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Tea or Herbal Infusion: Which Hot Drink for Which Moment?
Green tea in the morning, a verbena infusion in the evening… We tend to call everything a “herbal tea”, but tea and herbal infusions are not the same thing! Here’s a quick guide to choosing the right hot drink for the right moment of the day. 🍵
Tea and herbal infusions: what’s the difference?
A true tea — green, black, white, oolong — always comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. What sets them apart is how the leaves are processed after picking (more or less oxidised). All of them contain theine (the same compound as caffeine), in varying amounts.
A herbal infusion (or tisane), on the other hand, is nothing like tea: it’s a preparation made from plants, flowers, leaves or roots — verbena, chamomile, lime blossom, mint, raspberry leaf… No Camellia sinensis, so no theine. Hence the habit of saving herbal infusions for the evening.
Which drink for which moment?
Each drink has its favourite time of day. Here’s a quick reference:
| Drink | Theine | Brewing water | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black tea | Yes, high | ≈ 95°C | Morning |
| Green tea | Yes, light | 70–80°C | Daytime |
| White tea | Yes, low | 75–85°C | Afternoon |
| Rooibos | No | ≈ 95°C | Evening |
| Herbal infusions (verbena, chamomile…) | No | ≈ 95°C | Evening |
A classic mistake: green tea should not be brewed with boiling water! Water that’s too hot makes it bitter. Aim for 70 to 80°C instead, with a short brewing time.
🍵 Teas & herbal infusions: true or false?
Click to check your answers.
1. Green tea and black tea come from two different plants.
False. Both come from the same shrub, Camellia sinensis! It’s the processing of the leaves (oxidation) that creates the difference in colour and taste.
2. A herbal infusion contains theine.
False. A herbal infusion is made from plants (verbena, chamomile, mint…) without Camellia sinensis, so it contains no theine. That’s why it’s a favourite in the evening.
3. Green tea needs boiling water.
False. At 100°C, green tea turns bitter. Aim for 70 to 80°C and a short brewing time to preserve all its delicacy.
4. Rooibos contains no theine.
True. Rooibos is a South African plant, theine-free — perfect for the evening, with its lovely amber colour.
5. Theine and caffeine are the same molecule.
True. Chemically identical! We just say “theine” when it comes from tea.
Our tips for a perfect cup
Three habits change everything: respecting the water temperature (gentle for green teas, hot for black teas and infusions), watching the brewing time (short for a delicate tea, longer for a fragrant herbal infusion), and storing your leaves and plants away from air, light and moisture, in an airtight tin. That’s how you preserve all the aromas, cup after cup.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between tea and a herbal infusion?
Tea always comes from Camellia sinensis and contains theine; a herbal infusion is made from other plants, with no theine.
Why is my tea sometimes bitter?
Most often, the water was too hot or the brewing time too long. Lower the temperature and shorten the time, especially for green teas.
Can you drink tea in the evening?
If you’re sensitive to it, a theine-free herbal infusion is best in the evening. Otherwise, a lightly brewed tea or a rooibos make very good options.
How should you store your teas and plants?
In an airtight tin, away from light, heat and strong odours. The aromas will then keep for many months.
Going further
Want to create your own homemade infusions? Discover on the site:
Our range of herbal infusion plants · tulsi (holy basil) · organic raspberry leaf.
Herba Barona — dietary supplements and natural products, in Paris since 2006. 🌿