This guide compares green tea caffeine vs coffee caffeine and other aspects of these beverages to help people determine the ideal drink.
Yogis tend to love green tea, while busy working folks grab a coffee on their way out the door. But is one better than the other? Today’s bustling world practically demands we all have some source of caffeine to turn to.
If you’re a fan of both or considering switching your favorite caffeine drink, there are some similarities and differences you may want to be aware of.
And if you’re a busy, hard-working yogi, you may be torn between two caffeine cultures that call to you. In the end, you can enjoy both, but we’re here to let you know where these two popular beverages differ.
What Is Green Tea?
Green tea is a popular Japanese beverage that people around the world have come to love. It comes from oxidized leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. The leaves are steamed, pan-fried, and dried immediately after harvest to lock in the nutrients and antioxidants.
You might also be interested in our explainer on does coffee ice cream have caffeine.
What Is Coffee?
Coffee is a brewed beverage made from coffee beans, the seeds of berries from certain flowering plants in the Coffea genus from the plant family Rubiaceae. Most coffee plants live in Africa and other tropical climates.
What Green Tea and Coffee Have in Common
The most important thing is that both beverages are perfectly safe for people to drink, so you can enjoy both without worrying too much about your health.
Both green tea and coffee are high in antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols improve overall immunity. Antioxidants fight away free radicals from your cells, which can cause heart disease or cancer.
Coffee and green tea both contain caffeine as well as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and chlorogenic acid (CGA). These are abundant antioxidants in both beverages, combined with caffeine, which help you lose weight and boost your metabolism.
You might also be interested in learning is jasmine tea caffeinated.
Green Tea Caffeine Vs Coffee: The Differences
The main difference between green tea and coffee is its flavor. Coffee is a bold, acidic flavor that most people subdue with sugar and creamer. Green tea is a more mellow, grassy flavor that leaves a dry aftertaste instead of an acidic one.
Many people wonder about the caffeine content in the two beverages. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has 96 mg of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of green tea provides 29 mg of caffeine. This is a clear discrepancy and why so many working people opt for coffee.
But there is evidence that the 26 milligrams of caffeine are released into our body much slower than the 96 milligrams, so we get a lower energy boost for longer. This research paper goes into more information about the half-life of caffeine.
Coffee can make people jittery or nauseous because of the quick dose of caffeine. But it can also help many people wake up in the morning to start their day.
| Green Tea | Coffee | |
| Caffeine Content (in 8oz serving) | 26mg | 96mg |
| Flavor | Mellow and grassy | Bold and acidic |
| Health Benefits | Promotes weight loss, fights cancer, lowers the risk of stroke, improves heart health | Boosts metabolism, promotes liver health, improves heart health, could extend life expectancy |
| Plant | Camellia sinensis (leaves) | Coffea arabica (beans) |
| Common Additives | Honey, sugar, lemon, ginger | Milk, cream, sugar, syrup |
What’s Better About Green Tea?
The best aspect of green tea is its calming effects which can reduce anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorders. This is why people who practice meditation and mindfulness drink green tea often.
The tea contains high levels of the amino acid L-theanine, which relaxes people and settles them into a calm state without any psychoactive effects, similar to CBD.
Green tea is similar to matcha powder in this way.
What’s Better About Coffee?
Most coffee fans like their drinks compared to green tea because it contains almost three times as much caffeine. Some people struggle to start their days and dread getting out the door, and that quick rush of caffeine can make all the difference. Coffee lovers also prefer the taste of coffee as it’s more distinctive and potent than a standard herbal tea.
Who Should Opt For Green Tea?
Beverage drinkers looking for a lighter, sweeter flavor will enjoy green tea more. If you are concerned about teeth staining or ulcers, green tea is much less acidic and won’t stain your teeth with dark colors.
Green tea is also more likely to boost your metabolism, so those looking for a weight loss solution will probably be more successful in drinking green tea.
People also report an energy boost from coffee that is more stabilized. So, if you hate feeling jittery or on edge or suffer from anxiety, green tea is probably a better option.
Who Should Opt For Coffee?
For people who want a quick dose of caffeine to wake themselves up at the moment, coffee is a better option. While green tea comes in different flavors and can be hot or iced, coffee comes in so many flavors and forms that there are more options for people to choose from.
Learn more about the various popular coffee flavors.
From cappuccinos to lattes to cold brew, plus all of the flavored syrups and creamers out there, meaning you can have your coffee in almost any flavor.
