Is it okay to drink coffee and green tea in the same day? The daily guide.

November 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2020 study published in The BMJ, higher consumption of green tea and coffee was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, suggesting it is okay to drink coffee and green tea in the same day for most healthy adults. This practice offers a unique combination of health-promoting compounds and varied energy benefits.

Quick Summary

Drinking both coffee and green tea on the same day is generally considered safe and can be beneficial if done in moderation. The key lies in managing overall caffeine intake and timing your consumption to leverage the different compounds and energy boosts each beverage provides.

Key Points

Moderate Consumption: Drinking both coffee and green tea is safe for most people if total daily caffeine intake is limited to under 400 mg.
Manage Caffeine Intake: Be mindful of cumulative caffeine from both drinks to avoid side effects like jitters, anxiety, and sleep disruption.
Leverage L-theanine: Green tea contains L-theanine, which promotes relaxed alertness and can help balance the stronger, faster-acting caffeine from coffee.
Vary Antioxidants: Combining the beverages gives you a broader range of antioxidants, including coffee's chlorogenic acids and green tea's catechins (EGCG).
Timing is Important: For optimal effect, consider coffee in the morning for a strong boost and green tea later in the day for calmer focus.
Listen to Your Body: Individual tolerance to caffeine varies, so it's important to monitor your personal response and adjust your consumption accordingly.

Is It Safe to Combine Your Favorite Drinks?

For many, the morning coffee ritual is a non-negotiable part of the day, providing an immediate and strong caffeine boost to kickstart productivity. Meanwhile, green tea is often savored for its subtler, more sustained energy and wealth of antioxidants. So, can you have both? The good news is that for most people, the answer is yes. Drinking coffee and green tea in the same day is perfectly safe, as long as you pay attention to your body and your total caffeine consumption. The potential health benefits of combining these two powerful beverages can be additive, offering a wider spectrum of beneficial compounds.

The Key Differences: Caffeine and Compound Chemistry

Understanding the differences between coffee and green tea is crucial for successful daily consumption. While both contain caffeine and antioxidants, they differ significantly in their chemical makeup and how they affect the body.

Caffeine Content: A standard 8-ounce cup of coffee contains approximately 96 mg of caffeine, providing a more immediate and powerful stimulating effect. An equivalent serving of green tea contains significantly less, around 29 mg, resulting in a milder energy lift.
Unique Compounds: Coffee is a rich source of chlorogenic acids (CGAs), which are potent antioxidants that may contribute to improved glucose metabolism and fight inflammation. Green tea, on the other hand, is high in catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and contains the amino acid L-theanine.
The L-theanine Effect: Green tea's L-theanine promotes a state of calm, relaxed alertness by binding to caffeine and regulating its absorption. This creates a smoother, more focused energy without the jitters or anxiety that can sometimes accompany coffee's higher caffeine kick.
Antioxidant Profile: By consuming both, you receive a more varied and balanced set of antioxidants. Coffee's chlorogenic acids and green tea's catechins both offer potent protection against oxidative stress, but each compound works differently within the body.

Potential Side Effects and How to Avoid Them

While consuming both beverages is safe in moderation, overconsumption of caffeine from both sources can lead to side effects. The recommended maximum daily caffeine intake for most adults is around 400 mg. However, individual tolerance varies greatly. Excessive intake can cause:

Anxiety, restlessness, or jitters
Digestive issues like acidity, heartburn, or stomach upset, especially for those with sensitive stomachs
Disrupted sleep patterns or insomnia
Increased heart rate or palpitations

To mitigate these risks, it's best to track your intake. Spacing out your consumption and limiting quantities can help you reap the benefits without the negative consequences. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly.

Tips for a Balanced Routine

To get the best of both worlds, consider a strategic approach to your daily routine. Many people find success by timing their intake to match their energy needs throughout the day:

Morning Boost: Start your day with a cup of coffee. Its higher caffeine content provides an immediate and powerful energy burst to help you wake up and focus on demanding tasks.
Afternoon Focus: Switch to green tea in the afternoon. The moderate caffeine level, combined with L-theanine, provides a gentle, sustained alertness that helps prevent the afternoon energy crash often associated with coffee.
Timing is Key: Avoid consuming caffeine too close to bedtime. Green tea, even with less caffeine, can still disrupt sleep for sensitive individuals. Experts often suggest having your last caffeinated beverage at least two hours before sleep.

Comparison Table: Coffee vs. Green Tea


Feature	Coffee	Green Tea
Caffeine Content (8oz)	~96 mg	~29 mg
Key Antioxidants	Chlorogenic acids, melanoidins	Catechins (EGCG)
Unique Compounds	Trigonelline, diterpenes	L-theanine, chlorophyll
Energy Effect	Strong, immediate boost; potential for jitters	Mild, sustained alertness; calming effect
Acidity	Can be higher; potentially irritating to stomach	Generally lower and gentler on the stomach
Best For...	Immediate wake-up and intense focus	Relaxed focus, stress reduction, balanced energy

The Complementary Nature of Coffee and Green Tea

The health benefits of these two beverages are not mutually exclusive. Instead, they complement each other, providing a broader range of protective effects. Green tea's high concentration of catechins, specifically EGCG, has been studied for its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Meanwhile, coffee's antioxidant profile and stimulating properties have been linked to benefits for liver health and physical performance. The dual approach of moderate intake of both can help you leverage these distinct advantages throughout your day.

For more detailed information on green tea's unique properties, you can explore resources like the National Institutes of Health.

Conclusion: Your Daily Beverage, Your Choice

In summary, it is perfectly fine and potentially beneficial to drink coffee and green tea in the same day, provided you practice moderation and listen to your body. By strategically consuming coffee for an initial energy lift and transitioning to green tea for a calmer, sustained focus, you can enjoy the unique antioxidant and cognitive benefits of both without the negative side effects of excessive caffeine. As with any aspect of your diet, a balanced and mindful approach is the most effective way to integrate these healthy habits into your lifestyle. Enjoy the distinct qualities of each beverage and find the rhythm that works best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you drink both coffee and green tea in the same day, you will experience a combined effect of their unique compounds. Green tea's L-theanine helps to moderate the stimulating effects of coffee's higher caffeine content, potentially providing a more balanced energy boost and broader range of antioxidants.

Neither is definitively 'healthier.' They both offer distinct benefits due to different antioxidant profiles. Green tea is noted for its high catechin content and calming L-theanine, while coffee offers a higher, more immediate energy lift and high levels of chlorogenic acids.

For best results, many people start with coffee in the morning for an immediate energy boost and switch to green tea in the afternoon. This can help you avoid the afternoon crash and benefit from green tea's sustained energy without disrupting your sleep later.

For some with sensitive stomachs, the combined acidity and stimulating effect of high volumes of both beverages could cause discomfort or heartburn. Switching from coffee to green tea in the afternoon may help, as green tea is generally less acidic.

For most healthy adults, a total daily caffeine intake of up to 400 mg is considered safe. This would allow for a couple of cups of coffee and several cups of green tea per day, but it's important to consider individual sensitivity.

L-theanine doesn't cancel out caffeine, but it can modulate its effects. By promoting a state of calm focus and regulating the speed of caffeine's absorption, it can help reduce the anxiety and jittery feelings that coffee can sometimes cause.

Yes, both coffee and green tea have been associated with metabolic benefits and potential weight loss due to their caffeine and antioxidant content. A combination can be beneficial, but the overall impact on weight is generally small and dependent on diet and exercise.

If you are prone to anxiety, you may want to favor green tea over coffee, especially in larger quantities. Green tea's L-theanine provides a calming effect that counteracts the jitteriness that can be triggered by higher caffeine doses found in coffee.