Key Takeaways
- Matcha provides longer-lasting energy without the crash and anxiety that coffee can cause.
- The combination of caffeine and L-theanine in matcha promotes calm alertness and balanced energy.
- Matcha is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants that help protect the body from cell damage.
Most wellness articles about trying a new wake-up beverage start with some version of “I’ve always been a coffee girl…” but I have not always been a coffee girl. Or, let me rephrase that: I love the taste, smell, and culture of coffee, I love the silky smooth foam on a cappuccino, I love a snooty barista with a twirly mustache. Sadly, the beverage doesn’t agree with me.
For years, I drank coffee and endured the intense jitters, anxiety spikes, and mood crashes that followed. I’d walk around with a ballooning cortisol knot-in-your-stomach feeling until finally it dissipated and I’d either fall asleep or cry. I thought this was normal and simply the price we paid for an hour or two of energy. Turns out, I was wrong, because there are—and always have been—several other natural energy-boosting drinks I could try instead.
One of those drinks is matcha, which I switched to about a year ago and never looked back.
Nowadays, my bright green morning beverage gives me a milder but longer-lasting energy boost without the crash or impending anxiety attack.
Green Tea, But Different
Matcha is a traditional Japanese tea popularized by the Zen Buddhist Monk Eisai, who brought the beverage—made from the ground-up leaves of shade-grown tea plants—to Japan from China around 1100 AD. Eisai used pulverized green tea leaves in his tea ceremonies, and the practice quickly caught on.
To this day, matcha tea is made by whisking hot water with the finely ground leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. This is the same plant as regular tea, but using the entire leaf increases its nutritional value. Most high-quality matcha tea powder is still grown in Japan.
Five to ten years ago, if you were seen walking around with a cup of iced matcha, you’d probably get at least one person asking what on earth that bright green beverage was. Nowadays, matcha is a ubiquitous cafe menu item. It all started in 2015 when Goop founder and celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow posted about drinking matcha lattes on Instagram, and it’s had an upward trajectory ever since.
I will say, the earthy, vegetal flavor of powdered green tea can take some getting used to. But just like espresso, it pairs deliciously with a little milk and sweetness. I personally like to drink it with steamed oat milk and honey. But if you enjoyed the base complexity of espresso, you’ll probably like matcha too.
What Are the Benefits of Matcha?
The grassy green hue of a matcha latte would make anyone feel like they’re being healthy, but is there nutritional validity to the aesthetic?
Yes! Matcha green tea powder contains high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances in the form of catechins and polyphenols. These molecules reduce free-radical damage in the body and promote cell rejuvenation, potentially protecting against cancer and other diseases.
Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that has a calming effect on the body and helps balance out the feeling of overstimulation from caffeine. It also helps the body absorb caffeine more gradually. Plus, studies show that the combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves mood and cognitive performance.
Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD, Culinary Dietitian, explains: “Matcha provides a calm alertness thanks to a combination of caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Though both contain caffeine and beneficial antioxidants, L-theanine is a key compound in matcha that sets it apart from coffee and helps prevent the jitters.”
The tea leaves used for matcha are always young and shade-grown. This increases chlorophyll content, thus giving them more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals than other varieties of green tea.
Just Enough Caffeine
In terms of caffeine content, matcha falls somewhere between coffee and tea at about 70 mg per cup. To put that in perspective, a cup of regular green tea contains about 30mg of caffeine, and a cup of coffee contains about 100mg. Therefore, matcha will certainly give you a boost!
Barbie Cervoni, MS, RD, says: “Matcha is often used as an alternative to coffee due to its unique flavor and reduced caffeine content. Exact caffeine amounts will depend on brewing methods and how much is used, but on average if you were to use 1 teaspoon of matcha in 8 ounces of water, you would receive about 19-44 mg of caffeine as compared to an 8-ounce cup of coffee that provides 80-100 mg of caffeine.”
Both are rich in antioxidants, but for people who are sensitive to caffeine or have a history of anxiety, switching to matcha may ease symptoms related to anxiety and insomnia.
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BARBIE CERVONI, MS, RD
How I Felt When I Switched to Matcha
I’ll admit, when I first switched from coffee to matcha, there was a bit of a transition period. Despite the negative side effects I was experiencing from coffee, my body still craved the familiarity of espresso and that jolt you get from those first sips. Still, I persevered through the initial caffeine withdrawals and bought the supplies to make quality matcha lattes at home. This included buying a milk frother to get the full experience.
One of the biggest draws of switching to matcha was that a matcha latte feels like an espresso drink. It still has the same soft texture and consistency as a traditional coffee drink and usually even a latte art design on top.
And just as with a traditional coffee drink, there are many ways to tailor your matcha beverage to your flavor preferences. I like honey and steamed oat milk in mine. Regular black tea just doesn’t have the same appeal.
After drinking matcha for a little over a week, I noticed two key changes in how I felt:
- The caffeine felt different. Instead of a big spike in energy that lasted an hour or two at most, I felt a more subtle boost that lasted about twice as long.
- My anxiety decreased dramatically.
I recognize that both of these outcomes were most likely a direct result of the L-Theanine present in matcha, something I was extremely thankful for!
“If you’ve noticed a difference in how your body responds to coffee versus matcha, it’s not all in your head. Coffee perks you up almost instantly while matcha slowly and gently boosts your energy,” says Moore.
Now, with fewer energy crashes and a more managed cortisol response, I’m better able to self-regulate and handle stressors throughout my day. Minor dramas and inconveniences feel less consequential. I feel more OK, content, willing to face the world with less intimidation—whatever will be will be. Deep inhale, longer exhale, et cetera.
How to Make Matcha at Home
- Step 1: Purchase a ceremonial grade matcha. Ceremonial grade is best for drinks, and culinary grade is slightly lower quality, better for cooking. You’ll also need to buy a matcha whisk and a matcha scoop. These two usually come sold together and are inexpensive.
- Step 2: Scoop 1 tsp of matcha into a shallow cup or bowl. You want it to be shallow and wide enough to fit a matcha whisk into. A standard mug will be a bit too deep.
- Step 3: Heat your water to not-quite-boiling. The exact temp is about 170 degrees Fahrenheit, but simmering water will suffice. Boiling water is discouraged as it can burn the leaves. Pour about 1/3 cup of water into the cup with the powdered matcha.
- Step 4: Whisk. Using your designated matcha whisk, briskly stir the matcha and hot water together until fully incorporated. This part is important because you don’t want any little clumps of matcha powder hanging out at the bottom of your cup.
- Step 5: Now you can drink your matcha as is (hardcore) or add a sweetener and milk of your choice. Plant milk is a better choice if you want to reap all the antioxidant benefits. The casein in cow’s milk binds to the catechins and makes it harder for your body to absorb
Keep In Mind
I’m actually being serious about all of the above, but obviously, I’m not some kind of perfectly chill monk now simply because I started drinking matcha. I still have bad days, and I still drink coffee sometimes (particularly when I’m visiting my parents, who take pride in their cappuccino-making skills), but matcha helps. In general, I love that I’m no longer expending my energy to cope with the physical and emotional side effects coffee gave me.
And speaking of not being a monk, I’m a huge proponent of everything in moderation. If you decide to incorporate matcha into your routine, you don’t have to go “full green” forever to reap the benefits. Maybe just try swapping a couple of your weekly coffees for matcha and see what happens.
