How much caffeine is in yerba mate?

A 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate has 40 to 80 mg of caffeine.

That's about half a cup of brewed coffee, and 15% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.

Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest · checked 10 Nov 2026

When did you have it?

Had at 3 pm, about 21 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That should not affect most people’s sleep.

Ranges: the chart uses the middle of the published range (60 mg for this size).

Bedtime

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Latest time to drink it

For an 11 pm bedtime, most people should finish a 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate by about 9:20 pm. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.

Bedtime	Very sensitive under 25 mg	Average under 50 mg	Not very sensitive under 100 mg
9 pm	2:10 pm	7:20 pm	Any time
10 pm	3:10 pm	8:20 pm	Any time
11 pm	4:10 pm	9:20 pm	Any time
Midnight	5:10 pm	10:20 pm	Any time
1 am	6:10 pm	11:20 pm	Any time

For a 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.

How long it lasts

The caffeine from a 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate peaks in your blood about 75 minutes after you start it, at roughly 51 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.

Time after	3 hours	6 hours	9 hours	12 hours
Still in you	42 mg	28 mg	18 mg	12 mg

So one had at 3 pm leaves about 21 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.

How it compares

Yerba mate is stronger than 84% of the 38 teas we track, by caffeine per serving.

Per fluid ounce (10 mg) it is stronger than 94% of them.

To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 6½ of these.

Less caffeine

Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea 50 mg, 18.5 fl oz bottle
Matcha 48 mg, 1 bowl, ITO EN
Yorkshire Tea 48 mg, 200 ml mug, brewed 5 min

More caffeine

Chick-fil-A Iced Tea 72 mg, Medium
Bigelow American Breakfast Tea 60 to 90 mg, 1 cup
Bigelow Peak Energy Plus 75 mg, 1 cup

FAQ

Is yerba mate high in caffeine?

It is moderate. A 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate has 40 to 80 mg, which is 63% of the 95 mg in an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee.

Can I drink yerba mate at night?

Earlier is better. Had at 7 pm, it leaves about 37 mg in an average adult at an 11 pm bedtime. The latest time for an 11 pm bedtime is about 9:20 pm.

How long does the caffeine in yerba mate last?

It peaks about 75 minutes after you start it. Of the 40 to 80 mg, about 28 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 12 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.

Does yerba mate have more caffeine than a cup of coffee?

No. A 6 fl oz cup of yerba mate has 40 to 80 mg; an 8 fl oz cup of coffee has 95 mg.

Method and limits

The caffeine figure comes from Center for Science in the Public Interest; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.

These are estimates for information, not medical advice.