When to Drink Matcha: Morning, Afternoon or Evening?

The time you drink your matcha influences its effects: energy, exercise, or sleep.
Morning (1 to 3 hours after waking) is ideal for enjoying the energy without disrupting cortisol.
Before exercise, it boosts fat burning and concentration.
Avoid it late in the day: its theine can delay falling asleep (stop 4 to 6 hours before bedtime).

Matcha is prized for its stimulating and antioxidant properties, but when you consume it can influence its effects. Should you drink it in the morning, before exercise, or can you also drink matcha in the evening?

While this depends on your habits, studies show that certain times of day are more favorable for fully enjoying the benefits of matcha — and avoiding its side effects, especially on sleep. Discover when to drink matcha to fit it into your routine in the best possible way.

Le matcha du matin

The effects of matcha on sleep: why you shouldn't drink matcha in the evening

Drinking matcha in the evening is a tempting habit, especially to extend its relaxing benefits. But be careful: although it is a green tea with balancing properties, matcha contains theine, a natural form of caffeine that can affect the quality of your sleep, especially when consumed too late in the day.

The theine in matcha: a gentle but real stimulation

Quality organic matcha naturally contains between 50 and 80 mg of theine per serving. This molecule acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system, just like the caffeine found in coffee.

But unlike coffee, matcha releases this energy more gradually, thanks to L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation. This duo works in synergy to improve concentration without nervousness or a sudden spike.

That said, this gentle energy can still delay falling asleep if you have a cup of matcha in the evening, especially after 5 p.m.

Why avoid matcha late in the day?

While everyone reacts differently to theine, numerous studies indicate that caffeine, even in small doses, can:

Lengthen the time it takes to fall asleep
Reduce the duration of deep sleep
Cause nighttime awakenings

For these reasons, it is generally recommended not to consume matcha within the 6 hours before bedtime. This precaution is all the more important if you are sensitive to caffeine or have sleep disorders.

Matcha in the evening: possible alternatives

If you absolutely want an evening tea ritual, it is best to opt for:

A cup of Hōjicha, a roasted Japanese tea low in theine
A caffeine-free herbal infusion (yuzu, shiso, or rooibos)
A culinary-grade matcha, naturally lower in theine than premium grades

These options let you enjoy a hot drink without harming the quality of your sleep.

Learn more: Green Tea and Sleep: Good or Bad Idea Before Bed? →: Green tea is known for its energizing and relaxing benefits, but how does it affect your sleep? In this article, I'll explain how to fully enjoy green tea without disrupting your nights.

Morning matcha

While coffee is a delicious beverage enjoyed by many in the morning, millions of people choose to drink a cup of green tea or a bowl of matcha .

Among teas, matcha offers a soothing way to drink tea right from the morning, especially to boost concentration .

As with coffee, these properties are partly due to the presence of caffeine (also called "theine"), a stimulant that enhances attention and alertness .

However, unlike coffee and other drinks containing caffeine, matcha green tea also contains L-theanine (about 3% of the dry weight of green tea), an amino acid that has a calming effect.

This way, L-theanine and caffeine work together to improve brain function and mood, without causing the negative side effects that can sometimes accompany caffeine consumption.

Another very interesting aspect of this combination is that the caffeine in matcha green tea is released more slowly than the caffeine in coffee. Note that this tea naturally contains an average of 70 mg of caffeine per serving. It therefore contains more caffeine than a shot of espresso.

So, consuming it in the morning ensures you have a "store" of energy with a slow release, without some of coffee's unpleasant effects.

Finally, the soothing effect on the body provided by matcha helps improve your mood and concentration from the moment you wake up.

For this reason, savoring this tea first thing in the morning is an excellent way to start the day on the right foot.

Le matcha avant vos exercices

Drinking matcha before exercise: an effective strategy

Adding matcha to your workout routine can be an excellent way to optimize your performance. In addition to providing stable energy thanks to theine, matcha can also improve fat burning and speed up muscle recovery. Several scientific studies support these effects:

✅ Increased fat burning: a 2008 study showed that consuming green tea extract before exercise increased fat oxidation by 17 % compared to a placebo.
✅ Enhanced effect in workout preparation: according to a 2018 study, drinking three servings of green tea the day before and another two hours before exercise led to a significant improvement in fat burning during exercise.
✅ Improved muscle recovery: another 2018 study indicates that supplementing with green tea extract (500 mg) reduces the muscle damage caused by intense training.

To enjoy these benefits, drinking a cup of matcha about 1 to 2 hours before exercise is ideal. You will benefit from a natural boost, without the side effects often associated with conventional energy drinks.

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Floral and fruity taste, umami, without bitterness

Rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress, L-theanine, which promotes better focus and improves mood, and theine, flavonoids, and quinic acid, which improve and support cognitive function

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When not to drink matcha: times to avoid

While green tea offers many health benefits, it can also have some drawbacks.

In general, tea can interfere with the absorption of nutrients during meals. Several compounds in green tea can bind to the minerals in your body and block their absorption.

In particular, tannins are compounds found in green tea that act as antinutrients and reduce iron absorption, as demonstrated by a study published in 2017.

In addition, research has shown that the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) contained in green tea can bind to minerals such as iron, copper, and chromium, and interfere with their absorption by the body. Note that EGCG accounts for up to 42% of the dry weight of green tea.

Several studies have also shown that drinking tea during a meal can reduce iron absorption, which could lead to a deficiency over time.

This is one of the reasons why some teas are better suited than matcha to accompany meals, such as Hōjicha, a roasted Japanese green tea.

Therefore, it is best to drink green tea between meals, if possible, especially if you are low in iron or other essential minerals (magnesium, vitamins, etc.).

To conclude, since matcha green tea is both drunk and eaten, its potency can disrupt sleep in some people. To avoid side effects, it is recommended to avoid drinking green tea up to 6 hours before going to bed, to prevent sleep problems and enjoy the benefits of matcha.

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FAQ: Your questions about when to drink matcha

Can you drink matcha on an empty stomach?

Yes, but some people may experience slight acidity. In that case, eat a small snack beforehand.

How many cups of matcha per day?

1 to 2 cups per day are enough to enjoy the benefits of matcha without excess theine.

Does matcha really help improve sleep?

Matcha is not a relaxing herbal tea in the classic sense of the term, but its richness in L-theanine, an amino acid with soothing effects, can promote a state of calm and concentration. This can indirectly help you better manage stress during the day, which contributes to falling asleep more easily at night.
However, matcha also contains theine (caffeine), which can disrupt sleep if consumed late in the day. To enjoy its benefits without its stimulating effects, it is best to avoid drinking it within the 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.

If you would like to learn more, visit our blog to discover all the benefits of matcha:

Sources

Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review. Menton Med. 2010; 5: 13. 2010. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-5-13.

Effect of caffeine on attention and alertness measured at home, using online cognitive tests. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017; 6(9): e169. 2017. doi: 10.2196/resprot.6727.

Effects of a single oral dose of 60 mg of caffeine on attention in healthy adult subjects. J Psychopharmacol. 2017; 31(2): 222-232. doi: 10.1177/0269881116668593.

L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. J Clin Nutr. 2008;17 Suppl 1:167-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296328

The combination of L-theanine and caffeine affects human cognition, as evidenced by alpha band oscillatory activity and attention task performance. J Nutr. 2008;138(8):1572S-1577S. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18641209

. Green tea extract ingestion, fat oxidation, and glucose tolerance in healthy humans. J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(3):778-84. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18326618

Effect of green tea extract supplementation on delayed-onset muscle soreness and exercise-induced muscle damage. Physiology & Behavior. 2018;194: 77-82. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.05.006.

Adding green tea or rosemary extract to foods reduces nonheme-iron absorption, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 73, Issue 3, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/73.3.607

Caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) in foods: a comprehensive review on consumption, functionality, safety, and regulatory matters, 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01561.x

Temple JL, Bernard C, Lipshultz SE, Czachor JD, Westphal JA, Mestre MA. The safety of ingested caffeine: a comprehensive review. Front Psychiatry. 2017; 8:80. 2017. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00080

When to Drink Matcha? Morning, Evening, or Before a Workout?