Why the caffeine content in matcha beats coffee

It’s Monday. The weekend was amazing, but now it's time to get back to work. Whether you do so at work or at home, there is the familiar ritual of brewing a cup of coffee to kickstart the day. The roasted aroma and crisp, slightly acidic notes is immediately noticeable as you sip the coffee. It jolts you awake and provides a much needed boost to continue the day.

Yes, matcha has caffeine. Matcha is a type of green tea. And just like any other tea beverage, it contains caffeine. However, the caffeine content in matcha compared to regular green tea is usually higher due to the  special shading process that it goes through.

What you should know is that the caffeine in matcha is quite different from that found in coffee. Before we delve deeper into the question of caffeine in matcha vs coffee, let’s first understand the different characteristics between matcha and coffee.

Coffee is made up of roasted coffee beans where it’s grounded and brewed to our likings. It’s aromatic, bitter and known for its high caffeine content. On the other hand, matcha is made from young leaves of the tea plants Camellia sinensis. What sets matcha apart from other teas is the shading process in its final weeks before harvest. While most teas are made from different parts of tea leaves, matcha is grounded into powder from a whole tea leaf.

Depending on the blend of matcha (and how it’s prepared), matcha will have rather complex flavors that can range anywhere from sweet to nutty, floral, or savory.

The problem with coffee is that the “jolt” does not last very long. There is the inevitable crash, you lose steam, start feeling reduced energy levels, and you reach for your second (or third) cup of coffee. In comparison, the energy boost from matcha will easily last 4 hours without such side effects.

This is possible because matcha has a large amount of L-theanine, an amino acid that helps the body feel calm, relaxed and focused. L-theanine also controls the absorption of caffeine in the bloodstream. Even though matcha generally does not have as much caffeine as coffee, the caffeine boost lasts longer. Instead of a massive immediate caffeine spike, the body gradually uses up the caffeine in matcha over a few hours.

L-theanine is an amino acid found in various green and black tea beverages.

• During the shading process before the harvest causes the tea plant to increase amino acid production.
• There is a larger than usual concentration of L-theanine in matcha.
• You also consume the entire leaf when drinking matcha, so you get a larger amount of L-theanine compared to just drinking regular green tea.

The amount of caffeine in coffee beverages are usually premised on the type of beverage. Because matcha is made from ground tea leaves, you essentially ingest the entire tea leaf when you drink any matcha-based beverage. Therefore, how much matcha powder you use will determine the caffeine content in matcha.

A single teaspoon of matcha contains about 70mg of caffeine, and will make slightly more than a cup of matcha tea. Based on the table below, you will notice that the caffeine content in matcha is very much comparable to that of coffee.

The lower dosage of caffeine in matcha also helps prevent the “coffee jitters” that many coffee drinkers have experienced. Unlike coffee, matcha is also much gentler on the stomach. If you’re sensitive to caffeine but need a perk-me-up, you can depend on matcha for energy boost.

You may also have noticed that a cup of regular green tea has 35mg of caffeine, this is lower than that of both matcha and coffee. The caffeine content in matcha is about double that of regular green tea. This is because you ingest the entire leaf when consuming matcha. Most teas are only infused with hot water. Would we recommend matcha over green tea too? The answer is yes.

Again, the quality of caffeine in matcha is quite different because green tea has much lower levels of L-theanine. L-theanine is quite unique to matcha as it is formed when the tea plant is deprived of sunlight. For matcha, this occurs in the final few weeks before harvest when the tea plants are kept shaded under a canopy. 

This completely changes the amino acid profile of the tea plant and results in a higher concentration of L-theanine. Regular green tea is not shaded before harvest and will not have the same levels of L-theanine. The caffeine boost from green tea will likely not last as long nor be as effective. For more information, you may wish to read our explanation on the key differences between matcha and green tea.

There are a whole bunch of other potential benefits of drinking matcha. Matcha has more anti-oxidants than coffee. Matcha has chlorophyll which is known to have detoxifying properties. Matcha doesn’t leave you with the acrid, sour breath that you sometimes get after drinking too much coffee. The list goes on. 

However, matcha is slightly more expensive than coffee (when comparing the costs per serving). This is mainly due to the increased production and storage costs associated with matcha. Cheap matcha tends to be bitter or astringent. You only get naturally sweet and pleasant vegetal notes if you purchase good matcha. Good matcha is mostly made in Japan, a developed country with higher costs.

For the record, we personally still enjoy coffees in various forms. The last thing we want you to feel is that coffee should be avoided. The key difference is that we have replaced our daily coffee with matcha and are no longer reliant on coffee for keeping us awake through the work day. Instead, a cup of matcha tea powers us through each workday.

At the minimum, all you really need to make a good matcha tea is a bottle and a source of hot water. Unlike coffee, you do not need any machines, french presses or drip filters. There is also no need for any messy grinding. A bamboo whisk will help make the process more enjoyable and perhaps easier. But it is not a requirement unless you are trying to make traditional matcha tea (usucha and koicha).

Here are two easy matcha recipes for matcha beverages that you can easily make at home or in the office – even on the busiest of work days.

We noticed that many people enjoy a form of matcha tea that is even thinner than usucha. The result is a matcha beverage that tastes quite light without losing its essential matcha flavor. This is very pleasant when enjoyed piping hot after lunch.

• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 12 oz/350 ml hot water at 176F (80C) or lower

Combine the matcha and water. We prefer adding both matcha powder and water into a bottle and shaking until the matcha is mixed well. If you need more detailed instructions, visit the recipe page!

• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 8 oz/235ml cold water

Combine the matcha and water. Our preferred method is add both matcha and water into a bottle and shake until the matcha is mixed well. If you need more detailed instructions, visit the recipe page!