Green Tea Versus Coffee: Which One Has More Caffeine?
Coffee and green tea are both caffeinated beverages that can help give you the jolt you need to wake up in the morning — but which one contains more caffeine? According to Byrdie, the exact amount of caffeine in coffee and green tea depends on the type. As it turns out, green tea and coffee beans come in many different varieties, so the caffeine content can greatly vary and fluctuate from one brand to the next.
"We've seen anywhere from 7 milligrams per gram to 84 milligrams per gram of caffeine in various types of green teas," Miriam Colman, a marketing specialist at Sugimoto Tea Company in Shizuoka, Japan, told Byrdie. Matcha green tea tends to have the most caffeine, while bancha green tea typically contains the least.
On the other hand, coffee generally surpasses the caffeine content in green tea. For example, an 8-ounce cup of coffee can contain anywhere between 80 and 100 milligrams of caffeine.
Which is better for you?
Coffee and green tea are both linked to several significant health benefits. For instance, both beverages are rich in powerful antioxidants that can help lower your disease risk. According to Healthline, the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) in coffee and green tea may also help promote weight loss. But is one drink healthier than the other?
While neither drink is necessarily healthier than the other, green tea may be a better option for people with anxiety and insomnia (via Healthline). That's because it has a lower caffeine content than coffee and contains an amino acid known as L-theanine, which can have more of a calm-alertness effect. In addition, people who drink green tea are typically less likely to develop a caffeine dependence than those who only drink coffee.
However, this doesn't mean that coffee is bad for your health. Both beverages are considered safe and healthy. It just means that green tea might be better suited for people looking to lower their caffeine intake, while coffee might be a better alternative for those looking to increase their alertness.