Matcha tea is a super-energizing natural drink with a vibrant green color and excellent flavor, so it’s good to know when the best time is to consume it.
I’ll show you when is the best time to consume Matcha and also when you should avoid drinking this tea.
Key Highlights
It’s best to consume Matcha tea in the mid-morning and early afternoon.
Avoid drinking Matcha at night because it may disrupt your sleep.
This is an amazing natural energy drink that works best when drunk 30 minutes before a workout.
The Best Time to Drink Matcha Tea
Matcha tea is best consumed between the hours of mid-morning and early afternoon. Matcha contains caffeine and L-theanine. This combination will give you a long-lasting and stable energy boost without the jitters and crash associated with coffee.
Matcha Tea in the Morning
Matcha is an excellent morning substitute for coffee. It contains caffeine, although not as much as coffee, but will give you a longer energy boost.
The average caffeine content of matcha is around 64 mg per 8 oz (240 ml) cup or 19–44 mg per gram of powder. This is less than the caffeine content in an 8-oz cup of coffee, which is 95 mg.
Good to Know
Matcha has less caffeine than coffee, but it is released and absorbed gradually by the body over a period of 4-6 hours.
A cup of regular coffee, on the other hand, provides a caffeine boost for approximately 1-3 hours.
Why Matcha instead of coffee in the morning? Due to the presence of L-theanine (an amino acid). Theanine slows caffeine’s absorption into the bloodstream, limiting caffeine crashes and prolonging your energy boost.
So, despite the fact that a single cup of Matcha tea has less caffeine than a single cup of regular black coffee, the energy boost from Matcha is more stable and lasts longer.
Even though matcha is not acidic like coffee, it is preferable not to consume it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It’s always better to grab a small bite before having a caffeinated beverage (the same goes for coffee too).
Boost Your Energy in the Afternoon
Matcha’s caffeine and L-theanine combination also helps with focus and concentration. So, when your energy levels are low and you need to overcome the afternoon slump, sip a cup of Matcha tea.
You’ll have better focus and feel more awake and alert because L-theanine binds with the caffeine in your matcha tea. Additionally, studies show that L-theanine can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
In the early afternoon, it’s ideal to drink Matcha tea 45 minutes to an hour after eating to avoid interfering with digestion.
Tip
It is best to consume actual Matcha tea rather than a Matcha latte. A Matcha latte is super delicious, but it has less of an impact on energy levels.
30 Minutes Before a Workout Instead of an Energy Drink
Aside from mid-morning and early afternoon, 30 minutes before exercise is another excellent time to consume Matcha tea.
Matcha green tea is a fantastic pre-workout drink for increasing metabolism, overall energy, and exercise performance.
Aside from caffeine and L-theanine, matcha green tea powder contains catechins, which are powerful antioxidants.
Catechins in Matcha, particularly EGCG, are linked to weight loss and fat loss reduction. They increase metabolism and the quantity of fat and calories burnt during exercise.
Interesting to Know
The concentration of EGCG available from drinking Matcha is up to 137 times greater than in other types of green tea.
When you drink Matcha green tea, you consume the entire green tea leaf, ground into powder. You receive 100% of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in green tea leaves.
The artificial energy drinks that people consume contain a lot of sugar and other artificial ingredients. With Matcha, you get a purely natural energy drink rich in the amino acid L-theanine, caffeine, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc.
So, if you need more energy and want to burn more calories during your workout, consider Matcha instead of commercial energy drinks. It might be just what you’re looking for.
Avoid Drinking Matcha Tea at Certain Periods of the Day
There are certain periods of the day when you shouldn’t drink Matcha; such as:
- Early evening or late at night
- While eating or just after a meal
In the early evening or late at night. Because Matcha has caffeine, drinking it after 5 p.m. may interfere with your sleep. If you consume it in the early evening hours, it may keep you energetic and focused, but it may interrupt your sleep.
Some individuals have a higher caffeine tolerance, so drinking Matcha later in the day won’t be an issue. However, if you are caffeine sensitive (as most people are), it is best to avoid drinking Matcha in the evening.
Recommendation
Because caffeine remains active in the system for several hours, it is best to drink your final cup of matcha for at least 6-7 hours before going to bed.
Matcha should not be consumed during or just after eating. Caffeine and polyphenols in tea have been shown to inhibit iron absorption.
According to one research, consuming coffee with a hamburger meal lowered iron absorption by 39%. The same study discovered that drinking tea with the same meal reduced iron absorption by 64%.
Therefore, it is usually preferable to drink your Matcha 45–60 minutes before or after a meal.
How often should I drink matcha tea?
Due to the caffeine content, consume Matcha tea in moderation, no more than 2-3 cups per day.
Another key thing to remember while making traditional Matcha tea is to always use high-quality or ceremonial-grade matcha powder. If you use culinary-grade matcha, your tea will lack the desirable vibrant green color and may be bitter.
Culinary-grade matcha is designed to be used with other ingredients in cooking and in baking.
The Takeaway
Matcha tea is a light and energizing caffeine-containing beverage that is best consumed in the mid-morning and early afternoon.
This is a fantastic morning substitute for coffee and an excellent choice for a natural energy drink to combat the afternoon slump.
Matcha gives a long and steady energy boost that lasts for a minimum of 4-6 hours due to the combination of the amino acid L-theanine and caffeine.
It is also a great alternative to energy drinks, and for this purpose, it is best to consume it for 30 minutes before working out.
Avoid consuming matcha on an empty stomach or just before, during, or immediately after a meal. Matcha, like any caffeine-containing beverage, should be consumed 45 minutes to an hour before or after a meal.
Finally, due to the caffeine content, avoid drinking Matcha tea late at night; it may disrupt your sleep.
I hope you enjoy making and sipping Matcha tea and remember that for traditional Matcha tea, only use ceremonial-grade matcha powder!
