Tag: Caffeine solubility

According to the National Institutes of Health, caffeine is a colorless, odorless alkaloid that requires temperatures far exceeding water's boiling point to vaporize. This fact is key to understanding the science behind the question: does tea steam have caffeine? The answer, surprisingly, is no, and the reasons lie in fundamental chemical properties that differentiate the bitter compounds in your cup from the pleasant aroma that rises from it.

According to the National Institutes of Health, caffeine is rapidly and completely absorbed into the bloodstream within an hour of ingestion, but this process is only possible because of a unique chemical characteristic: is caffeine water or fat soluble? The surprising truth is that it's both.