Matcha has moved from novelty to habit in Indian cafés, and it now sits on the same menu as filter coffee and masala chai. If you are switching between the three, the useful question is not which one is "healthier" but how much caffeine and sugar each cup actually carries. This explainer uses ICMR-NIN's per-cup figures, one laboratory study of matcha powder and 2026 market reporting. It does not claim that any of these drinks treats or prevents anything.

☕ Caffeine per cup: what ICMR-NIN says

The ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024 give caffeine for a 150 ml cup:

  • Tea: 30 to 65 mg
  • Brewed coffee: 80 to 120 mg
  • Instant coffee: 50 to 65 mg

They advise moderation so that caffeine does not exceed 300 mg a day. They also say tannins in tea and coffee interfere with iron absorption, so tea and coffee should be avoided for at least one hour before and after meals. The guidelines do not list matcha separately.

🍵 Why matcha is counted differently

Chai and coffee are infusions: you drink the water, and the leaves or grounds stay behind. Matcha is shade-grown green tea ground to a fine powder and whisked into water or milk, so you drink the whole leaf.

A 2023 study in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition measured caffeine in fifteen commercial green teas, including five culinary and five ceremonial matcha powders. The matcha samples ranged from about 18 to 35 mg of caffeine per gram. Ceremonial matcha averaged 31.45 mg per gram, culinary matcha 26.29 mg per gram, and bagged or gunpowder green tea 23.08 mg per gram. The authors note that ceremonial matcha is likely made from the youngest leaves, which carry more caffeine.

That makes the dose the deciding number. Simple arithmetic on the study's range: a drink made with 2 g of matcha would carry roughly 35 to 70 mg of caffeine, and a double-dose drink twice that. Cafés do not use a standard amount, so if you are counting, ask how many grams go into your glass.

Did you know? Matcha vs chai vs coffee at a glance

MatchaMasala chaiCoffee
What you drinkThe whole powdered leaf, whiskedAn infusion of black tea, usually boiled with milk, sugar and spicesAn infusion of roasted ground beans, or a dissolved extract (instant)
CaffeineAbout 18–35 mg per gram of powder (2023 study); depends on grams used30–65 mg per 150 ml cup of tea (ICMR-NIN)80–120 mg brewed, 50–65 mg instant, per 150 ml cup (ICMR-NIN)
What changes the numberGrams of powder, gradeLeaf amount, boiling timeBrew strength, cup size, shots
Sugar to watchSyrups, sweetened milkAdded sugarSyrups, sweetened cold coffee

The colour of matcha should come from the leaf. In October 2026 Uttar Pradesh's food safety department, citing FSSAI's additives rules, listed tea and coffee among foods in which added colours are prohibited (Hindustan Times, 18 Oct 2026).

📈 India's 2026 matcha boom, in numbers

  • Search interest. CNBC-TV18 reported on 12 September 2026 that Google searches in India for "how to make matcha" rose 1,300% over the past year, with breakout interest in matcha whisks and bowls in August 2026. Searches for hōjicha and ube lattes are rising too.
  • Repeat orders. ETBrandEquity, 2 September 2026, quoted a Mumbai matcha bar reporting matcha latte sales about 41% above 2023, and an online matcha brand saying one in three customers orders again. Several sellers said quality matcha is getting more expensive to source.
  • Imports. A research note by Aranca, 16 October 2026, puts India's matcha ingredient imports at about USD 37,000 in 2022 and roughly USD 1.6 million in 2025.
  • Preference. A consumer survey by PulseAI Research, released 25 September 2026, reported that 47.6% of the young consumers it surveyed drink matcha weekly or more, and that 50% would pick matcha over cold coffee at the same price. It is one company's survey, not a national statistic.

Myth or fact? "Matcha has no caffeine crash"

That is a marketing line, not a finding from the sources above. Matcha contains caffeine, and in the 2023 study ceremonial matcha had significantly more caffeine per gram than the bagged and gunpowder green teas tested. Count it like any other caffeinated drink.

⏰ How to fit the three into one day

  • Add up your cups against ICMR-NIN's 300 mg line. Two cups of chai and one brewed coffee can already be 140 to 250 mg.
  • Keep tea, coffee and matcha at least an hour away from meals, as ICMR-NIN advises for tea and coffee.
  • Watch the sugar. ICMR-NIN advises avoiding sugar or restricting it to 20 to 25 g a day for adults, and café syrups add up quickly.
  • For chai, see our explainer on FSSAI's draft pesticide limits for tea. For coffee formats, see cold brew vs filter coffee vs instant.

Chai and coffee are infusions with ICMR-NIN per-cup caffeine figures; matcha is a powder you drink whole, at about 18 to 35 mg of caffeine per gram. Count grams for matcha, cups for chai and coffee, and stay within 300 mg a day.

This article is general information, not medical advice.

Sources

Hero photo: "Matcha Green Tea Latte" by NuCastiel from Bangkok, Thailand, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. See Credits.

Questions

Does matcha have more caffeine than chai?

It can, depending on the dose. ICMR-NIN gives 30 to 65 mg of caffeine for a 150 ml cup of tea. A 2023 study in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition measured about 18 to 35 mg of caffeine per gram of matcha powder. Because matcha is whisked and drunk whole, a drink made with 2 g of powder would carry roughly 35 to 70 mg by that range, and more powder means more caffeine. Ask the café how many grams it uses.

Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee?

Usually not per cup at typical doses. ICMR-NIN puts brewed coffee at 80 to 120 mg and instant coffee at 50 to 65 mg per 150 ml cup. A matcha drink lands in a similar range to instant coffee or tea only if it uses around 2 g of powder; a large drink with a double dose can approach brewed coffee.

Is ceremonial matcha stronger than culinary matcha?

In the 2023 study, the five ceremonial matchas averaged 31.45 mg of caffeine per gram and the five culinary matchas 26.29 mg per gram. The ceremonial samples had significantly more caffeine than the bagged and gunpowder green teas tested, which averaged 23.08 mg per gram. The study links this to younger leaves, but grades are not standardised, so treat these as indicative numbers.

How much caffeine is safe in a day?

ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians advise moderating tea and coffee so caffeine stays within 300 mg a day, and say excess caffeine in pregnancy should be minimised. If you are pregnant, have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or take regular medicines, ask your doctor what suits you.

Is a matcha latte healthier than masala chai?

This page makes no such claim. Both are drinks with caffeine, and both are often made with milk and sugar or syrup. ICMR-NIN advises limiting sugar to 20 to 25 g a day for adults, so the sugar in a café drink can matter as much as the caffeine.

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