---
title: "From Coffee to Matcha: Preparation, Taste, Caffeine"
description: "Switching from coffee to matcha: what changes in taste, ritual and preparation, caffeine per serving with sources, and the cost per bowl."
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---

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October 3, 2026Published by [RINSUMILA](https://rinsumila.com/en/about)

# From Coffee to Matcha: Preparation, Taste and Caffeine Amounts Compared

Switching from coffee to matcha: what changes in taste, ritual and preparation, caffeine per serving with sources, and the cost per bowl.

![Wooden tray with a white cup of black coffee and a dark bowl of matcha, next to a bamboo whisk and a wooden hand coffee grinder](https://rinsumila.com/images/ratgeber/kaffee-und-matcha-tablett-28e0623e.jpg)

When you switch from coffee to matcha, three things mainly change: the taste (umami and a light sweetness instead of roasted aromas), the handling (sieve, bowl and whisk instead of machine or filter) and the cup in the morning. Whisking takes about 15 to 30 seconds. Matcha contains caffeine: according to published analyses, a 2 g serving comes to about 30 to 90 mg by calculation, a cup of filter coffee (200 ml) to about 90 mg according to the BfR. This article describes the switch in practical terms, with numbers and sources and without promises: if you like coffee, you do not have to switch.

## What changes when you switch: taste, ritual, preparation

**Taste.** Coffee's flavour comes from roasted aromas, acidity and bitterness. Matcha tastes different: well prepared, it brings umami, a light sweetness, fresh, grassy notes and a fine foam. For preparation we use water of about 75 °C. You can try matcha plain or as a latte and decide by your own taste. Taste and ritual are reason enough to drink matcha; nothing more is needed.

**Ritual.** Your coffee routine may include a particular cup, a time of day and a fixed place. When trying matcha, you can keep these habits and change the drink. Whether you replace all your cups at once or only one at first is a matter of taste and daily life; we give no recommendation on this.

**Preparation.** Instead of a machine or filter you need a fine sieve, a bowl and a bamboo whisk (Chasen) or an electric milk frother. The process: sieve about 2 g of powder, add 70 ml of water at about 75 °C, whisk for 15 to 30 seconds. With the Chasen you whisk matcha by hand. A precision scale is worth using once to weigh the powder, because spoons differ; you will then know how much powder your spoon holds. For the latte, a glass, a sieve and a milk frother are enough.

**What stays the same.** Like coffee, matcha contains caffeine, only in a different amount per serving (numbers further below). And like coffee, you drink it hot or cold, plain or with milk.

## Three ways in: plain, latte or iced

### Plain, whisked

Sieve 2 g, add 70 ml of water at about 75 °C, whisk, drink. The thin preparation (Usucha) with 1 to 2 g to 60 to 80 ml is the standard. If you like it stronger, use a little more powder; if you like it milder, a little more water. Use water at about 75 °C for this, not boiling water.

### Matcha latte as a start

An obvious route if you are used to milk foam and a glass: whisk 2 g of matcha smooth with 30 ml of water at about 75 °C and top up with 200 ml of milk or oat drink, warm or over ice. The basic recipe with all amounts and the typical mistakes is in the [matcha latte recipe](https://rinsumila.com/en/recipes/matcha-latte). An everyday matcha like DAILY is enough for the latte; the milk tones down fine notes anyway. For guests who have only known matcha as grassy, you can offer a latte with fresh powder and water at about 75 °C.

### Iced matcha

If you have been drinking iced coffee so far, you can whisk matcha cold: stir 2 g with 30 ml of water, pour over ice and top up with cold water or milk. The base can be prepared ahead, but in the fridge the foam may collapse and the taste may change; it is more reliable to invest the 15 to 30 seconds right before drinking. If matcha with water tastes too bitter for you, try water at about 75 °C, fresh powder and a little more water per serving; more on this under [Why does matcha taste bitter](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/why-does-matcha-taste-bitter).

### Chasen or electric frother?

Both work. You can use a Chasen in the bowl or an electric frother in a suitable container. With the frother, follow the manufacturer's instructions on cleaning and drying. For the latte the frother is enough; for the plain bowl the Chasen is the classic tool. The simplest variant without a second container: stir 2 g with 30 ml of water directly in a suitable drinking glass using the frother, then add milk. You should still sieve, otherwise small lumps remain.

## Caffeine per serving: numbers with sources

Matcha naturally contains caffeine. Because the powder consists of the whole leaf and is drunk completely, the value cannot simply be equated with a tea infusion. For our batches we do not yet state a value of our own, because that requires a laboratory value per batch; until it is available, we give the range from published analyses. Where it comes from is explained in [How much caffeine is in matcha?](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/how-much-caffeine-in-matcha).

| Drink | Serving | Caffeine, approximate value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Matcha (powder) | 2 g | by calculation about 30 to 90 mg | derived from 14 to 44 mg per g of powder (Kochman et al. 2021, Molecules \[1\]; Kolackova et al. 2020, cited in Kika et al. 2024, Foods \[2\]) |
| Filter coffee | 200 ml | about 90 mg | BfR, FAQ 2026 \[3\] |
| Espresso | 60 ml | about 80 mg | BfR, FAQ 2026 \[3\] |
| Black tea (infusion) | 200 ml | about 45 mg | BfR, FAQ 2026 \[3\] |
| Green tea (infusion) | 200 ml | about 30 mg | BfR, FAQ 2026 \[3\] |

On the numbers:

-   The matcha range is wide because variety, harvest, shading and batch change the content. Kochman et al. 2021 (Molecules) \[1\] give typically 18.9 to 44.4 mg per g, Kolackova et al. 2020 (cited in Kika et al. 2024, Foods) \[2\] 14.4 to 34.1 mg per g; individual samples vary even more. For a 2 g serving, this gives about 30 to 90 mg by calculation.
-   The coffee and tea values are approximate values from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR, FAQ of 05.01.2026) \[3\]. With coffee, the amount depends on bean, roast, brewing method and cup size; a large mug from a fully automatic machine is not the same as 200 ml of filter coffee.
-   Preparation and amount change the values greatly: 1 g instead of 2 g halves the calculated caffeine amount, a double serving doubles it. A figure per serving therefore always applies only to exactly that serving.

Whether you take in more or less caffeine after the switch therefore depends on your previous amounts and on the number of your bowls.

For matcha and its constituents, including caffeine, there are no authorised health claims in the EU. We therefore make no health promises and describe amounts, not effects. How L-theanine is regulated is described in the [profile of L-theanine](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/l-theanine-in-matcha).

## Total caffeine of the day and the EFSA safety levels

If you are planning the switch, it is best to add up your caffeine intake for the whole day: matcha, any coffee you still drink, black or green tea, cola and chocolate all contain caffeine. There is no official consumption recommendation for matcha, and this article gives none. To put the total amount in context, there are the safety levels that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed in 2015 for caffeine from all sources \[4\]:

-   For healthy adults, excluding pregnant and breastfeeding women, single doses of up to 200 mg and daily amounts of up to 400 mg of caffeine from all sources spread over the day give no cause for safety concerns according to EFSA.
-   For pregnant and breastfeeding women, EFSA assesses amounts of up to 200 mg of caffeine from all sources spread over the day as giving no safety concerns for the foetus or the breastfed child.
-   For children and adolescents, EFSA proposes, because of limited data, 3 mg per kg of body weight as a safety level for a single dose and in total per day.

These are assessments for population groups, not an individual guarantee of tolerance and not an invitation to use up these amounts. People with medical conditions or who take medication are not covered by the assessment (BfR) \[3\]. How strongly someone reacts to caffeine is individual; if you notice symptoms after a bowl, seek medical advice if needed.

A worked example, not a recommendation: three cups of filter coffee correspond by calculation to about 270 mg according to the BfR approximate value. If you replace them with one 2 g bowl of matcha, you are at about 30 to 90 mg by calculation; if you drink the bowl in addition, you add it to the 270 mg. Several servings of powder at once multiply the caffeine amount accordingly; the usual amount per bowl stays 1 to 2 g. The whole calculation is shown in the [calculation aid with the EFSA caffeine values](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/how-much-matcha-per-day-caffeine).

## Reducing caffeine: what the BfR says about withdrawal symptoms

Many switch because they want to drink less caffeine overall. Here is information about caffeine, not about matcha: according to the BfR, giving up caffeine after regular consumption may trigger withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and tiredness \[3\]. Whether you take in less caffeine in the process depends on your previous coffee servings and the amount of matcha used. If your total caffeine intake falls, withdrawal symptoms may occur. Matcha is a food and not a remedy for symptoms; whether and how the switch goes for you cannot be said from a distance.

If symptoms are recurring or severe, if you have a medical condition or if you take medication, seek medical advice. That applies to symptoms with coffee just as much as to symptoms with matcha. What BfR and EFSA write about caffeine and symptoms can be found under [Nausea or headache after matcha](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/nausea-headache-after-matcha-caffeine).

## Cost per serving, shelf life and storage

A 2 g bowl from the 50 g Doypack [RINSUMILA DAILY](https://rinsumila.com/en/products/rinsumila-daily) costs about €1.40 at €34.90 and 25 servings; from the 100 g REFILL Doypack (€64.90) it is about €1.30. With a latte, milk or oat drink is added. If you drink several bowls a day, you calculate accordingly. What your cup of coffee has cost so far depends on bean, machine and preparation; calculate with your own values, general comparison figures would only be estimates.

The pack carries a best-before date; it applies to the unopened, correctly stored pack. After opening, it is best to use matcha up within a few weeks and to store it airtight, dark and cool; the Doypack is closed tightly after each use. A 50 g Doypack is empty after a good three weeks at one bowl a day, which fits the freshness range. If the powder smells musty or is damp, you throw it away.

## If you like coffee, you do not have to switch

Matcha is an alternative in taste and ritual, not a substitute with an added benefit. We do not rate coffee, and we promise nothing for matcha that goes beyond taste, preparation and the numbers given. Many people drink both, sometimes the bowl, sometimes the espresso; the only thing that matters then is to keep an eye on the total caffeine. And if coffee or matcha causes you symptoms, medical advice is the right way.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I start the switch in practice?

With the preparation closest to your current habit: milk-coffee drinkers can start with the latte (2 g, 30 ml of water, 200 ml of milk), iced-coffee drinkers with iced matcha, black-coffee drinkers with the plain bowl (2 g, 70 ml of water, about 75 °C). As equipment you need a fine sieve, a bowl and a Chasen or an electric frother, plus a precision scale once for the 2 g. Keep the cup, time and place of your coffee routine and change only the drink. If you take medication or are under treatment, discuss the change with your doctor.

### How much caffeine does matcha have compared with coffee?

That depends on serving and preparation. A 2 g serving of matcha comes to about 30 to 90 mg of caffeine by calculation according to published analyses, 200 ml of filter coffee to about 90 mg according to the BfR, an espresso (60 ml) to about 80 mg. With 1 g of powder the calculated value halves, with more powder it rises. For our batches there is no analysis value of our own yet.

### How many bowls of matcha replace my coffee?

We give no consumption recommendation. Compare the estimated caffeine amount of your previous coffee servings (about 90 mg per 200 ml of filter coffee according to the BfR) with that of your matcha servings (by calculation about 30 to 90 mg per 2 g bowl) and take other caffeine sources during the day into account. To put the total amount in context, the EFSA safety levels are given above; they are an assessment for population groups, not a target amount. Spoons are too imprecise for this calculation, so weigh the serving once.

### Is matcha better for me than coffee?

We do not assess whether matcha or coffee is better for you. We describe taste, preparation, cost and documented caffeine amounts; what suits you is decided by taste and ritual. Why we make no health promises is explained in the section on caffeine amounts. If you have symptoms with coffee or matcha, seek medical advice.

### Will I notice anything if I give up coffee?

That is individual. According to the BfR, giving up caffeine after regular consumption may trigger withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and tiredness; that is a statement about caffeine, not about matcha. If symptoms persist or are severe, seek medical advice.

## Sources

1.  Kochman J, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, Mruk H, Janda K (2021): Review article; used for information on chemical composition, section 2.2. Molecules 26(1):85. DOI: 10.3390/molecules26010085.
2.  Kika J, Jakubczyk K, Ligenza A, Maciejewska-Markiewicz D, Szymczykowska K, Janda-Milczarek K (2024): [Matcha Green Tea: Chemical Composition, Phenolic Acids, Caffeine and Fatty Acid Profile](https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081167). Foods 13(8):1167.
3.  Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) (2026): [Fragen und Antworten zu Koffein und koffeinhaltigen Lebensmitteln, einschließlich Energy Drinks](https://www.bfr.bund.de/fragen-und-antworten/thema/fragen-und-antworten-zu-koffein-und-koffeinhaltigen-lebensmitteln-einschliesslich-energy-drinks/). BfR, Fragen und Antworten, 05.01.2026.
4.  EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) (2015): [Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine](https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4102). EFSA Journal 13(5):4102.

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