Does Matcha Contain A Lot Of Sugar?

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Does Matcha contain a lot of sugar? In this post, I am going to share with you everything you need to know about the sugar content of Matcha. Now Matcha powder itself does not contain any sugar. This is because matcha powder is simply green tea leaves that have been dried and ground into a powder. Where it can get complicated is when ordering matcha drinks out. This is because most coffee or drink stores will sweeten their matcha drinks to counterbalance the natural bitterness of matcha powder. This can mean a lot of matcha drinks can be higher in sugar than you think. Furthermore, milk contains sugar (either added or naturally occurring) – which adds even more sugar to your drink.

So exactly how much sugar is in that matcha latte you grab from a coffee chain?

To answer that question, I looked at the sugar content of matcha lattes at five (5) of the big coffee chains – Starbucks, Dunkin’, Biggby, Peet’s, and Scooter’s. So, let’s dig in, how much sugar is in matcha lattes?

How Much Sugar is in Matcha Lattes?

As a general rule, a 12oz hot matcha latte made with dairy milk usually contains around 22g-29g of sugar. A 16oz hot dairy matcha latte usually contains around 32g-42g of sugar. Ways to reduce the sugar content of a matcha latte include ordering:

• a small;
• with oat milk;
• iced; and
• without sweetener if possible.

How Much Sugar is in an Oat Milk Matcha Latte?

Okay, so for dairy matcha, you are looking at 32g to 42g of sugar per drink, but what about using other types of non-dairy milk? Well, after some research I found that a small iced oat milk matcha can contain as little as 11g of sugar. That is nearly 3 to 4 times less than a regular dairy milk option.

Make sure to read until the end to find out my secret way of making a sugar-free matcha latte at home. I am a matcha fiend (I drink one every day at home, so I am proud of my sugar hack for it).

Comparing Matcha Lattes

In this section, I will compare the sugar content of Matcha Lattes from the bigger coffee chain. These include Starbucks, Dunkin, Biggby, Peet’s, and Scooter’s.

1. How Much Sugar is in Starbucks’ Matcha Green Lattes?

The following table shows the breakdowns of the sugar content of a Starbucks matcha latte. The matcha lattes at Starbucks are made with matcha powder that has already been sweetened so you cannot order a sugar-free matcha.

The Starbucks online menu does not change the nutritional content based on the milk ordered so the sugar content based on different milks is not available.

That said, plant-based milks as a general rule tend to have a lower sugar content than dairy. So basically, the lowest sugar matcha lattes options at Starbucks are a Short hot matcha made with plant-based milk or an iced Tall matcha made with plant-based milk.

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Cup Size	Sugar Content in Hot Matcha Latte Made With 2% Milk	Sugar Content in Iced Matcha Latte Made With 2% Milk
Short (8oz)	14g	N/A
Tall (12oz)	24g	20g
Grande (16oz)	32g	28g
Venti (24oz)	43g	39g

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If you want to read more about the sugar content of Starbucks drinks, you can here in the posts I wrote on the topic – 34 Best Low-Sugar Starbucks Drinks (10g of Sugar or Less).

2. How Much Sugar is in Dunkin’s Matcha Green Lattes?

Below is the sugar content of Dunkin’s Matcha Green Lattes in the three available sizes and with both skimmed and whole milk.

These are the only milks the matcha latte can be made with according to the Dunkin website. Whether you order your matcha latte iced or hot won’t make a difference at Dunkin – the sugar content will be exactly the same.

Like Starbucks, Dunkin uses a sweetened matcha blend to make their matcha lattes. This blend already contains cane sugar so you cannot order your matcha latte unsweetened.

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Cup Size	Sugar Content in Skimmed Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Whole Milk Matcha Latte
Small	22g	21g
Medium	32g	32g
Large	43g	43g

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As you can see, the best way to reduce your sugar intake when ordering a matcha latte at Dunkin is to order a small size. Ordering yours with milk will shave a gram of sugar off your matcha latte.

If you want to read more about lower sugar options at Dunkin’ you can here in the post, I wrote on the topic – 20 Best Low Sugar Dunkin’ Drinks (0g to 6g of Sugar).

3. How Much Sugar is in Biggby’s Matcha Green Lattes?

Just like with Starbucks and Dunkin’ it is not possible to order an unsweetened matcha latte at Biggby. Whether you order your matcha latte with 2% milk, non-fat milk, or soy will not actually make any difference – the sugar content will stay the same.

What will make a big difference is of course the size you order, but also whether you order your matcha latte hot or cold.

An iced matcha latte at Biggby is actually a fair bit lower in sugar than a hot matcha. That is most likely due to all the ice replacing liquid.

So, what is the lowest sugar matcha option at Biggby? A 16oz iced matcha latte.

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Cup Size	Sugar Content in A Hot Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in An Iced Matcha Latte
16oz	33.8g	23.4g
20oz	36.6g	32g
24oz	54.6g	40.6g

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If you want to read more about lower sugar options at Biggby you can here in the post, I wrote on the topic – 17 Lower Sugar and Zero Sugar Drinks at Biggby (7.5g of Sugar or Less).

4. How Much Sugar is in Peet’s Matcha Green Lattes?

So, the next coffee chain I investigated for its sugar content of matcha lattes is Peet’s. And are you ready for the good news?

You can order a matcha latte at Peet’s unsweetened. I repeat – you can order a matcha latte at Peet’s unsweetened.

Just order your matcha without the simple syrup – and just like that a low-sugar matcha latte (there will still be some sugar from the milk).

The below sugar contents are for sweetened matcha at Peet’s as the website doesn’t show what the updated sugar content would be after customizations.

You can see from the below tables that the plant-based milks at Peet’s are lower in sugar than their dairy milks, with oat milk being the lowest sugar. The iced matcha lattes at Peet’s are also slightly lower in sugar than the hot matcha lattes.

Summary Table – Hot Matcha Lattes at Peet’s

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Cup Size	Sugar Content in 2% Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Whole Milk Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Non-Fat Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Soy Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Almond Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Oat Matcha Latte
Small	27g	29g	29g	22g	24g	18g
Medium	40g	42g	42g	33g	35g	26g
Large	48g	50g	51g	40g	43g	33g

Iced Matcha Lattes at Peet’s

Cup Size	Sugar Content in 2% Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Whole Milk Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Non-Fat Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Soy Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Almond Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Oat Matcha Latte
Small	22g	23g	23g	19g	20g	16g
Medium	32g	33g	33g	28g	29g	24g
Large	47g	48g	49g	39g	42g	33g

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So, in conclusion, the lowest sugar matcha latte option at Peet’s is a small iced oat milk matcha tea latte without the simple syrup.

If you want to learn more about lower sugar drinks at Peet’s you can here in the post I wrote on the topic – Low Sugar and Zero Sugar Drinks from Peet’s.

5. How Much Sugar is in Scooter’s Matcha Green Lattes?

Just like at Peet’s the plant-based milks at Scooter’s are lower in sugar than dairy, with oat milk being the lowest sugar. The iced matcha lattes are also slightly lower in sugar.

So just like at Peet’s, a small iced oat milk matcha latte is the best choice at Scooter’s for a lower sugar matcha drink.

It is not clear from the Scooter’s website if their matcha lattes can be ordered unsweetened, so it is always worth double-checking with your barista when ordering.

Hot Matcha Latte at Scooter’s

Cup Size	Sugar Content in 2% Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Whole Milk Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Skimmed Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Coconut Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Almond Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Oat Matcha Latte
Small	23g	23g	23g	18g	19g	14g
Medium	32g	32g	33g	26g	28g	21g
Large	42g	42g	43g	34g	36g	27g

Iced Matcha Latte at Scooter’s

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Cup Size	Sugar Content in 2% Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Whole Milk Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Skimmed Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Coconut Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Almond Matcha Latte	Sugar Content in Oat Matcha Latte
Small	20g	20g	20g	16g	17g	11g
Medium	25g	25g	26g	21g	22g	18g
Large	35g	35g	36g	29g	30g	24g

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If you want to read more about lower sugar drinks at Scooter’s you can here – Sugar-Free and Low Sugar Drinks at Scooter’s Coffee.

How To Make A Sugar Free Matcha Latte At Home

If you love matcha as much as I do, then below I have summarized for you my go-to daily matcha recipe.

• Use unsweetened matcha powder such as this one on Amazon.

• Make a matcha latte using a sugar-free milk such as this sugar-free almond milk (on Amazon here) or this sugar-free oat milk (on Amazon here). You can read more about sugar-free alternative kinds of milk here in the post I wrote on the topic – Which Alternative Milks Contain No Sugar (0g)? Remember, dairy doesn’t contain added sugar but it is high in naturally occurring sugar.

• Sweeten with a sugar-free sweetener such as monk fruit (on Amazon here).

Sugar In Matcha F&Q

Is There Sugar in a Matcha Latte?

As a general rule, matcha lattes usually contain sugar. As matcha can have a slightly bitter taste some form of sweetener is usually added to matcha lattes. Milk also contains sugar (either added or naturally occurring).

Does Starbucks Matcha Contain Sugar?

Starbucks matcha tea lattes do contain sugar. The matcha mix used is already sweetened so there is no way of ordering a sugar-free matcha at Starbucks.

Why Is Matcha Sweet?

Matcha is sweet. A sweetener is usually added to matcha tea lattes to counterbalance matcha’s bitterness.

Can I Drink Matcha Without Sugar?

Yes, Matcha can absolutely be drunk without sugar. It will have a less sweet and more bitter and intense matcha taste with no sugar.

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Does Matcha Contain A Lot Of Sugar? – The Final Bite

Does matcha contain a lot of sugar? Well, the answer to this question is really it depends. It depends on which coffee chain or matcha drinks provider you order the drink from. Because of its naturally intense and bitter flavor matcha drinks ordered from food and drink establishments will always be sweetened in some shape or form. Now, if you are watching your sugar intake you will want to find and order matcha from a coffee chain or provider that uses the least amount of sugar. Using the above summary tables for the big five coffee chains you should always be able to order the lowest sugar matcha available no matter where you are.

And Remember…