Does green tea have as much caffeine as coffee

Both green tea and coffee contain caffeine.

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Caffeine, thought to be the world's most frequently consumed stimulant drug according to 2015 research in ​Current Neuropharmacology​, occurs naturally in some foods and beverages like coffee, tea and chocolate.

While green tea and coffee both contain caffeine, coffee has a significantly greater amount per cup. Coffee and green tea contain other nutrients that have been linked with significant health benefits.

However, with any caffeinated beverage, there may be health risks. Certain populations should reduce or avoid caffeine for health reasons, so decaffeinated tea or coffee may be the best option.

The Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine has been consumed for hundreds of years and studies have gone back and forth on the level of safety of caffeine.

Due to its effects on the central nervous system, caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is most commonly used to increase alertness, concentration, and athletic performance, according to 2015 research in ​Advances in Nutrition​.

Caffeine is also a diuretic and can lead to increased urination and possibly dehydration. Caffeine can also be isolated and is used in medications for headaches, appetite, pain relief and asthma.

How Much Caffeine Is in Green Tea?

Yes, green tea does have caffeine! But if you drink a cup every day, you are receiving a relatively small dose of caffeine. Eight ounces of green tea contain about 25 milligrams of caffeine, which is about half the amount of caffeine found in black tea, according to the Mayo Clinic.

However, this is still more significant than decaffeinated tea, which has between 2 to 5 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Exercise caution when drinking iced green tea or green tea lattes, as they can be loaded down with added sugar — aka extra calories.

How Much Caffeine Is in Coffee?

The average cup — 8 ounces — of coffee has about 95 to 165 milligrams of caffeine, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's the same as more than three cups of green tea. For reference, it's probably best to limit yourself to a maximum of 400 milligrams of caffeine total per day.

Drinking a cup of decaffeinated coffee provides you with about 2 to 5 milligrams of caffeine. Interestingly, a one-ounce shot of espresso has only about 47 to 64 milligrams of caffeine, so a 16-ounce latte has about the same amount of caffeine as 8 ounces of coffee (but well over 200 calories from added milk and sugar).

Comparing Coffee and Tea to Other Caffeine Sources

In general, coffee may have more caffeine per 8-ounce cup than a standard 12-ounce can of regular cola — which has around 21 milligrams of caffeine, according to the USDA — depending on how the coffee was brewed. Green tea, on the other hand, has less caffeine than coffee or soda. Coffee and tea can provide you with additional naturally occurring nutrients while most sodas and energy drinks only have added sugars and artificially added vitamins.

In addition to a boost of energy, coffee has been linked to a number of health benefits. Moderate coffee consumption has been shown to potentially reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, uterine and liver cancer and gout, according to Harvard Health Publishing, as well as death due to cardiovascular disease, according to a 2015 study in ​Circulation​.

The polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidants naturally found in green tea minimize inflammation and may reduce plaque buildup inside your arteries, according to Harvard Health Publishing. For the flavonoid benefits, consuming tea directly is more effective than supplementation.

Potential Side Effects of Caffeine

Drinking a couple of cups of coffee each day is generally considered safe. However, consuming large amounts of caffeine each day can lead to symptoms including restlessness, irritation, disturbed sleep cycles and abnormal heart rhythms.

If you're sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing you may want to consider limiting your caffeine intake. High caffeine consumption during pregnancy has been linked to preterm birth and low birth weight, according to 2017 research in the​ BMJ.​ In addition, caffeine has been shown to interact with some medications, so speak to your physician about any significant changes in caffeine intake.

​Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the amount of caffeine in 12 ounces of cola.​

If you’re a “But first, coffee” kind of person, you probably can’t imagine giving up your daily cup (or cups) o’ joe. And some green tea drinkers wouldn’t even toy with the idea of swapping their jewel-toned matcha for a cup of coffee.

But if you’ve ever considered switching teams, here’s what you need to know about green tea vs. coffee.

Both sips come with some pretty impressive benefits for your health (and your happiness). Here’s what each has to offer.

Coffee has more caffeine

If you’re a caffeine fiend, coffee may be a better choice. Here’s how much caffeine is in 1 cup of each drink:

• Brewed coffee: 91.8 milligrams
• Brewed green tea: 29.4 milligrams

But more caffeine isn’t always better. Research suggests that some peeps are more sensitive to caffeine than others. That’s because of genetic variations in enzymes that break down caffeine. It’s also thanks to some receptors in your body that caffeine targets.

Some folks have no problem drinking coffee throughout the day and even close to bedtime. Others may feel jittery or anxious or have trouble falling asleep after consuming lots of caffeine.

If you’ve found that you’re sensitive to caffeine but still crave the energy boost it gives you, you may want to make the switch from coffee to something lower in caffeine (like green tea).

Green tea and coffee are both full of antioxidants

Antioxidants are super important for your bod. They help protect your cells from oxidative stress and may decrease your risk of disease.

Coffee is rich in phenolic antioxidants

Roasted coffee is a complex mixture that contains more than 1,000 bioactive compounds. Lots of these compounds have antioxidant effects.

Fun fact: Coffee is one of the main contributors of dietary antioxidants in many people’s diets.

Yup. It’s packed with compounds that have powerful antioxidant properties, especially phenolic antioxidants (like chlorogenic acid, plus diterpenes like kahweol and cafestol).

These antioxidants have a ton of positive effects on your body. For example, chlorogenic acid has been shown to benefit brain health and may enhance metabolic health.

Green tea has lots of polyphenol antioxidants

Green tea shines in the antioxidant department as well.

Like coffee, green tea is high in polyphenol antioxidants. Catechins and flavonols are the major polyphenols in green tea. The flavonols found in green tea include myricetin, quercetin, caempherol, chlorogenic acid, coumarylquinic acid, and theogallin.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a catechin and is one of the most well-known antioxidants in green tea. It has been linked to all sorts of health benefits, including anticancer, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Bonus: The caffeine in coffee and green tea has antioxidant effects as well.

Both drinks can lower your risk of disease

If you’re concerned that your favorite drink is harming your health, don’t worry. Green tea and coffee have been linked to a bunch of health benefits, and both can be part of a healthy diet.

The coffee lovers out there will be happy to know that regularly drinking coffee has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, certain cancers, liver conditions, diabetes, and even death from all causes.

In fact, a large 2017 research review found that the largest reduction in risk of death from all causes, heart disease-related death, and heart disease was associated with drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee per day (when compared with drinking none).

Drinking coffee has also been linked to a lower risk of depression, obesity, and cognitive decline.

But don’t write off green tea just yet. It can hang too. Studies suggest that drinking green tea can help maintain healthy blood pressure and may help lower the risk of health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Green tea also contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which has calming and anti-stress properties.

Just keep in mind that it would take *a lot* of green tea to get this effect. A cup of green tea contains about 25 milligrams of L-theanine. That’s much less than the 200-milligram doses that have been found effective.

Matcha may get you closer. This is a specific type of green tea that’s made from a powder and contains about two times more L-theanine than sencha, another type of green tea.

Sipping on some matcha still won’t have the same effects as taking concentrated L-theanine supplements, but it may help.

Both coffee and green tea have potential health benefits. In most cases, you probably don’t need to choose between the two. You can have both!

Green tea is great if you want less caffeine

If you’re sensitive to caffeine or find that you feel jittery or anxious after drinking coffee, switching to green tea or decaf herbal tea is probably a good idea. Remember, although green tea does contain caffeine, it provides about three times less caffeine than the same amount of coffee.

On the flip side, if you need a caffeine boost or want to use caffeinated beverages to boost athletic performance before a workout, coffee may be the better choice.

However, you can overdo it on caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine can lead to sleep issues, restlessness, and other negative effects, even if you’re not super sensitive to it.

Coffee and green tea both have health benefits

A great way to both cut back on caffeine and add more antioxidants and other beneficial compounds to your diet is to have a cup of coffee in the morning and then enjoy a cup of lightly caffeinated green tea in the afternoon.

Coffee and green tea have plenty of health perks on their own. But mixing them with other ingredients (like added sugar) might cancel out those positive effects.

Try to avoid lots of added sugar

If you’re getting your coffee or green tea from a coffee or tea shop, you should be aware that, even though your iced pineapple matcha or white chocolate mocha may be fancy and delish AF, these drinks can be PACKED with calories and added sugar.

• A large iced matcha latte from Dunkin made with whole milk packs 340 calories and 25 grams of added sugar. That’s like having 6.25 teaspoons of the sweet stuff.
• A Dunkin large skim milk Caramel Craze latte has 440 calories and a whopping 51 grams of added sugar. That’s almost 13 teaspoons of sugar.

Getting too much added sugar isn’t good for your overall health. It has actually been linked to all sorts of health issues, including heart conditions and liver disease.

Plus, drinking sugary drinks can take a serious toll on your teeth and gums.

By making your coffee or green tea drink at home (whenever possible), you can be in charge of what goes into it.

And whether you’re ordering out or making a drink at home, it’s best not to use lots of add-ins (like flavored syrups and creamers).

Even though both coffee and green tea may provide health benefits, it’s important to drink responsibly. Consuming too much caffeine from any source isn’t good for your health.

Healthy adults should keep caffeine intake to less than 400 milligrams per day. That’s about 4 cups of coffee or 13 cups of green tea. Pregnant and breastfeeding folks should keep their caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams per day.

Caffeine can make anxiety and symptoms of certain mental health conditions worse. So if you have anxiety or notice that caffeine increases symptoms of a mental health condition, it’s best to cut back on caffeinated beverages like coffee and green tea.

Caffeine can also cause headaches and heart palpitations in some folks. If you’re experiencing these symptoms and think it may be related to caffeine, talk with a healthcare professional.

Too much caffeine can negatively affect your sleep too. Getting too little sleep isn’t good for your overall health and tends to generally make you feel like crap. To avoid sleep-related side effects, experts recommend calling it quits on caffeine 6 hours before bed.

Coffee and green tea can both provide a boost of energy and a dose of antioxidants. Plus, these sips may even protect against certain health conditions.

Coffee has more caffeine and provides some different beneficial compounds, but one of these drinks isn’t necessarily “better” than the other. The choice is up to you when it comes to green tea vs. coffee… and feel free to choose both!