matcha has more caffeine than English breakfast tea: 60mg vs 47mg in the same 8 oz cup (1 tsp, ~2g). That is a 13mg gap, and since the cups match, the per-serving number is the whole story.
matcha vs English breakfast tea: the numbers
| matcha | English breakfast tea | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 60mg per 8 oz cup (1 tsp, ~2g) | 47mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 7.5mg | 5.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 6.7 | 8.5 |
Sources: matcha's figure is verified in our matcha caffeine guide against USDA FoodData Central (per-gram) / compiled (source); English breakfast tea's figure is verified in our English breakfast tea guide against Twinings published figure (source).
Which one should you pick?
Pick English breakfast tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and matcha when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
Related reading
- matcha: the full caffeine guide
- English breakfast tea: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Does matcha or English breakfast tea have more caffeine? matcha: 60mg per 8 oz cup (1 tsp, ~2g) versus 47mg per 8 oz cup for English breakfast tea.
Which is stronger per ounce? matcha, at about 7.5mg per fluid ounce versus 5.9mg for English breakfast tea.
Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.
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