Matcha tea is leagues ahead of coffee for its Nootropic effects.
Think your cup of Joe is the best solution for the groggy early mornings? Think again.
The following article is going to prove to you how Matcha tea will keep you focussed for longer and perhaps even improve your cognative function.
Coffee is the second most traded commodoty in the world. Thats a lot.
To the average American, that means they’ll spend upwards of $1000 a year on coffee.
Why do we drink coffee?
Well, there’s bound to be a whole host of reasons why people enjoy this roasted fruit. The main one however is for increased energy levels. Whether we’re trying to get through a slow day at work, finish off those research papers, or literally trying to open our eyes it seems that coffee is the first thing we reach for.
And that’s great, but it comes at a cost.
Coffee has the unfortunate side effect of the ‘caffiene crash’. This includes irritability, drastically lowered energy levels, and shaking to name a few.
If only there was a warm drink that gave the same amount of energy, without the jitters and bad breath, and was considered a far healthier alternative…
Matcha Tea
By taking some very young and shaded tea leaves and grinding them up into a beautiful green powder, we are left with Matcha. The powder is then mixed with hot water, whisked, and drunk from a Chawan.
Due to Matcha’s high concentration of L-Theanine (a natural relaxing amino acid), tea drinkers are able to consume something with a high concentration of caffeine without the unfortunate side effects that come with coffee.
The benefits of matcha tea:
- High in catechin EGCG which is thought to help ward off cancer.
- Lowered blood pressure
- Long sustained bouts of energy
- High L-Theanine content (Great for calming down)
- Tea preparation great for mindfulness
Lets explore the main components of matcha and try to understand why you might switch your coffee for a cup of this green super drink.
Caffeine
We have briefly touched on this above, but both a cup of coffee and a cup of matcha will have a large amount of caffeine in it. This caffeine is able to very quickly stimulate the nervous system and help us focus, become energized, and get us ready for the day ahead.
Caffeine has some downsides, though. It’s often associated with anxiety, brain fog, tiredness (the comedown), and trouble sleeping (Of course dependent on when you drank it.
Theanine
The problem with coffee is that the caffeine is by itself. There’s nothing to regulate it and nothing to smooth out some of the side affects.
This makes the energizing effect coffee has on us like a 100m sprinter.
Loads of energy to begin with, and tires out very soon and then becomes tired. In the present moment that we have that energy its fantastic, but you soon realize its quite debilitating when you crash.
L-Theanine is a natural component found in green tea that promotes a relaxing feel without becoming sedation.
In practice this means that when you drink both L-Theanine and Caffeine together, you’ll be able to experience the benefits of it without the side effects.
Green tea is another drink that has both L-Theanine and caffeine in it but at much lower doses. Matcha will have as much as five times the amount as green tea does with both compounds.
So if you’re looking for a buzz like coffee often gives you then I would suggest going straight for matcha.
EGCG
This is definitely one of the lesser known compounds in matcha but its still vitally important.
EGCG or Epigallocatchine Gallate is a unique and interesting plant compound that is thought to reduce inflammation, help aid weight loss, and help to protect against heart and brain disease.
This is mainly just a theory as the hard research studies to back up the evidence just havent been done. But whats for sure is that it’s more good than bad, so why not take it!
So, should matcha tea replace your morning coffee?
Well, in my opinion yes it dam well should.
It’s healthier, it counteracts both the anxiety and caffeine comedown, and stops you having post coffee jitters. I struggle a lot with caffeine shakes, so it’s great to have another drink that gives the same amount of caffeine but without the other side effects.
Matcha also comes with a whole host of other intriguing benefits besides from the drink itself.
Matcha tea ceremonies provide the perfect way to start your day in a mindful frame of mind. It can be as simple or as complicated as you like, just make sure you take pride in the steps it takes to produce it.
The Chawan (Bowl), Chasen (Bamboo whisk), and Chashaku (Bamboo tea scoop) also all fit that mindful stance thats so important. Plus they all look dam nice too!
If its preperation time thats the main issue for you, there are many different cold brew and quick brew recipes scattered across the internet that you can style to fit your lifesyle!
Is matcha for you? Or have you made the switch a long time ago and care to way in? Let us know in the comments down below 🙂
