0-2 calories.
Camellia sinensis = 0-2 calories
So why does tea have calories at all?
All true teas come from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The leaves of this plant are nutrient dense, but when you brew tea, you actually consume very little of the solid leaf.
A vast majority of the tea leaf stays inside the strainer or teapot. You’re mainly drinking the water-soluble components. This is why how many calories does tea have remains such a low number.
0.4-1.2 Carbohydrates and 0.2-0.4 Amino Acids
So where are these tiny calories coming from?
The three main sources of calories are fat, protein and carbohydrates. The calories in tea come mostly from carbohydrates, and while tea contains virtually no protein, it does contain amino acids.
Of the roughly 2 calories in a typical serving, about 0.4-1.2 come from carbohydrates and around 0.2-0.4 come from amino acids. There is virtually no fat in brewed tea.
Tea Types Calories
So how many calories does tea have depending on the type?
Beyond preparation differences, most plain teas have approximately the same calorie content: about 2 calories per serving. Let’s break down common questions like does black tea have calories, does herbal tea have calories, and does chamomile tea have calories.
Green tea calories - 2 - 12.5 calories per serving
Does green tea have calories? Green tea contains approximately 2 calories per serving if you are brewing 5 grams of leaves into a cup of water.
Matcha is the tea with the highest amount of calories
Matcha will be the highest in calories because you are drinking the entire leaf.
A standard serving of matcha (about 2 grams or 1 teaspoon) contains around 5 calories and about 0.3 grams of protein. So for 5 grams, you would end up with 12.5 calories.
That’s remarkably low, especially when you consider that you get a concentrated dose of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in every sip.
A matcha with water isn’t a matcha latte!
Matcha latte calories vs plain matcha with water is significantly different. To learn how many calories are in the matcha latte, make sure to read our article 👉 Matcha Latte Calories: A Full Breakdown
Black tea calories – 2 calories per serving
Does black tea have calories? Yes, but just like green tea, it contains approximately 2 calories per serving when brewed plain.
So if you’re drinking unsweetened black tea, the calorie content is negligible.
Herbal tea calories – 1–2 calories per serving
Does herbal tea have calories? Most herbal teas contain about 1-2 calories per serving.
However, fruit-heavy blends can contain more because dried fruits release natural sugars into the water.
Chamomile tea calories – less than 2 calories
Does chamomile tea have calories? Technically yes, but fewer than most teas.
Chamomile flowers contain virtually no free sugars, so brewed chamomile typically contains under 2 calories per serving.
Chamomile is technically not true tea because it does not come from Camellia sinensis. It is a herbal infusion or tisane.
Peppermint tea calories – about 1 calorie
Does peppermint tea have calories? Yes, but only about 1 calorie per serving.
Peppermint leaves contain minimal natural sugars, so the extraction process produces almost no caloric content.
Use the sweetener sparingly
As we mentioned earlier, plain tea remains very low calorie. Even matcha rarely exceeds 15 calories per serving when prepared traditionally.
The real issue begins when sweeteners are added.
Each teaspoon of honey contains about 21 calories. Sugar, syrups and flavored creamers can quickly turn a near-zero calorie drink into something much higher.
The sugar bomb
As long as you are not adding sugar, milk or syrups, tea remains one of the lowest calorie beverages available.
If you are wondering does unsweetened tea have calories, the answer is yes, but barely enough to matter in your daily intake.
It is the additions that significantly change the nutritional profile.
How to reduce the calories in tea
Are you looking to reduce the calories in your tea? There are a few things you can try to reduce the calorie content in your cup. Try these next time you brew up a cup of tea.
Avoid sugary blends
I’ve seen tea blends with everything from popcorn to chocolate and even chunks of caramel inside them! Even if you don’t add sugar or honey to these teas, the calories have already been added to the blends themselves.
You may want to avoid these sugary tea blends and try naturally flavorful teas like gyokuro and oolong. These teas are packed with flavor without the added calories.
Skip the milk
A cup of whole milk has 150 calories in it which is enough to turn your healthy beverage into a caloric bomb. You may want to avoid adding milk to your tea, or at least switching to plant-based for a lighter option. You could even just froth up a small amount of milk in a milk frother and add it as a topping. This gives you the rich, creamy consistency without the calories. In the end, what you are drinking is mostly air.
Avoid sugar
This should go without saying, but avoid the sugar and other sweeteners you add in your tea. This can really ratchet up the calories in tea. If you have to use a sweetener, try monk fruit for virtually no added calories or maple syrup instead of honey.
The final verdict
So, does tea have calories?
Yes, but barely.
Plain brewed tea typically contains between 0-2 calories per cup. Whether you’re drinking green tea, black tea, chamomile, peppermint, or other herbal teas, the calorie count remains extremely low.
If you are concerned about calorie intake, tea is one of the safest beverage choices you can make. Just avoid sugary blends, milk-heavy preparations and added sweeteners.
When prepared simply with leaves and water, tea remains one of the lowest calorie drinks available.
