The ZOI Matcha blog
Guides, recipes and news from the world of matcha and Japanese tea.
5 Oct 2026
5 min
Matcha before bed: can you drink it in the evening?
Matcha in the evening works like an evening coffee: a 2 g bowl has about 60–70 mg of caffeine. What EFSA’s opinion says about caffeine before sleep, how long caffeine stays in your body and what L-theanine does not change.
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29 Sept 2026
5 min
Usucha vs koicha: what’s the difference?
Usucha and koicha are the same matcha in two ratios, made with a different movement of the whisk. How they differ, how to make each and which to start with.
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29 Sept 2026
5 min
Matcha bowl (chawan): how to choose one and what to use instead
A good matcha bowl is about 12 cm across, with a wide, flat bottom and room for the whisk to move. A narrow mug won't do; a wide bowl often will.
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18 Sept 2026
5 min
Matcha during pregnancy and breastfeeding — can you drink it, and how much?
According to EFSA, up to 200 mg of caffeine a day from all sources raises no concerns during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A serving of matcha has 60–70 mg — how to count it, and what to ask your doctor.
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16 Sept 2026
5 min
Chasen: how to choose a bamboo matcha whisk and look after it
For everyday matcha, a chasen with 70–80 tines carved from a single piece of bamboo is all you need. The rest is rinsing with plain water and air-drying.
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15 Sept 2026
6 min
How much does good matcha cost, and what exactly are you paying for?
Ceremonial: €15–45 for 30–50 g; culinary: €10–25 for 100 g. What drives the price up, how to work out the cost per cup, and when ‘cheap’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘bad’.
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11 Sept 2026
6 min
Matcha and weight loss — what the research really says
Matcha does not help you lose weight, and no one may promise that it does. What research into catechins reveals, what matcha can replace, and where it can be detrimental to diets.
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10 Sept 2026
6 min
How to make a lump-free matcha latte — a guide
Lumps are caused by the order of addition, not the quality of the powder. Proportions, temperature, what to use to whisk it without a hand mixer, and which plant-based milk really foams up.
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7 Sept 2026
6 min
Matcha — properties, effects and side effects
What’s actually in a cup of matcha, how much caffeine it has, what is known about L-theanine and when to be careful — with EFSA’s opinions and no health promises.
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3 Sept 2026
4 min
Which matcha to start with — a simple choice in two questions
You don’t need a list of the top twenty powders. All you need are two questions: how are you going to drink it, and do you have something to stir it with?
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3 Sept 2026
3 min
How to store matcha so that it doesn’t lose its colour and flavour
Matcha doesn’t go off — it fades. Oxygen, light, moisture and heat turn its bright green colour into a mustard shade faster than you can drink it.
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2 Sept 2026
4 min
How much caffeine is in matcha vs coffee? Per gram, teaspoon and tablespoon
A 2 g serving of matcha has about 60–70 mg of caffeine, a little less than an espresso. We work out the caffeine per gram, teaspoon, 4 g and tablespoon and compare it with coffee, tea and the figures in EFSA’s opinion.
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