MatchaDB

Research topic

Matcha, L-theanine and caffeine: the research

Matcha is shade-grown, which raises its L-theanine, an amino acid found almost only in tea, and it is eaten as the whole ground leaf, so it also delivers caffeine. A large share of the matcha literature asks how those two compounds behave together.

The studies here include chemical analyses of how much of each compound different matcha grades contain, human trials of theanine-and-caffeine combinations on attention and mood, and cultivation work on how shading changes theanine levels.

145

studies

1999–2026

years covered

100

from the last five years

88

free to read

What kind of evidence is this?

  • Other / not stated21
  • Chemical / analytical20
  • Review19
  • Randomized controlled trial15
  • Agronomy / cultivation14
  • Animal study12
  • Observational (human)10
  • Not classified (no abstract)9
  • Food science / processing8
  • In vitro / cell study5
  • Clinical trial (non-randomized)5
  • Sensory / consumer4
  • Systematic review / meta-analysis3

Trials often test purified L-theanine and caffeine rather than matcha itself, so check what was actually given before applying a result to a cup of matcha.

Common keywords

caffeine 85theanine 59green tea 57catechins 52camellia sinensis 43epigallocatechin gallate 38polyphenols 25matcha tea 22antioxidant activity 20antioxidants 17anxiety 14catechin 13chlorophyll 13free amino acids 13

Most recognized studies on this topic

Ranked by recency, citations, journal standing and study design.

2024Journal articleFree to read

Effect of matcha green tea on cognitive functions and sleep quality in older adults with cognitive decline: A randomized controlled study over 12 months.

Uchida K, Meno K, Korenaga T, et al. — PloS one

Objective: Lifestyle habits after middle age significantly impact the maintenance of cognitive function in older adults. Nutritional intake is closely related to lifestyle habits; therefore, nutrition is a pivotal factor in the prevention…

Randomized controlled trialCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCited 25×
2020Journal articleFree to read

Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review.

Kochman J, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, et al. — Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Japanese matcha is a type of powdered green tea, grown in a traditional way. Shading of the plants during the growth period enhances the processes of synthesis and accumulation of biologically active compounds, including theanine,…

ReviewCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCited 321×
2024Journal article

Comprehensive assessment of matcha qualities and visualization of constituents using hyperspectral imaging technology.

Hu Y, Yu H, Song X, et al. — Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Matcha, made from different tea leaves as raw material, exhibits diverse aromas and flavors. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid, non-destructive method to assess the quality of matcha to ensure that these different…

Randomized controlled trialAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineProcessing, milling and qualityCited 17×
2023Journal article

Application of visible-near infrared spectroscopy in tandem with multivariate analysis for the rapid evaluation of matcha physicochemical indicators.

Wu J, Zareef M, Chen Q, et al. — Food chemistry

Consumer preference for matcha is heavily influenced by its physicochemical properties. The visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy technology coupled with multivariate analysis was investigated for rapid and non-invasive evaluation…

Observational (human)Metabolism and weightAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCited 56×
2024Journal articleFree to read

A comprehensive metabolomics analysis of volatile and non-volatile compounds in matcha processed from different tea varieties.

Huang D, Chen X, Tan R, et al. — Food chemistry: X

Tea varieties play a crucial role on the quality formation of matcha. This research aimed to examine the impact of four specific tea plant varieties (Okumidori, Longjing 43, Zhongcha108, and E'Cha 1) on various aspects of matcha, including…

Chemical / analyticalMetabolism and weightAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCited 38×
2023Journal article

A review on matcha: Chemical composition, health benefits, with insights on its quality control by applying chemometrics and multi-omics.

Phuah YQ, Chang SK, Ng WJ, et al. — Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

This review discussed the origin, manufacturing process, chemical composition, factors affecting quality and health benefits of matcha (Camellia sinensis), and the application of chemometrics and multi-omics in the science of matcha. The…

ReviewAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCultivation and shadingCited 39×
2019Journal article

Evaluation of matcha tea quality index using portable NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric algorithms.

Wang J, Zareef M, He P, et al. — Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Abstract BACKGROUND The study reports a portable near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy system coupled with chemometric algorithms for prediction of tea polyphenols and amino acids in order to index matcha tea quality. RESULTS Spectral data were…

Randomized controlled trialAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineProcessing, milling and qualityCited 114×
2024Journal articleFree to read

Matcha Green Tea: Chemical Composition, Phenolic Acids, Caffeine and Fatty Acid Profile.

Kika J, Jakubczyk K, Ligenza A, et al. — Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Matcha-Japanese powdered tea-is a variety of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.), one of the most popular beverages in the world. Due to the unique way it is grown, it contains high concentrations of health-promoting phytochemicals. The aim…

Chemical / analyticalL-theanine and caffeineProcessing, milling and qualityFood products and applicationsCited 29×
2024Journal articleFree to read

Matcha Does Not Affect Electroencephalography during Sleep but May Enhance Mental Well-Being: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Baba Y, Takihara T, Okamura N — Nutrients

Although theanine in matcha improves sleep quality and cognitive function, the caffeine in green tea is thought to worsen sleep quality. Therefore, this study investigated the factors behind the observed improvements in subjective sleep…

Randomized controlled trialCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineCited 8×
2021Journal article

Intelligent evaluation of taste constituents and polyphenols-to-amino acids ratio in matcha tea powder using near infrared spectroscopy.

Guo Z, Barimah AO, Yin L, et al. — Food chemistry

Matcha tea is rich in taste and bioactive constituents, quality evaluation of matcha tea is important to ensure flavor and efficacy. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) in combination with variable selection algorithms was proposed as a fast…

Chemical / analyticalAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineProcessing, milling and qualityCited 117×
Search all 145 studies on this topic

Newest research

2026Journal articleFree to read

A CE/TA-stratified systematic review and evidence map of matcha and green tea bioactives in endocrine stress regulation: testosterone, cortisol, and the T:C ratio.

Alanazi A, Alanzi R, Abdo AAA — Frontiers in nutrition

Matcha and green-tea bioactives are widely promoted for stress and hormonal health, yet the evidence is fragmented across chemically dissimilar preparations (whole-leaf matcha, brewed green tea, isolated L-theanine, and concentrated…

Systematic review / meta-analysisCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeine
2026Journal articleFree to read

A Matcha Tea Formulation Containing Lachancea thermotolerans: Phytochemical Profile After In Vitro Digestion and Effects on Intestinal Epithelial Function.

Rucci C, Feliziani G, Agarbati A, et al. — Nutrients

Background/objectives: Matcha tea is widely recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its health-promoting benefits depend on the gastrointestinal bioaccessibility of its phytochemicals. This study evaluated…

In vitro / cell studyAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineGut and microbiome
2026Journal article

A Study on Matcha Latte Consumption Trends as Reflected in Korean News Media

Bae-young Choi — Association for International Tea Culture

This study aimed to identify consumption trends in matcha latte using domestic news media data and to present implications for enhancing its sustainability. To this end, 781 news articles published between January 1, 2006, and December 31,…

Observational (human)L-theanine and caffeineFood products and applicationsMarket, culture and sustainability
2026Journal articleFree to read

Compositional Diversity and Functional Interactions of Bioactive Compounds in Japanese Green Tea: Focus on Matcha, Sencha, and Gyokuro.

Unno K, Kameoka Y, Nakamura Y — Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Japanese green teas, including matcha, sencha, and gyokuro, are derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis and contain bioactive compounds such as catechins, caffeine, and amino acids, notably theanine. However, the amounts and ratios of…

ReviewCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeine

Related topics

Cognition, mood and stressClinical trials, observational studies and reviews on matcha and green tea for attention, memory, mood, stress and sleep, with links to every source.Cultivation and shadingAgronomy and plant biology studies on shade-growing tea for matcha: how shading changes theanine, chlorophyll, catechins and leaf quality.Antioxidants and polyphenolsStudies measuring matcha's catechins, EGCG, chlorophyll and other polyphenols, how much they vary, and how they hold up in processing and storage.

This page describes what published studies examine; it is not medical advice, and a study being listed is not an endorsement of its findings. Topic tags and study types are assigned automatically from each paper's text (see how the library is built). Library last rebuilt October 20, 2026.