Matcha Caffeine: How Much Is in Matcha, and How It Compares to Coffee

By Luke Alcock — Founder, Uji Matcha Tea · Updated October 2026 · Osaka, Japan

Matcha has caffeine — usually less than a cup of coffee, more than a cup of brewed green tea, and far more precisely than either, because you measure it by the gram. This guide gives you the real numbers: how much caffeine is in matcha per gram and per cup, how it lines up against coffee, espresso and energy drinks, why so many people say it feels different, and how much is sensible in a day.

Does matcha have caffeine?

Yes. Matcha is made from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis — the same plant behind sencha, black tea and oolong — and caffeine occurs naturally in that leaf. Matcha is not coffee and contains no coffee; a café “matcha coffee” is usually a matcha latte, or matcha with a shot of espresso (a “dirty matcha”).

What makes matcha different from other teas is that you don’t steep the leaf and throw it away. Shade-grown leaves are steamed, dried into tencha and milled in Japan into a fine powder, which you whisk into water and drink whole. More of the leaf’s caffeine ends up in your cup than with a tea bag, which is why matcha sits above brewed green tea. There is no naturally caffeine-free matcha; only a product clearly labeled as decaffeinated has had most of it removed.

How much caffeine is in matcha?

Because caffeine content varies from tea to tea, think in ranges. The rows below take the 19–44 mg per gram range and multiply it by the amount of powder in each style of drink:

Three things move the number:

• The amount of powder. This matters more than anything else. Double the powder and you double the caffeine, whatever the grade.
• The tea itself. Leaf age, cultivar and harvest all shift a tea’s composition, which is why published figures span such a wide range. Your tin won’t list its caffeine, so the range is the honest guide.
• How you measure. A “teaspoon” of something as fine as matcha can weigh very different amounts depending on how it’s scooped. A small kitchen scale gives you a consistent dose; weigh a few of your usual scoops once and you’ll know your own measure.

Preparation doesn’t destroy caffeine. Water temperature, whisking, adding milk or baking matcha into a recipe change the taste, not the dose — if the powder is in it, so is the caffeine. For technique, see our guide to how to make matcha, and for latte ratios our matcha latte guide.

Matcha vs coffee: the caffeine side by side

This is where most people start, so here are the two drinks next to each other, with tea and energy drinks for reference:

Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee? Usually not, cup for cup. But the ranges overlap: a strong two-gram bowl can match a mild coffee, and a latte made with three grams can pass one. Coffee is also harder to pin down than it looks — café cups are often 12–20 oz, Robusta beans carry more caffeine than Arabica, and a longer brew extracts more. With matcha you can count the grams.

The other difference is pace. Espresso packs its caffeine into a few quick sips; a bowl of matcha is usually drunk more slowly, over a larger volume.

Why matcha caffeine feels different

Many people describe matcha’s lift as calmer and steadier than coffee’s. Several things plausibly contribute: a smaller dose per serving, slower sipping, and L-theanine, an amino acid that shaded tea leaves are rich in and that coffee essentially lacks.

The research on L-theanine is promising but modest. In controlled trials, a combination of L-theanine and caffeine improved performance on some attention-switching tasks and increased self-reported alertness compared with placebo, and in some measures compared with caffeine alone.^6,7,8 Those studies used set doses in capsules or drinks, not bowls of matcha, and the effects were small. The fair conclusion is that matcha may feel smoother for some people — not that it guarantees a jitter-free, crash-free experience. Take enough of it and matcha can cause the same side effects as any caffeine source. We cover the focus research in more depth in our matcha brain health guide.

Is matcha healthier than coffee?

Neither drink is automatically healthier for everyone. Matcha contains catechins such as EGCG; coffee has its own polyphenols, such as chlorogenic acids. Both are widely studied, and population studies of both report a mix of modest favorable, neutral and unclear associations — which don’t prove cause and effect for any one person. What you add (sugar, syrups, milk), how much caffeine you take in overall, and how well you sleep matter more than which drink you choose. Our article on matcha benefits looks at the matcha research in more detail.

Against energy drinks the comparison is simpler: a 250 ml can often carries a similar caffeine dose to a strong bowl of matcha, usually with added sugar or sweeteners. Matcha is a single ingredient, and it works just as well iced.

How much caffeine is too much?

• Healthy adults: the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects.² EFSA reached the same figure and adds that single doses of up to 200 mg are of no safety concern for healthy adults.³ At 2 g a bowl, that leaves room for several bowls — but count the coffee, tea, cola and chocolate too.
• Pregnancy: EFSA, the NHS and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all advise staying under 200 mg a day.^3,4,5 Our article on matcha and pregnancy goes further.
• Sleep: EFSA notes that around 100 mg close to bedtime may delay and shorten sleep in some adults.³ An afternoon bowl is fine for many people; an evening one may not be.
• Sensitivity, blood pressure and medication: caffeine can raise blood pressure temporarily in some people, and it interacts with some medicines. If that applies to you, ask your doctor what’s sensible.

To cut back without giving matcha up: use less powder, drink it earlier in the day, skip the second latte, alternate with a lower-caffeine tea, and add up every source rather than just one.

Choosing a matcha for how you drink it

Caffeine is set by the grams, not the grade, so choose the tea for the cup you want to make. For everyday bowls and lattes, our Organic Uji Matcha Classic Blend is JAS certified organic and stone-milled, with enough body to stand up to milk; the 250 g café pouch is the same idea at volume. For a refined bowl of usucha, try a single cultivar such as Okumidori. If you want to try koicha — the strongest serving in the table above — we recommend only our two hand-picked teas, Asahi and Gokō × Samidori. You can compare them all in the full matcha range.

Running a café and working out caffeine per drink for your menu? Our wholesale team can help you choose a grade and set a standard dose per cup.

Matcha caffeine FAQ

Is matcha coffee or tea?

Tea. Matcha is powdered Japanese green tea from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Coffee comes from a different plant altogether. A “matcha coffee” on a café menu is usually a matcha latte or a matcha-and-espresso drink.

Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee?

Usually not. A standard bowl made with 1–2 g of matcha has roughly 19–88 mg of caffeine, while an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee averages about 95 mg. A strong bowl or a three-gram latte can overlap with a mild coffee.

How much caffeine is in a teaspoon of matcha?

A level teaspoon is roughly 2 g, which works out to about 38–88 mg. Teaspoons vary a lot with a powder this fine, so weigh it if you need to be precise.

Is matcha stronger than coffee?

In caffeine, usually not. In flavor, a properly made bowl of koicha (thick tea) is intense, and at 3–4 g it can carry as much caffeine as a large coffee.

Can matcha replace coffee?

Many people switch successfully. Because matcha often delivers less caffeine per serving, cutting back sharply can bring on temporary withdrawal headaches. Switching one cup at a time, or keeping morning coffee and moving the afternoon cup to matcha, tends to be easier.

Is there caffeine-free matcha?

Not naturally. All matcha contains caffeine. Only a product clearly labeled as decaffeinated has had most of it removed.

References

1. Koláčková T, Kolofiková K, Sytařová I, Snopek L, Sumczynski D, Orsavová J. Matcha tea: analysis of nutritional composition, phenolics and antioxidant activity. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 2020;75(1):48–53.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? Consumer Update (updated August 2024). fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
3. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal. 2015;13(5):4102.
4. NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (caffeine). nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
5. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee Opinion No. 462: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2010;116(2 Pt 1):467–468.
6. Owen GN, Parnell H, De Bruin EA, Rycroft JA. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2008;11(4):193–198.
7. Haskell CF, Kennedy DO, Milne AL, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological Psychology. 2008;77(2):113–122.
8. Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2010;13(6):283–290.
9. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (SR Legacy): Beverages, coffee, brewed, prepared with tap water (FDC 171890, 40 mg caffeine per 100 g); Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared (FDC 171891, 212 mg per 100 g); Beverages, tea, green, brewed, regular (FDC 171917, 12 mg per 100 g); Beverages, tea, black, brewed, prepared with tap water (FDC 173227, 20 mg per 100 g). fdc.nal.usda.gov. Per-serving figures calculated from USDA portion weights (8 fl oz = 237 g; 1 fl oz = 29.6 g).

This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. If you’re pregnant, have a health condition, or take medication that interacts with caffeine, talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.