The concept of "tea high" or "tea drunk" refers to the euphoric state some experience after consuming tea, particularly varieties high in caffeine and l-theanine. Unlike alcohol, this sensation is characterized by increased energy and focus without negative side effects. The effects typically last four to six hours and can be influenced by the type of tea consumed and individual metabolism.
Hearing the term “tea high” might give you the impression of smoking Camellia Sinensis. After doing a lot of research, we can tell you it has nothing to do with smoking and everything to do with drinking, lots of it (thank god!)
Tea high or tea drunk is a subtle alteration in one's physical and mental states often linked to the number of tea cups consumed. The change in sense of being isn’t the same as the way alcohol or other intoxicants can do.
Trust us when we say that it is a completely different feeling and much safer compared to actually getting high or drunk.
So before we begin exploring the sensation and experience of getting tea high, let’s answer the most important question.
What is getting Tea Drunk or Tea High?
Cha zui in Chinese culture means a person who enters an altered state of being after drinking tea. Like intoxication, this shift can change how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Tea, a product made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, contains unique compounds that have been found to give people the environmental boost of a drug high, but with the added thrill of social interaction.
What Does Being Tea Drunk Feel Like?
Tea has been drunk for centuries by people across the world. During that time, many tea drinkers have reported feeling “Tea drunk” which is described as a euphoric mental state in which you are full of energy and focus, but are still entirely sober. People have described the state as lasting anywhere from four to six hours.
Unlike drinking alcohol or coffee, you will not be forced into a jittery state that rattles your nervous system when you’re tea-drunk. You also won’t feel negative side effects like anxiety or paranoia when you're in a state of tea high you may feel after consuming THC from cannabis or cannabis tea (commonly known as marijuana tea).
Although it is possible to overdo it and not feel great, being tea drunk is nothing like a caffeine crash or alcohol hangover. And that’s all thanks to the compounds causing this unique reaction.
What Causes You to Feel Tea Drunk?
The main compounds in Camellia Sinensis leaves - caffeine, l-theanine, and catechins, are the main contributors to the sensation termed tea drunk. The combined action of these three compounds can lend to feelings of heightened cognitive alertness, while causing relaxation in the body, leading to a peculiar euphoria that some tea lovers sometimes associate with a 'runner's high'.
Furthermore, Green tea is a rich source of catechins, which according to ScienceDirect are potent antioxidants that improve cardiovascular health and reduce oxidative stress.
What Does It Mean to Be Tea Drunk or Tea High?
In China, the term "tea drunk," or cha zui, is used to describe an altered state of being that someone enters after consuming tea. Comparable to the effects of alcohol, this transformation can bring about shifts in physical sensations, mental states, and emotions.
Attributed to particular compounds present in Camellia Sinensis tea leaves, the act of tea consumption can result in a unique kind of euphoria, inducing a serene yet attentive sensation. This phenomenon is colloquially known as becoming "tea drunk" or experiencing a "tea high."
Here’s how these incredible compounds work together:
Caffeine is a stimulant that helps overcome fatigue and drowsiness while increasing alertness. Caffeine is a common addition to popular carbonated drinks and is naturally available in coffee and tea.
You might also be interested in reading: Embracing Tea: Why Black is the Best Coffee Alternative
Caffeine in Tea
Though feeling alert and having higher energy are its benefits, it is possible to experience an adverse effect when consumed from beverages like coffee and soda pops. Caffeine consumption is known to cause jitteriness and fidgeting, and wakefulness when consumed on the later side of the evening.
Catechins in Tea
The caffeine compound in tea however reacts differently in the body because it binds itself to catechins – a crystalline compound full of antioxidants.
When the caffeine in tea leaves binds to catechins, it takes longer for our body to metabolize the two ingredients as one. It takes longer for the caffeine to break down inside and essentially gives the body a smoother transition to wakefulness.
Coffee and caffeinated drinks only have caffeine and lack catechins. Drinking tea gives a more level and softer taps of caffeine. You end up with smaller microdoses of caffeine spaced throughout a four- to six-hour period.
This is why feeling tea drunk doesn’t cause racing jitters. You get sustained energy, relaxed yet focused alertness, and a euphoric feeling.
L-theanine
L-theanine is a powerful, naturally occurring amino acid in teas.
The amino acid has the opposite properties of caffeine and essentially helps calm the nerves. L-theanine—found naturally in tea—helps combat the stimulant effects of caffeine and help provide a steady, mellow energy boost.
Thus, the combination of caffeine, catechins, and the amino acid l-theanine is attributed to provide the cocktail that leads to tea’s getting you high reputation.
How to Get You the “Most” Tea Drunk?
If you’re looking to get tea drunk, the goal isn’t to consume a lot of tea in a short amount of time. Sure, this process might alter your state of being but it wouldn’t be completely enjoyable.
To enjoy the feeling of being tea drunk or tea high, follow these step-by-step instructions:
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Eat a Light Snack Before Teatime
We don’t recommend you try this on empty stomach. Load up on light snacks and assess how you’re feeling physically.
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Choose True Teas
The best teas have enough l-theanine, catechins, and caffeine for you to feel tea drunk. You can add loose-leaf tea to an infuser, use tea bags, or try easy and mess-free tea crystals. We’ll share more about the best types of tea to get tea drunk next.
Whichever you choose, always look for high-quality tea. Your tea should be free of harsh chemicals and pesticides. And the higher the quality, the higher the amount of l-theanine may be.
But remember, this is not the time for herbal kinds of teas like chamomile, peppermint, or red tea. These do not contain caffeine and lack the same compound makeup that Camellia Sinensis tea leaves are prized for.
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Follow the Brewing Guidelines
Different types of tea call for different tea recipes. While you may need boiling water for black tea, steeping green tea calls for hot water below this temperature. You must also steep your tea for the correct amount of time.
Steeping your tea longer won’t give you a better buzz. In fact, it could turn your tea bitter and make the taste unpleasant.
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Enjoy Your Cup of Tea Slowly
It’s best to sip your cup of tea slowly and savor each sip. Pay close attention to how you feel, and see if you can pinpoint each sensation, so you can fully experience what it means to be tea drunk or tea high.
Don’t obsess over what you’re feeling; just try to enjoy the experience as it unfolds and relax into it.
What is the tea that gets you high? And what’s the best tea to get tea drunk on?
You can get tea drunk with white tea and pu-erh tea (a type of fermented tea).
But if you’re looking for a strong tea drunk feeling, choose rich black teas with higher caffeine levels, such as Chai tea, Earl Grey tea, and oolong tea (a type of Chinese tea that’s a cross between black and green tea).
Green tea boasts fantastic l-theanine levels, which may be why some tea drinkers feel a special type of high when they consume green tea. For high-quality, completely organic green teas to unwind with, check out Nepal Tea Collective's organic Himalayan collection:
Matcha is another type of Japanese tea that is especially known for its mildly intoxicating effects. Made from grinding up green tea leaves into a beautifully bright powder. Heritage farmers grow matcha in shaded areas, which produces a 35% increase in l-theanine.
Just like the terroir of certain wines affects their flavor compounds, the environment where matcha grows contributes 137 times more catechins than traditional green tea. This extra l-theanine and catechin content may be why you feel more euphoric when drinking it.
If you’re not a fan of matcha, choosing other shade-grown teas may increase your chances of getting tea drunk. Gyokuro, another Japanese green tea, is also popular for getting tea drunk because it’s strong in flavor and catechins.
How to Prevent Getting Tea Drunk
Just because you can get tea drunk on white tea, green tea, black tea, and pu-erh tea doesn’t mean you necessarily have to each time you drink tea, or that you will.
In fact, many tea-drinkers have gone their whole lives without thinking of their relaxed tea-induced state as a “high” or being “drunk.”
If you consume a full meal before you sip your cup of tea, you shouldn’t experience a jarring tea-drunk feeling, if you experience one at all. Ensuring that you sip slowly and don’t consume too many cups at once can also help prevent you from getting tea drunk.
And if you don’t want to feel tea high, you may want to steer clear of tea tasting at a tea house. Similar to wine tasting, you may drink multiple cups of tea in a short period, which may lead to tea drunkenness.
If you find yourself in this position, there are ways to remedy it.
What to Do If You Get Tea Drunk?
First, don’t panic if you feel a bit tea drunk. Doing so may cause your heart rate to increase, which will only make things worse. Instead, try to go somewhere quiet where you can relax and take it easy as your symptoms subside.
How long does being tea drunk last?
The answer depends on many factors, similar to drinking alcohol. How much you consume, your body weight and metabolism, the type of tea you drank, and what you ate earlier can all play a role in how long the effects linger.
Typically, tea drunk effects last between four to six hours. But that’s only if you consume a high-quality cup, didn’t over-pour, or over-steep your brew.
Can tea make you dizzy?
That also depends. If you’re over-caffeinated, consumed too much tea, or drank it too fast, you could feel dizzy. It’s best to lie down and relax until you start feeling like yourself again.
Eating some food and drinking water can also help your body process the tea faster and speed up tea drunk recovery.
Final Thoughts on Getting Tea Drunk
You should try to view getting tea drunk or tea high differently than you think of getting drunk on alcohol or eating edibles or tea made with marijuana. Instead of altering your state of mind so much that you can’t function, being tea drunk is more of a relaxed yet alert feeling.
You can still go about your day, and you shouldn’t experience any negative side effects, as long as you don’t overdo it. In fact, you may find it easier to be productive and get tasks done!
How tea affects you depends on so many factors, which means you can either lean into the feeling or prevent it from happening altogether.
Remember, just because it’s possible to get tea drunk doesn’t mean you have to or will every time you drink tea.