Matcha can pack as much caffeine as your morning espresso, plus plenty of other health benefits

• Matcha's caffeine content can depend on its age and quality — it may have up to 130 mg per serving.
• Matcha also contains antioxidants and other compounds that can lower inflammation and cancer risk.
• Drinking matcha in moderation can boost immunity among other health benefits.

Matcha is a powdered form of green tea (Camellia sinensis) from Japan, drunk for almost 1,000 years. It's grown and prepared in a way that makes it different from regular green tea, with a higher caffeine content.

"In the few weeks leading up to harvest, tea plants are covered to avoid direct sunlight, which increases chlorophyll production in the leaves, giving it a really dark green color," says Dana Ellis Hunnes PhD, MPH, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA medical center and author of "Recipe for Survival: What You Can Do to Live a Healthier and More Environmentally Friendly Life". 

Once harvested, the leaves are then ground into a fine powder, Hunnes says. This method yields a tea that contains higher amounts of some characteristic health-boosting compounds, including theanine and caffeine. 

Read on to learn more about how much caffeine you'll get in a cup of matcha versus other drinks, plus how drinking matcha daily could benefit your health.

How much caffeine is in matcha?

One serving of matcha is usually a half teaspoon (tsp), or about three grams (g). The amount of caffeine per serving can vary depending on the quality and age of your matcha — one serving can contain anywhere from around 55 to 130 milligrams (mg) of caffeine.

For reference, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends keeping your daily caffeine intake at 400 mg or less.

Some exceptions exist:

• If you're pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends keeping your caffeine consumption under 200 mg per day.
• If you're nursing, consider capping your daily consumption at 200 mg. But if your baby had a birth weight under 5 pounds and 8 ounces, you might want to reduce your intake further until they've reached the typical weight range for their age.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends teenagers consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine per day. 

Other groups of people may be better off avoiding caffeine entirely. For instance, children ages 12 and younger shouldn't consume any caffeine, according to the AAP. That said, the small amounts of caffeine found in chocolate and cocoa likely won't cause harm in moderation.

How does matcha's caffeine content compare to other drinks?

Matcha treads the middle of the road when it comes to caffeinated beverages. Here's how it lines up:

Is matcha good for you? 

Some people consider matcha a superfood, and for good reason. It's high in antioxidants, which makes it useful for lowering inflammation, says Dr. Adi Benito, chief medical advisor for Eating for Your Health.

In addition, these antioxidants help neutralize free radicals as well as support liver and heart health, Hunnes says.

Matcha may also support whole-body health by:

Fighting inflammation

As noted above, matcha can help lower inflammation — but it isn't just the antioxidants in matcha that have anti-inflammatory properties. Other important compounds include phenolic acid and chlorophyll. Even the caffeine in matcha may help reduce the amount of inflammatory cytokines in the body.

Drinking matcha, then, may help ease symptoms of the many different diseases and medical conditions that involve inflammation, including diabetes and arthritis. 

Bolstering immunity

Two specific compounds in matcha can also help boost your immune system, allowing your body to more effectively fight off illness. 

These compounds include catechins, phenolic compounds high in antioxidants, and quercetin, a bitter compound found in many fruits and vegetables. 

Catechins and quercetin in matcha could even have antiviral properties, which could make them useful in helping people fight COVID-19 or the flu. 

Regulating blood sugar

If you live with diabetes or have a higher risk of diabetes, matcha may help you manage your blood sugar levels. Specifically, the polyphenols in matcha may slow your body's absorption of glucose, reducing the chances of a blood sugar spike.

Because matcha helps lower blood sugar, it may also aid in weight loss, Hunnes says.

Protecting your brain

Rutin, a flavonoid, could help protect your brain from neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease. 

Matcha could also prove useful when it comes to focusing and managing stress. In a 2021 study, people who consumed matcha performed better while under stress on a test involving attention, memory, and writing than those who consumed pure caffeine.

Supporting heart health

A 2021 review links both caffeine and the polyphenols in green tea to improved health and lower inflammation in the heart. According to the review, green tea could help prevent some serious medical conditions, including heart failure and stroke.

Preventing cancer

The catechins, polyphenols, and vitamin C in matcha may help prevent the growth of cancerous cells as well as metastasis, or the spread of cancer through the body.

Matcha could even help treat breast cancer by making cancer cells more susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy. 

Can caffeine have negative side effects?

Moderate caffeine consumption can benefit your health, but overdoing it may cause side effects. Consuming caffeine in large amounts or for a prolonged amount of time could contribute to:

• Anxiety
• Migraines
• Insomnia
• Caffeine dependence 

Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. If you're not sure whether you've had too much for your body to handle, pay attention to these side effects:

• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Shaking
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea and vomiting 

Consuming too much caffeine can feel similar to an adrenaline rush, Benito says.

In rare cases of caffeine toxicity — which can happen when you consume the caffeine equivalent of over 10 cups of coffee — you could experience convulsions, vomiting, and even death.

How to cut back

Moderate consumption of matcha probably won't cause harm, but you might consider reducing your intake if you feel the caffeine is negatively affecting your health. Cutting back can come with some withdrawal symptoms like headaches and irritability, if you've become dependent on caffeine.

To avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, it can help to gradually reduce your intake over a few weeks or months rather than going cold turkey. 

You can also substitute a naturally caffeine-free alternative like chaga tea. Chaga, a mushroom also rich in antioxidants, could give you an energy boost without the jitters, Benito says.

Insider's takeaway

Matcha contains a variety of health-supporting compounds, including caffeine. 

Too much caffeine can interfere with your health over time, but the caffeine in a daily cup or two of matcha is likely harmless — it could even offer health benefits for most adults.

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