Yerba mate vs matcha: differences in taste, caffeine and preparation

Short answer: Yerba mate comes from the South American Ilex paraguariensis: you steep the ground leaves in water and drink through a bombilla, while the leaves stay behind. Matcha is ground green tea from Camellia sinensis: you whisk the powder with water and drink all of it. A 150 ml cup of yerba mate contains about 80 mg of caffeine; 1 to 2 grams of matcha contain roughly 19 to 89 mg. Mate tastes herbal and slightly bitter, matcha full and grassy.

Last updated: 5 November 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin

At GOYU we sell both: yerba mate and matcha. We are often asked which one to choose. The honest answer: it depends on how you like to drink. Below we compare the differences side by side, with sources where numbers are involved.

What is the difference between yerba mate and matcha?

The biggest difference: with yerba mate you drink an infusion, with matcha you drink the whole leaf. That is why they differ in taste, preparation and how often you refill.

Sources for the figures: Gawron-Gzella et al., 2021 (yerba mate) and Kochman et al., 2020 (matcha).

What do yerba mate and matcha taste like?

Yerba mate tastes herbal, earthy and slightly bitter. The first sips from a fresh gourd are the strongest; after a few refills the taste gets milder. Matcha tastes fuller than ordinary green tea, because you drink the whole leaf. Our ceremonial grade matcha is the mildest and least bitter and is best drunk plain; the culinary matcha is ideal in a latte or recipe.

How much caffeine is in yerba mate and matcha?

Per cup they are close. A cup of yerba mate of about 150 ml contains around 80 mg of caffeine (Gawron-Gzella et al., 2021). Matcha contains 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of powder (Kochman et al., 2020). With 1 to 2 grams per cup, that comes to roughly 19 to 89 mg.

The difference lies in how you drink. You often refill a gourd of yerba mate six or seven times, and every round is a new cup with new caffeine. A bowl of matcha you drink once. According to the European Food Safety Authority EFSA, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day from all sources combined gives no reason for concern in healthy adults, and up to 200 mg at once. For pregnant women the limit is 200 mg a day (EFSA, 2015). Our matcha packaging says: not recommended for children and pregnant women.

How do you prepare yerba mate and matcha?

Yerba mate: fill a gourd two thirds full with yerba, make a slope, moisten the bottom with cold water, insert the bombilla and top up with water at 70 to 80 °C. You drink through the bombilla and keep refilling. All steps and common mistakes are explained in how to make yerba mate in a gourd.

Matcha: sift 1 to 2 grams of matcha (half to one teaspoon) into a bowl, add 60 to 80 ml of water at 75 to 80 °C and whisk in an M or W motion until foam forms. Drink your matcha before the powder sinks to the bottom. For a latte, read how to make a matcha latte.

What do you need for yerba mate and matcha?

• Yerba mate: a gourd and a bombilla. Which types there are and how to keep them clean, you can read in mate gourd and bombilla: which to choose? You can also do without a gourd, in a teapot or French press.
• Matcha: a bamboo whisk (chasen) and a bowl (chawan), and possibly a bamboo spoon. What's in a set is explained in matcha starter set: what do you need? A milk frother works too.

Which suits you: yerba mate or matcha?

• You like to sip from one serving for a long time: yerba mate. You keep refilling and it can last you a whole morning.
• You want one quick cup: matcha. Whisking and drinking takes a few minutes.
• You love a latte or like to bake: matcha, for example our culinary matcha.
• You prefer cold drinks: both work. Yerba mate is drunk cold as tereré, matcha can be whisked cold or poured over ice.
• You drink together: yerba mate. In South America you share one gourd.

Is yerba mate or matcha healthier?

We can't say, and we don't promise it either. No health claims have yet been approved in the EU for yerba mate or matcha. What is certain: both naturally contain caffeine, so count them along with your coffee and other caffeine. On the French list of ingredients for food supplements, Compl'Alim, the entry for mate leaf includes the advice of the French food safety agency ANSES: for adults only, not during pregnancy or breastfeeding and not with conditions such as high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid (Compl'Alim, 2026). That advice was written for supplements containing mate, but we would follow it for a gourd of mate too. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is also on that list; the strictest rules there apply to concentrated extracts (Compl'Alim, 2026). If you take medication or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor first.

Summary in 3 points

• Yerba mate is an infusion of Ilex paraguariensis that you refill often; matcha is powder of Camellia sinensis that you drink completely.
• Per cup they contain about the same amount of caffeine: around 80 mg in 150 ml of mate, 19 to 89 mg in 1 to 2 grams of matcha.
• Choose yerba mate if you want to sip and refill for a long time, matcha if you want one quick cup or a latte.

Frequently asked questions

Which has more caffeine, yerba mate or matcha?

Per cup about the same: around 80 mg in 150 ml of yerba mate and 19 to 89 mg in 1 to 2 grams of matcha. Because you often refill yerba mate six or seven times, a whole gourd usually gives you more caffeine than one bowl of matcha.

Is yerba mate a type of green tea?

No. Green tea and matcha come from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. Yerba mate comes from Ilex paraguariensis, a species of holly, so strictly speaking it is a herbal tea.

Can you drink yerba mate and matcha on the same day?

You can, but add up the caffeine. According to EFSA, up to 400 mg a day from all sources combined gives no reason for concern in healthy adults. Avoid caffeine late in the day if you are sensitive to it.

Which is easier to start with?

Matcha is quicker to master: sift, add water and whisk. Yerba mate in a gourd takes a few tries, but with a step-by-step guide you'll get there fast.

Sources

1. Gawron-Gzella A, Chanaj-Kaczmarek J, Cielecka-Piontek J (2021). Yerba Mate: A Long but Current History. Nutrients 13(11):3706. Review of origin, composition and preparation. doi.org/10.3390/nu13113706
2. Kochman J et al. (2020). Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review. Molecules 26(1):85. Review of composition, including caffeine and L-theanine. doi.org/10.3390/molecules26010085
3. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (2015). Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal 13(5):4102. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4102
4. Compl'Alim, French Ministry of Agriculture. Entries Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. and Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, accessed 5 November 2026. compl-alim.beta.gouv.fr
5. Product information GOYU Yerba Mate Tea Leaves and Matcha Powder (organic, premium and ceremonial grade), accessed 5 November 2026.

You'll find all our yerba mate at buy yerba mate and all our matcha at buy matcha. What yerba mate is exactly, you can read in yerba mate: what is it?

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, talk to your GP or pharmacist first.