Matcha: caffeine, brewing and taste
A cup of matcha (200 ml) usually has 38–89 mg of caffeine, about 63 mg on average (66% of a cup of filter coffee).
At a glance
| Type | Shade-grown, whole-leaf powdered tea |
|---|---|
| Caffeine per cup | 38–89 mg |
| mg / 100 ml | 31.5 |
| Cups to reach 400 mg a day | 6 |
| Water temperature | 80–90 °C |
| Steeping time | to taste and recipe |
How it is made
Leaves are shaded for a few weeks before harvest (2–3 weeks under the Japanese standard), steamed and dried without rolling (this is tencha), then ground to a fine powder in stone mills. You drink the whole leaf, not just an infusion.
Taste
A strong umami flavour, which is mostly attributed to amino acids such as theanine.
How to brew
Whisked with a bamboo chasen: thin matcha (usucha) uses about 90 °C water, thick matcha (koicha) about 80 °C. Because you drink the whole leaf, a cup usually carries more caffeine.
For caffeine figures we assume 2 g of dry tea per cup (200 ml).
When to drink it
Caffeine's half-life is usually 3–7 hours (we use about 5), so after 5 hours roughly half a cup's caffeine can still be in the body. About 100 mg before bed may affect sleep (EUFIC).
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in matcha?
A cup of matcha (200 ml) usually has 38–89 mg of caffeine, about 63 mg on average (66% of a cup of filter coffee).
How do you brew matcha?
Whisked with a bamboo chasen: thin matcha (usucha) uses about 90 °C water, thick matcha (koicha) about 80 °C. Because you drink the whole leaf, a cup usually carries more caffeine. For caffeine figures we assume 2 g of dry tea per cup (200 ml).
Is matcha good in the evening?
A cup has about 63 mg of caffeine. After 5 hours roughly half can remain, so sensitive people may prefer earlier in the day. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others.
Also useful
Sources
- Wikipedia: Matcha
- Medical News Today: matcha caffeine (19–44 mg/g, citing Kochman et al. 2020)
- Nutrition Reviews 2008;66(2):82–90: Psychological effects of dietary components of tea: caffeine and L-theanine
- EUFIC: EFSA opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015)
Brewing temperature and time are typical: manufacturers' instructions may differ. Data checked 2026-10-24. General information, not medical advice.
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