Matcha Green Tea: What It Is, What's In It, and How People Use It

A plain-language guide to a tea that's been part of daily life in Japan for centuries — and what to know before adding it to yours.

Published by LeafTide · Last reviewed October 2026

Matcha has moved from traditional Japanese tea ceremonies to supermarket shelves across the United States. If you've seen the bright green powder and wondered what separates it from the green tea in a regular tea bag, the answer is mostly in how it's grown and how you drink it.

What matcha actually is

Matcha comes from the same plant as other green tea, Camellia sinensis. The difference starts a few weeks before harvest, when the plants are shaded. Shading changes the leaf's chemistry — it holds on to more chlorophyll, which is why matcha is so vividly green, and it develops more of an amino acid called L-theanine.

After harvest the leaves are steamed, dried, and stone-ground into a fine powder. The important part comes next: with a tea bag, you steep the leaves and throw them away. With matcha, the leaf itself is whisked into the water and consumed. You're drinking the whole leaf rather than an infusion of it.

What's in a cup

Three components come up most often when matcha is discussed:

• Catechins (including EGCG) — a group of plant compounds found in green tea that are studied for their antioxidant activity.
• L-theanine — the amino acid concentrated by the shading process. It's the compound most often credited with matcha's characteristic savory taste.
• Caffeine — a typical serving of matcha contains roughly 40–70 mg, which puts it between a cup of brewed green tea and a cup of coffee. The exact amount varies with how much powder you use.

How people fit it into a routine

Traditionally, matcha is whisked with hot (not boiling) water using a bamboo whisk until it's frothy. Water that's too hot tends to make it taste bitter — around 175°F is a common recommendation.

Plenty of people skip the ceremony entirely. Matcha is mixed into milk or a plant-based alternative for a latte, shaken over ice, or blended into smoothies. Some prefer a capsule simply because it fits a routine better than preparing a drink does, especially in the morning on a weekday.

A few practical notes

• Because of the caffeine, many people drink it earlier in the day.
• If you are pregnant or nursing, take prescription medication, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before adding any supplement — including green tea products.
• Matcha keeps best sealed, away from light and heat. Oxygen and sunlight dull both the color and the flavor.

About LeafTide Matcha Capsules

We make a capsule version for people who want matcha as part of a daily routine without preparing a drink. It is a dietary supplement — nothing more and nothing less.

Common questions

Is matcha the same as green tea?

Same plant, different preparation. Matcha leaves are shade-grown and ground into powder that you consume entirely, rather than steeped and discarded.

How much caffeine is in it?

Roughly 40–70 mg per typical serving, depending on how much powder is used. For comparison, an 8-ounce cup of coffee is commonly cited at around 95 mg.

Will this make me lose weight?

No supplement does that on its own, and we won't tell you otherwise. Matcha is a green tea product. Weight is affected by diet, activity, sleep, medication, genetics and health conditions — and what works varies from person to person. If weight is something you want to address, a doctor or registered dietitian is the right place to start.

Can I take it with medication?

Ask your doctor or pharmacist first. Green tea products can interact with certain medications, and your prescriber knows your situation.