A 200 ml cup of filter coffee contains about 90 mg of caffeine, a 220 ml cup of black tea about 50 mg and a small 125 ml cup of green tea about 20 mg. A 1 g serving of matcha contains about 32 mg. EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, says that for healthy adults, except pregnant women, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, spread over the day, raises no safety concerns.
How much caffeine is in coffee, tea and matcha?
Filter coffee contains more caffeine per cup than black or green tea. The amount depends on the drink, the serving size and how it’s prepared, so the figures below are approximate.
| Drink or food | Serving | Caffeine (approx.) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filter coffee | 200 ml | 90 mg | EFSA |
| Filter or instant coffee | 125 ml (small cup) | 60 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Single espresso | 30 ml | 40 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Double espresso | 60 ml | 80 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Decaffeinated coffee | 125 ml | 3 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Black tea | 220 ml | 50 mg | EFSA |
| Green tea | 125 ml (small cup) | 20 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Green tea | 250 ml (mug) | 40 mg | Netherlands Nutrition Centre |
| Matcha | 1 g of powder | 32 mg | Ekopura, product specification |
| Cola | 355 ml (can) | 40 mg | EFSA |
| Energy drink | 250 ml (can) | 80 mg | EFSA |
| Dark chocolate | 50 g | 25 mg | EFSA |
| Milk chocolate | 50 g | 10 mg | EFSA |
Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee?
No, not per serving. A 1 g serving of Ekopura Organic Matcha Powder contains about 32 mg of caffeine: roughly a third of the amount in a 200 ml cup of filter coffee. Other brands of matcha may contain a different amount. Matcha is harder to compare with ordinary green tea, because with matcha you drink the whole leaf, and with green tea only what comes out of the leaf as it steeps.
With matcha, you decide the amount yourself. Use 2 g per cup and you get about 64 mg. A matcha latte made with 1 g of matcha contains as much caffeine as a bowl of matcha tea made with 1 g: the milk makes no difference. For more about matcha itself, see our guides to what matcha is and how to make matcha.
How much caffeine can you have a day, according to EFSA?
In 2015, EFSA assessed how much caffeine raises no safety concerns:
- Healthy adults: up to 400 mg a day, and up to 200 mg at a time.
- Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding: up to 200 mg a day, from all sources combined.
- Children and young people: up to 3 mg per kilogram of body weight a day.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) gives these maximum daily amounts by age: about 20 to 40 mg for children aged 1 to 3, 40 to 70 mg for ages 4 to 8, 70 to 100 mg for ages 9 to 13 and 100 to 120 mg for young people aged 14 to 18.
Adding up a day’s caffeine
Caffeine comes from more than just coffee. Here’s an example of a day with two cups of filter coffee, a matcha latte and a can of cola:
| Drink | Caffeine (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 2 cups of filter coffee (200 ml each) | 180 mg |
| 1 matcha latte with 1 g of matcha | 32 mg |
| 1 can of cola (355 ml) | 40 mg |
| Total | 252 mg |
For a healthy adult, that stays below EFSA’s figure of 400 mg a day. For pregnant women, EFSA’s figure is 200 mg a day, and this example goes over it.
Caffeine during pregnancy and breastfeeding
EFSA concluded that for pregnant women, up to 200 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources combined, raises no safety concerns for the unborn child. The Health Council of the Netherlands (Gezondheidsraad) advises pregnant women to limit their caffeine intake and, in any case, not to go above 200 mg a day. In the UK, the NHS gives the same figure for pregnancy: no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that towards the end of pregnancy, the body can take three to four times longer than usual to break down caffeine. For women who are breastfeeding, EFSA also gives up to 200 mg a day. Ekopura Organic Matcha Powder is not recommended for children or pregnant women, because it contains caffeine. If you’re breastfeeding, check with your GP, midwife or pharmacist first.
How quickly is caffeine absorbed?
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it takes most people between half an hour and two hours to absorb 99 per cent of the caffeine. How sensitive you are to caffeine varies from person to person.
Frequently asked questions
Does green tea have caffeine?
Yes. A small 125 ml cup of green tea contains about 20 mg of caffeine and a 250 ml mug about 40 mg, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Matcha is green tea too; a 1 g serving contains about 32 mg.
Is the caffeine in matcha different from the caffeine in coffee?
No, it’s the same substance. The difference is the amount per serving: about 32 mg in 1 g of matcha, compared with about 90 mg in a 200 ml cup of filter coffee.
How many cups of coffee a day can I drink?
EFSA says that for healthy adults, except pregnant women, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, spread over the day, raises no safety concerns. At about 90 mg per 200 ml cup of filter coffee, 400 mg comes to about four cups, as long as you get no other caffeine from tea, cola, energy drinks or chocolate. For pregnant women, EFSA’s figure is 200 mg a day.
Does decaf coffee have caffeine?
A little. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a small 125 ml cup of decaffeinated coffee contains about 3 mg of caffeine.
How much caffeine is in an espresso?
A single espresso (30 ml) contains about 40 mg of caffeine, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, and a double (60 ml) about 80 mg. A 1 g serving of matcha contains about 32 mg.
Sources
- EFSA, Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine, 27 May 2015.
- Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), Encyclopedie: cafeïne (accessed 14 October 2026).
- Gezondheidsraad (Health Council of the Netherlands), Dietary recommendations for pregnant women, publication no. 2021/26. NHS, Foods to avoid in pregnancy (accessed 20 October 2026).
- Ekopura, product specification for Organic Matcha Powder: about 32 mg of caffeine per gram.
