Matcha is everywhere right now, from cafés to supermarket shelves. But it's a little different from any other tea, and that difference is the whole point.
It's whole green tea, powdered
Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are shade-grown, dried and ground into a fine powder. Instead of steeping leaves and throwing them away, you whisk the powder into hot water and drink the whole leaf. That's why matcha is more concentrated, in both flavour and compounds.
How much caffeine is in it?
A cup of matcha has roughly 60–70 mg of caffeine, a little less than a mug of coffee but more than regular steeped green tea. It also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that gives matcha its calmer, steadier kind of energy.
- Ceremonial grade: brighter and smoother, meant to drink with just water.
- Culinary grade: stronger and more bitter, made for lattes and baking.
- Flavour: grassy and slightly sweet, with a savoury note called umami.
However you drink it, matcha still adds caffeine to your day. Caffy has matcha built in, so you can log a cup in a tap and keep your daily total accurate.