Matcha and L-theanine in gummies: what a tenth of a gram can do

Matcha has a reputation for calm focus, and gummy makers have noticed. Before judging a matcha gummy, it helps to know what is actually in a bowl of matcha and how much of that can fit into a gummy.

What matcha is

Matcha is green tea, from the same plant as every other tea, Camellia sinensis. Two things make it different. The plants are shaded for several weeks before harvest, which changes their chemistry. And the leaves are ground into a fine powder that you whisk into water and drink whole, where ordinary tea is steeped and the leaves are thrown away.

Because you consume the entire leaf, a serving of matcha delivers more of the leaf’s compounds than a cup of steeped green tea.

What is in a serving of matcha

A traditional serving uses about 2 g of powder, roughly one level teaspoon. According to a 2020 review of matcha’s composition, the powder contains:

• Caffeine: roughly 19 mg to 44 mg per gram. A 2 g serving therefore supplies about 40 mg to 90 mg, similar to a small cup of coffee.
• L-theanine: an amino acid found almost only in tea. Shading increases it. A serving provides somewhere in the tens of milligrams.
• Catechins: antioxidant compounds, the best known being EGCG.

The amounts vary widely with the grade, the harvest and how the tea was grown. That variation matters when a product lists “matcha” without saying how much of each compound it contains.

What L-theanine is

L-theanine is the compound behind matcha’s calm reputation. It crosses into the brain, and studies using brain wave recordings have found changes associated with a relaxed but alert state within an hour or so of a dose.

It is sold on its own as a supplement, usually in 100 mg or 200 mg capsules, and it is a common addition to both sleep and focus gummies.

What the research on L-theanine used

The most relevant studies looked at L-theanine together with caffeine, since that is how they occur in tea.

• A 2008 study gave adults 100 mg of L-theanine with 50 mg of caffeine and reported better accuracy on an attention-switching task than with placebo.
• A 2010 study gave 97 mg of L-theanine with 40 mg of caffeine and reported improved accuracy on task switching and higher self-rated alertness.

Studies of L-theanine alone, for relaxation or sleep quality, have generally used 100 mg to 400 mg. These are small, short trials. They suggest an effect at around 100 mg and up. They do not tell us much about very small amounts.

The gummy arithmetic

Here is the core issue. A bowl of matcha uses about 2,000 mg of powder. Many matcha gummies contain 50 mg to 200 mg of matcha per serving.

	A bowl of matcha (2 g)	A gummy serving with 100 mg matcha
Matcha powder	2,000 mg	100 mg
Caffeine, approximate	40 to 90 mg	2 to 4.5 mg
Share of a bowl	100%	5%

At 100 mg, the gummy holds one twentieth of a bowl. Its caffeine is a few milligrams, less than a decaf coffee. Its L-theanine is a milligram or two, far below the 100 mg used in studies.

That is not a criticism of any one product. It is the limit of the format. A gummy weighs a few grams and cannot carry 2 g of leaf powder without tasting like lawn clippings. What it means for you is simple: in most matcha gummies, the matcha provides flavor, color and a name. If the gummy has an effect, look for what else is on the label.

What to look for instead

A matcha-themed gummy can still be a reasonable product if it contains meaningful amounts of something. Check for:

• Added L-theanine listed as its own line, with an amount. 100 mg or more per serving matches the research.
• A stated caffeine amount. If the product is meant to energize, the label should say how much caffeine it has from all sources.
• Another active ingredient. Some focus gummies build around citicoline or a B vitamin and use matcha as the theme. See our citicoline guide.

Matcha powder versus green tea extract

These are different ingredients, and labels use both.

Matcha powder is the ground whole leaf. It is bulky and mild. Green tea extract is concentrated, often standardized to a high percentage of catechins or EGCG, and a small weight can deliver a lot.

The distinction matters for safety. The NIH notes that concentrated green tea extracts taken as supplements have been linked, in rare cases, to liver injury, particularly at high doses and on an empty stomach. Drinking green tea or matcha has not been associated with the same problem. A gummy with 100 mg of plain matcha powder is in the tea category. A product with several hundred milligrams of a high-EGCG extract is not.

Matcha tea compared with a matcha gummy

• If you want the experience of matcha, meaning the caffeine and L-theanine together, drink the tea. Nothing in a typical gummy replaces it.
• If you dislike the taste or the preparation, a gummy with added L-theanine and a stated caffeine amount gets closer than one with matcha powder alone.
• If you want to avoid caffeine, a low-matcha gummy contains very little. Check for other caffeine sources on the label.
• On sugar, plain matcha has none. Gummies usually have 2 g to 6 g per serving.

Safety

L-theanine has a good safety record in studies at up to several hundred milligrams a day, with few reported side effects. Matcha as a drink is safe for most adults in ordinary amounts, with the usual cautions about caffeine.

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: count matcha toward your daily caffeine limit, and ask before taking L-theanine supplements, since research is limited.
• Blood pressure medication: L-theanine may lower blood pressure slightly.
• Stimulant medication or sedatives: ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• Iron: tea compounds reduce absorption of iron from plant foods when taken with meals. People with low iron are often advised to drink tea between meals.

How to read a matcha gummy label

1. Find the matcha amount and compare it with 2,000 mg, the amount in a bowl.
2. Check whether it is matcha powder or green tea extract.
3. Look for L-theanine as a separate line with its own amount.
4. Look for a caffeine total.
5. Identify the main active ingredient by weight. It may not be the matcha.
6. Count the sugar per serving.

Matcha gummies we have reviewed

Goli Matcha Mind contains 100 mg of matcha powder and 250 mg of Cognizin citicoline per three-gummy serving. By weight it is a citicoline gummy with a matcha theme. More on the energy and focus page, and see our caffeine guide.

The short version

• A bowl of matcha uses about 2,000 mg of powder and supplies roughly 40 mg to 90 mg of caffeine plus L-theanine.
• Most matcha gummies contain 50 mg to 200 mg of matcha, a small fraction of a bowl.
• Research on L-theanine used about 100 mg to 200 mg, often with 40 mg to 50 mg of caffeine.
• If L-theanine and caffeine are not listed separately with amounts, the gummy contains only traces of both.
• Find the main active ingredient by weight. In a matcha-themed gummy it is often something else.
• Plain matcha powder is in the tea category for safety. Concentrated green tea extract is not.

Common questions

How much caffeine is in matcha?

Roughly 19 mg to 44 mg per gram of powder. A 2 g serving has about 40 mg to 90 mg.

Do matcha gummies have caffeine?

Usually very little from the matcha itself, because a gummy holds a small fraction of a bowl. Check the label for added caffeine or other sources.

How much L-theanine should a gummy have?

Studies generally used 100 mg to 200 mg. If L-theanine is not listed separately with an amount, the gummy probably contains only the trace present in the matcha.

Is matcha better than green tea?

Matcha delivers more of the leaf’s compounds per cup because you drink the powdered leaf. It also has more caffeine than steeped green tea.

Can I take L-theanine with caffeine?

They are often taken together and occur together in tea. Studies of the combination used about 100 mg of L-theanine with 40 mg to 50 mg of caffeine.

Are matcha gummies safe?

Gummies with small amounts of matcha powder are in the same category as tea. Concentrated green tea extracts are a different ingredient and have been linked to rare liver problems at high doses.

Sources

1. Kochman J, et al. Health benefits and chemical composition of matcha green tea: a review. Molecules. 2020.
2. Owen GN, et al. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutr Neurosci. 2008.
3. Giesbrecht T, et al. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutr Neurosci. 2010.
4. NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Green tea.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products discussed here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This page is not medical advice.