Does Green Tea Have Caffeine

Green tea and caffeine, in summary: Yes, green tea has caffeine: a real, moderate dose, lower than black on average but not zero, varying widely by type, with matcha the outlier.

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Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in April 2026.

Yes, green tea has caffeine, typically 25-40mg per 200ml cup, roughly half of British black tea. Matcha is much higher (60-80mg per gram of powder, so a single cup can deliver 80-120mg). Decaffeinated green tea drops to 2-5mg. The "calm alert" feeling green tea produces is the combined effect of moderate caffeine and L theanine, different chemistry from coffee. This is the practical numbers guide.

The numbers across green tea types

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Green tea type	Caffeine per 200ml cup
Sencha (Japanese steamed)	30-50mg
Gyokuro (shaded sencha)	50-70mg (slightly higher due to shading)
Bancha (lower grade Japanese)	20-30mg
Hojicha (roasted Japanese)	15-25mg (roasting reduces caffeine)
Genmaicha (rice blend Japanese)	15-25mg (diluted by rice content)
Long Jing (Chinese pan fired)	30-40mg
Bi Luo Chun (Chinese)	30-40mg
Gunpowder (Chinese rolled)	30-40mg
Jasmine green tea	30-40mg
Matcha (1g whisked into 70ml)	60-80mg
Matcha latte (2g)	120-160mg
Decaf green tea	2-5mg

Why the variation

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Caffeine content in green tea depends on:

Leaf age. Younger leaves and tip buds contain more caffeine than older leaves. Premium teas (which use younger leaves) are slightly higher in caffeine.
Shading. Shade grown teas (gyokuro, matcha) are higher in caffeine because the plant produces more caffeine under shade stress.
Processing. Roasting (hojicha) breaks down some caffeine. Steaming (sencha) preserves it.
Brewing temperature. Hotter water extracts more caffeine. Green tea brewed at 80°C extracts less than at boiling water.
Brewing time. Most caffeine extracts in the first 2-3 minutes. Longer brewing extracts slightly more but mostly extracts tannins.

Green tea vs other caffeine sources

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Drink	Caffeine per 200ml cup
Espresso shot (30ml)	60-80mg
Filter coffee	80-120mg
Black tea (Yorkshire, Tetley)	40-50mg
Green tea (typical)	25-40mg
White tea	15-25mg
Matcha (2g)	120-160mg
Yerba mate	50-70mg
Cola (330ml can)	30-40mg
Energy drink (250ml)	80mg

The L theanine difference

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Green tea contains L theanine, an amino acid that crosses the blood brain barrier and produces a calm focused state. L theanine combines with caffeine to produce green tea's signature "alert without being jittery" character.

The ratio matters:

Coffee: caffeine high, L theanine zero. Sharp alertness, possible jitter.
Black tea: caffeine moderate, L theanine moderate. Smoother alertness.
Green tea: caffeine moderate, L theanine high. Calm alert focus.
Matcha: caffeine high, L theanine very high (whole leaf consumed). Sustained calm focus.

Brewing for less caffeine

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If you want green tea but with reduced caffeine load:

Use lower temperature. 75°C extracts less caffeine than 90°C. Also produces a less bitter cup.
Shorter brew time. 1-2 minutes extracts most aromatic compounds; longer extracts more caffeine.
Discard the first 30-second steep. A "rinse" infusion captures roughly 30% of the caffeine. Pour out and re steep, second cup is lower caffeine.
Choose hojicha or genmaicha. Both naturally lower caffeine variants.
Choose decaf green tea. Drops to 2-5mg per cup. More on decaf green here.

Multiple cups per day

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The NHS doesn't set a specific green tea limit beyond the general adult recommendation of staying under 400mg caffeine per day. Practical green tea limits:

3-4 cups of standard green tea daily (~120-160mg caffeine total) is fine for most adults.
5-6 cups of standard green tea (200-240mg) approaches the level where some sensitive individuals notice.
Multiple matcha cups daily can quickly exceed sensible limits, be aware that matcha is much higher than steeped green.
Pregnancy: NHS limit is 200mg/day total caffeine. 4 cups of green tea fits within this with room for other sources. More on pregnancy and tea.

The "green tea has more caffeine than coffee" myth

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You'll see online claims that green tea contains more caffeine than coffee. This is wrong on a per cup basis (coffee is 2-4× higher). Where it's accurate:

Per gram of dried leaf vs dried bean. Tea leaves are slightly higher in caffeine by dry weight than coffee beans. But you use far less tea per cup than coffee per cup.
Matcha specifically. Whole leaf consumption means a full matcha cup can rival a small coffee.

For everyday brewed cups, coffee is significantly higher caffeine than green tea.

Sleep and timing

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Caffeine half life is 5-6 hours. Practical advice:

Standard green tea before 4pm: fine for most sleepers.
Standard green tea between 4-6pm: may affect light sleepers.
After 6pm: switch to decaf, rooibos, or chamomile.
Matcha: avoid after 2pm if caffeine sensitive.

FAQ

How much caffeine is in a cup of green tea? 25-40mg for standard green tea per 200ml cup. Matcha is much higher.

Does green tea have more caffeine than black tea? No, black tea has roughly 40-50mg per cup, green tea 25-40mg. Black is higher.

Is green tea caffeine the same as coffee caffeine? Same molecule (caffeine), different effect because of L theanine pairing in tea, produces calmer alertness.

Can I drink green tea before bed? Standard green tea: probably no. Decaf green or genmaicha (lower caffeine): probably fine.

Does matcha have more caffeine than green tea? Yes, matcha delivers 60-80mg per gram of powder. A 2g matcha latte is 120-160mg. Steeped green is 25-40mg.

Curator's note: most people overestimate green tea's caffeine load. It's a moderate caffeine drink, gentler than coffee, slightly less than black tea, perfect for the morning to mid afternoon stretch. The "calm alert" feeling is real and one of green tea's underrated strengths. Lee, Teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

Reference noted

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Compare options in the green tea range, or for genuinely caffeine free evening drinking the caffeine free range and the full tea shop (free UK postage over £35).

From the curatorteas · Per cup price is the only price that matters. Loose leaf usually wins; supermarket bags sometimes do too.