Matcha Caffeine Content: Per Gram, Per Cup and vs Coffee, Chai & Green Tea
Matcha caffeine content is not one tidy number. It is a range, and the range is wide. How much you get depends on how much powder you scoop.
This guide gives you the measured figures, the sources behind them, and the daily limit that applies in India. Every number here is linked to its source at the bottom of the page.
Q: How much caffeine is in matcha?
18.9 to 44.4 mg per gram of powder. One teaspoon is about 2 g, so 38 to 89 mg.
Q: Is that more than coffee?
Per gram, yes. Per cup, usually no. A 150 ml filter coffee gives 80 to 120 mg.
Q: How much is safe in a day?
ICMR-NIN sets India's tolerable limit at 300 mg of caffeine a day, from all drinks.
How Much Caffeine Is in Matcha?
Matcha holds 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of powder. A normal cup uses 1 teaspoon, which is about 2 g. That puts one cup near 38 to 89 mg. Scoop more powder and you drink more caffeine. There is no other lever.
Matcha caffeine per gram: A 2020 review in Molecules put matcha at 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram. Coffee beans hold 10.0 to 12.0 mg per gram. - Kochman et al., Molecules, 2020
So the honest answer is a range, not a number. Your scoop decides where you land in it.
| Your scoop | Powder | Caffeine (low) | Caffeine (high) | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half teaspoon | 1 g | 19 mg | 44 mg | A light green tea |
| One teaspoon (standard) | 2 g | 38 mg | 89 mg | A cup of chai to a coffee |
| One and a half teaspoons | 3 g | 57 mg | 133 mg | A strong filter coffee |
| Two teaspoons (cafe latte) | 4 g | 76 mg | 178 mg | Two coffees |
Caffeine figures are the 18.9-44.4 mg/g measured range multiplied by the powder weight. Cup comparisons use the ICMR-NIN and EFSA figures in the next table.
Grade matters less than most sellers claim. Ceremonial matcha uses younger leaves, and young leaves carry more caffeine. But the gap between grades is small next to the gap between a half scoop and a double scoop.
Batches really do differ: A 2024 compositional study measured just 2.21 mg per gram in its own matcha sample, while noting other work found 14.4 to 34.1 mg per gram. - Jakubczyk et al., 2024
That is why no honest page can give you one figure. Treat the range as the truth and your own tin as unknown.
Matcha Caffeine vs Coffee, Chai and Green Tea
One cup of matcha usually sits below one cup of filter coffee. It sits above a plain green tea bag. It lands close to a strong cup of chai. The table below uses Indian and European official figures, so you can add up a real day.
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matcha | 1 tsp (2 g) | 38-89 mg | Calculated from 18.9-44.4 mg/g (Molecules, 2020) |
| Filter coffee (brewed) | 150 ml | 80-120 mg | ICMR-NIN, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 |
| Instant coffee | 150 ml | 50-65 mg | ICMR-NIN, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 |
| Tea or chai (black tea base) | 150 ml | 30-65 mg | ICMR-NIN, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 |
| Espresso | 60 ml | 80 mg | EFSA guideline figure |
| Filter coffee (European cup) | 200 ml | 90 mg | EFSA guideline figure |
| Black tea | 220 ml | 50 mg | EFSA guideline figure |
| Cola | 355 ml can | 40 mg | EFSA guideline figure |
| Energy drink | 250 ml | 80 mg | EFSA guideline figure |
| Packaged caffeinated drink (India) | 250 ml | 36-75 mg | Calculated from the FSSAI cap of 145-300 mg per litre |
India has its own cap: FSSAI rules allow a caffeinated beverage to carry 145 to 300 mg of caffeine per litre. Carbonated water is capped at 145 parts per million. - FSSAI, Chapter 2.10 Beverages, 2024
Read the table by cup, not by drink type. Two teaspoons of matcha can beat a filter coffee. Half a teaspoon cannot.
Why Matcha Beats a Green Tea Bag
Matcha usually gives more caffeine than green tea for two reasons. The leaf is a little richer. More important, you swallow the whole leaf instead of an infusion. A tea bag only gives up what hot water pulls out.
Green tea leaf holds 11.3 to 24.67 mg of caffeine per gram. Matcha holds 18.9 to 44.4 mg. Those ranges overlap a lot. Both figures come from the same 2020 review.
So the leaf alone does not explain the gap. The method does. With a bag, part of the caffeine stays in the leaf and goes in the bin.
With matcha, the leaf is stone-ground into powder. You whisk the powder into water and drink all of it. Nothing is left behind to throw away.
Shade-growing is the other half of the story. Shading raises the amino acid L-theanine in the leaf. That is what gives matcha its savoury taste. Read the full method in our guide to what matcha is and how it is made.
Why Matcha Caffeine Feels Different from Coffee
Most people say matcha feels steadier than coffee. The likely reason is L-theanine, which coffee does not contain. Research reports that theanine and caffeine together can lift focus more than caffeine alone. That is a real effect, not a licence to drink six cups.
Theanine nugget: One study measured up to 44.65 mg of L-theanine per gram of matcha. The same review states that theanine with caffeine "may enhance concentration, vigilance and efficiency to a higher extent than the use of either compound alone." - Kochman et al., Molecules, 2020
Note what that claim does not say. It does not say the caffeine is weaker. It does not say matcha cannot cause jitters.
Drink 4 g of a strong matcha and you may take in 178 mg of caffeine. Your body still has to clear all of it. The calm feeling is about the mix, not about a smaller dose.
We compare the two drinks in detail in matcha vs coffee.
How Much Matcha Is Safe Per Day in India?
India's own guideline is stricter than the number most blogs quote. ICMR-NIN advises that total caffeine should stay under 300 mg a day. Two teaspoons of matcha can reach 178 mg on their own. So one or two cups a day is a sensible ceiling for most healthy adults.
The India limit: ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 advise moderation in tea and coffee "so that caffeine intake does not exceed the tolerable limits (300mg/day)." - ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, 2024
The widely quoted 400 mg figure is EFSA's, and it is meant for healthy adults in Europe. EFSA also caps a single dose at 200 mg. For pregnancy, EFSA advises no more than 200 mg a day from all sources.
Matcha is never your only source. Add the morning filter coffee, the office chai, and the cola with lunch. Then see what room is left.
| A normal Indian day | Caffeine | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| Morning filter coffee, 150 ml | 80-120 mg | 80-120 mg |
| Office chai, 150 ml | 30-65 mg | 110-185 mg |
| Afternoon matcha, 1 tsp | 38-89 mg | 148-274 mg |
| Cola with dinner, 355 ml | 40 mg | 188-314 mg |
On the high side, that ordinary day already crosses 300 mg. Nothing in it looks excessive. That is the point.
ICMR-NIN adds one more habit worth copying. Tea and coffee carry tannins, which block iron absorption. Keep them at least an hour away from your meals.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing blood pressure or a heart condition, ask your doctor before you make matcha daily. This page reports published figures. It is not medical advice.
When to Stop Drinking Matcha So You Still Sleep
Caffeine late in the day costs you sleep, even when you fall asleep fine. A 2013 trial gave people 400 mg of caffeine at three different times. Even the dose taken 6 hours before bed cut total sleep by more than an hour.
Sleep nugget: "Even at 6 hours, caffeine reduced sleep by more than 1 hour." The dose used was 400 mg, which is large - roughly five strong cups of matcha. - Drake et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013
Your matcha is a smaller dose, so treat that hour as a worst case. The safe habit is still simple.
Count back 6 hours from your bedtime. If you sleep at 11 p.m., make 5 p.m. your last cup. EFSA notes that even a 100 mg dose can disturb sleep close to bedtime.
If You Are Sensitive to Caffeine
Some people feel caffeine harder and for longer than others. If that is you, matcha is not automatically the safe choice. It is a real dose of caffeine with a calmer delivery. Start small and watch the clock.
Begin with half a teaspoon, about 1 g. That is roughly 19 to 44 mg. Sit with it for a day or two before you go up.
Watch for the usual signs. Jitters, a racing heart, a headache, or a poor night all mean you went too far.
Cut the scoop before you cut the habit. Half a teaspoon still makes a proper cup. Our page on matcha side effects covers who should avoid it.
How to Get the Same Cup Every Day
Guesswork is the main reason your matcha feels strong one day and flat the next. A level teaspoon and a real whisk fix most of it. Weigh the powder once, learn what 2 g looks like in your spoon, and repeat it.
Three habits keep the dose steady. Level the spoon instead of heaping it. Sieve the powder so it dissolves. Use water near 80 C, not boiling, or the cup turns bitter.
A kettle with temperature control takes the guessing out of that last step. A frother gets the powder fully dissolved in about 30 seconds, so no clumps hide half your scoop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much caffeine is in matcha per gram?
Matcha holds 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of powder. That figure comes from a 2020 review in the journal Molecules. So one teaspoon, about 2 g, works out to roughly 38 to 89 mg.
How much caffeine is in one cup of matcha?
A normal cup uses 1 teaspoon, or about 2 g. That gives you roughly 38 to 89 mg of caffeine. A 150 ml cup of Indian filter coffee gives 80 to 120 mg, per ICMR-NIN. So matcha usually lands below filter coffee.
Is matcha high in caffeine?
Matcha sits in the middle. Per gram it beats coffee beans, which hold 10 to 12 mg per gram. Per cup it is usually gentler than filter coffee, because you brew far less powder. It is not a low-caffeine drink.
Does matcha have more caffeine than green tea?
Usually yes, and the reason is the leaf, not the plant. Green tea leaf holds 11.3 to 24.67 mg per gram, matcha 18.9 to 44.4 mg. You also swallow the whole matcha leaf. With a tea bag you only drink what the water pulls out.
How much matcha can I drink in a day in India?
ICMR-NIN puts the tolerable limit at 300 mg of caffeine a day. Two teaspoons of matcha give you about 76 to 178 mg. That leaves room for one chai, but not for three coffees as well. Count every cup.
Is matcha safe during pregnancy?
EFSA advises pregnant women to stay under 200 mg of caffeine a day from all sources. One teaspoon of matcha can already reach 89 mg. Ask your doctor before you make matcha a daily habit.
Does matcha keep you awake at night?
It can. In a 2013 sleep study, 400 mg of caffeine taken 6 hours before bed cut total sleep by more than an hour. That dose is large. Still, an evening matcha is a real risk if you sleep badly.
Why does matcha caffeine feel calmer than coffee?
Matcha also carries L-theanine, an amino acid. One study measured 44.65 mg per gram in matcha samples. Reviewers report that theanine with caffeine may lift focus more than caffeine alone. It does not cancel the caffeine.
Matcha mein kitna caffeine hota hai?
Ek teaspoon matcha, yaani 2 gram, mein takreeban 38 se 89 mg caffeine hota hai. Filter coffee ke 150 ml cup mein 80 se 120 mg hota hai. Matcha aam taur par coffee se halka padta hai.
Sources & References
- Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review - Kochman et al., Molecules, 2020 (caffeine 18.9-44.4 mg/g; green tea 11.3-24.67 mg/g; coffee beans 10.0-12.0 mg/g; L-theanine up to 44.65 mg/g)
- Chemical composition of matcha green tea - Jakubczyk et al., 2024 (batch-to-batch caffeine variation)
- Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 - ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (300 mg/day tolerable limit; per-cup coffee and tea figures; tannins and iron)
- Caffeine - European Food Safety Authority (400 mg/day adults; 200 mg single dose; 200 mg/day in pregnancy; per-serving guide figures)
- Food Products Standards, Chapter 2.10 Beverages - FSSAI, India, 2024 (145-300 mg/litre caffeinated beverages; 145 ppm carbonated water)
- Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed - Drake et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013
All source links were checked and working on 2 September 2026. This article reports published figures for general information. It is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about caffeine if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing a heart, sleep or blood pressure condition.
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