Matcha vs. Energy Drinks: Caffeine per Serving
A can needs no preparation, while matcha lets you measure your serving. Compare caffeine and ingredients in the products you choose.
By Roseline Zhou, Founder
Contents
You want a caffeinated drink and can't decide between whisking matcha and opening a can. If you want something right away, the can is easier. If you'd rather control the amount of powder and the taste of your cup, choose matcha. The actual serving matters as much here as it does when choosing between matcha and coffee.
We like preparing matcha with a weighed dose because it makes it easier to repeat the same cup from one day to the next. A can is more convenient when you don't have water or a bowl.
Matcha or an energy drink: what changes?
| What matters | Matcha with water | Energy drink | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | The powder is dispersed in water, then whisked. | The drink is ready when you open it. | Choose matcha when you have time to make a bowl; take the can when you have no equipment. |
| Caffeine in the servings cited | With about 1/2 to 1 tsp (1 to 2 g) of the tea powders studied, including pure matcha and green tea blends, measured caffeine ranged from 13 to 68 mg. | A standard 1 cup (250 ml) can provides about 80 mg. | Weigh your powder or read the caffeine amount on the can you choose. |
| Ingredients | With water, the drink can contain only tea. | Formulas vary, with or without sugar. | The label of the can you choose matters more than an assumption about the whole category. |
| Taste | Vegetal notes are possible, along with umami. | The flavor depends on the ingredients and formula. | Tasting two specific products tells you more than comparing two categories. |
| Portability | You need water, a measured dose and a way to mix it. | The can travels without utensils. | Without equipment, the ready-to-open drink wins. |
Does matcha have less caffeine?
Not necessarily. The 13 to 68 mg in the table comes from drinks made with about 1/2 to 1 tsp (1 to 2 g) of the powders studied, including both pure matcha and green tea blends. The can's 80 mg is an approximate figure for 1 cup (250 ml). Neither figure describes every product.
We weigh the powder and check the amount printed on the can before comparing the numbers. Even then, the caffeine in your matcha remains an estimate if the powder itself hasn't been tested. If you're trying to avoid caffeine in the evening, when you drink it matters too.
What does the ingredient list tell you?
Matcha prepared with water can contain only the tea you've measured. You can add milk or sugar, but that makes it a different drink. An energy drink may contain sugar or none at all, along with other ingredients depending on the formula.
We'd read the label on the can in question before judging its ingredients. It's more useful than a general rule about energy drinks. For taste, though, the list alone won't tell you which you'll enjoy.
Which drink takes less preparation?
You open the can and drink it. For matcha, you measure the powder, pour the water and mix. We enjoy taking that little time over a cup, especially when we can adjust its strength. Away from home without water or utensils, the can serves you better.
When matcha doesn't meet your needs
If you want a drink immediately, getting out a bowl and whisk may be too much trouble. If you're avoiding caffeine, neither matcha nor a caffeinated can is automatically suitable. The label on the product you choose can help you decide.
What if you want a different plant?
With yerba mate instead of matcha, both the plant and the preparation change. Yerba mate is steeped, while matcha powder is whisked into water.