Coffee’s arch rival has emerged – matcha powder

Matcha flavored food and drinks are not unfamiliar to everyone.

Matcha flavored cookies, cake rolls, ice cream, and many brands’ matcha series of drinks are all loved by many people.

Matcha’s unique aroma, rich taste layers, emerald green appearance, and often used as a “seasoning” for desserts, have led many people to overlook the fact that matcha, as a tea product, contains caffeine

Is matcha green tea powder

Matcha is green tea powder, but not all green tea powder can be called matcha. Matcha refers to a micro powdered tea like product made from fresh tea leaves that are covered and cultivated, steam (or hot air) killed, and dried as raw materials, and processed through grinding technology. Moreover, matcha products have specific sensory qualities and physicochemical indicators.

According to the definition of matcha, the raw material of tea belongs to green tea (unfermented), but its special covering cultivation and fine grinding process make it significantly different from ordinary green tea powder in terms of nutritional content and flavor. Therefore, although matcha is essentially a type of green tea powder, it is a high-quality specific category, and the two cannot be simply equated in terms of nutritional value.

The caffeine in matcha powder cannot be ignored

In fact, matcha not only contains caffeine, but its content is usually higher than that of regular green tea by dry weight, and even comparable to regular coffee beans

The caffeine content in tea depends not only on the variety of tea, climate conditions, and brewing method, but also on the picking time and growth duration of the leaves. The older the leaves, the lower the caffeine content. Therefore, compared to other green teas, matcha has a higher caffeine content.

If compared with the dry weight of unfiltered coffee beans, the caffeine content of high-quality matcha (18.9-44.4mg/g) may even exceed that of some Arabica coffee beans (about 10-12mg/g) .

However, we should pay more attention to the total amount of caffeine in the final beverage, as the amount of ingredients used to brew a cup of coffee and a cup of matcha varies greatly.

To make a 240ml cup of matcha, usually around 2-4g of matcha powder is used. Calculated based on 4g matcha powder, the caffeine content is approximately 76-180mg. It is roughly equivalent to half a cup to one cup of coffee from a chain coffee shop.
As for common matcha desserts, according to mainstream baking formulas on the internet, the amount of matcha powder contained in each matcha cream roll, matcha ice cream, or matcha cake is estimated to be about 0.5-3 grams. If calculated based on 2g matcha powder, the caffeine content is approximately 38-90mg.

After calculation, the caffeine content cannot be ignored. If you eat more, you may consume more caffeine than drinking a cup of coffee.

As for pre packaged foods with added matcha, some will indicate the mass fraction of matcha powder in the ingredient list. For these products, you can estimate the approximate caffeine content based on the amount of matcha powder added in the ingredient list.

In short, people who are sensitive to caffeine should also pay attention to foods that contain matcha and green tea powder.

Matcha, a gentler and more refreshing choice

Some friends think that drinking matcha has a better energizing effect than drinking coffee, while others say that drinking coffee can cause insomnia but not matcha. How can matcha bring two seemingly contradictory experiences? The reason may lie in the combination of theanine and caffeine in matcha.

1.Increase workload and maintain attention

A double-blind randomized controlled trial from Japan found that caffeine can significantly shorten the reaction time of cognitive function tasks, and matcha also improves the shortened reaction time. However, under mild acute psychological stress conditions, matcha provides more comprehensive protection for cognitive function, significantly increasing workload and maintaining attention.

Researchers believe that the theanine (a natural amino acid in tea), catechins (EGCG, an antioxidant component of tea polyphenols), and caffeine in matcha work together to provide more comprehensive protection for cognitive function.

A systematic review on theanine and caffeine also suggests that they enhance cognitive function through different mechanisms and have potential clinical significance in improving attention, memory, and cognitive function.

However, another critical review on matcha also pointed out that currently only some small-scale studies have found that bioactive compounds in matcha, such as caffeine, theanine, and catechins, may be associated with improvements in cognitive function and mood. More large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify the health benefits of matcha in improving cognitive function.

2.Reduce the impact on sleep

In addition to assisting in enhancing cognition and improving attention, theanine can also reduce the adenosine receptor blockade caused by caffeine by increasing the levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters such as gamma aminobutyric acid and glycine, thereby reducing overexcitement of the central nervous system and mitigating the negative impact of caffeine on sleep quality

However, whether the “mild” effect can be achieved also depends on the actual ratio of theanine to caffeine. In the study, the amounts of theanine and caffeine were 50mg and 30mg, respectively. If the theanine content is too low or the caffeine content far exceeds theanine, the “mild refreshing” effect will be weakened.

The theanine content of general green tea is about 10-20mg/g. Although the theanine content of matcha is usually higher than that of green tea, the ratio of theanine to caffeine content in matcha may not meet the standards in research
Moreover, the ratio of theanine and caffeine content in matcha is influenced by multiple factors, coupled with individual sensitivity differences, making the actual situation more complex. It can only be said that theoretically, the theanine in matcha can partially buffer the “overexcitement” caused by caffeine.

Don’t hold the idea that drinking matcha won’t cause insomnia, drink matcha vigorously to refresh yourself. Excessive intake of caffeine can still lead to insomnia.