Getting out of bed is rarely ever easy. When that alarm starts blaring in the morning, we don’t know of many people who jump up and are instantly ready to take on the world. It takes a bit longer to get going, and usually we need a pick-me-up to kickstart the day. The go-to for a morning drink is coffee, but that top spot is being rivalled by a new drink; matcha tea.

What is Matcha?

Matcha comes from the Camellia Sinensis tea plant and is actually a type of green tea. But, whilst most teas are made from parts of the tea-leaf, to make matcha the whole leaf is ground into a very fine powder. This is then mixed into water to make matcha tea, or added to food for an extra health kick, creating concoctions like matcha ice cream and matcha cake. Just like coffee, matcha has a very bold and intense flavour, making it the perfect drink to wake you up in the morning!

But, that’s not the only thing about matcha that will get you out of bed. It also contains caffeine, which is well-known for its energy-boosting properties.

How is Matcha Caffeine Different from Coffee?

Both matcha green tea powder and coffee contain caffeine, but that definitely doesn’t make them equally matched to wake you up. As you probably know, coffee has a super high caffeine content (around 120 milligrams per cup). This is ideal for giving you a quick hit of energy, but it also has side effects such as a racing heart and headaches. If you’ve ever had too much, you’ll know that coffee can lead to a nasty crash as your energy suddenly drops.

Matcha tea powder has around 50% less caffeine than coffee. Whilst you might think that makes it the worse choice for your morning drink, it actually doesn’t! That’s because matcha contains L-theanine which helps your body absorb the caffeine more slowly, regulating your energy boost. So, rather than the 1 hour hit of energy from a coffee, you’ll have around 4 hours of level energy from matcha caffeine. You also won’t feel the negative effects of too much caffeine, solving the problem of jitters and a racing heart.

Other Differences Between Matcha and Coffee

Caffeine isn’t the only difference between matcha and coffee. There are actually a lot of matcha benefits that coffee misses out on, making it the ideal morning brew. Whether you like a matcha latte or a matcha japanese green tea in the morning, here are some of the benefits you can expect.

First of all, Matcha has balanced pH levels that aid digestion, unlike coffee which can throw your digestion off balance. It also contains catechins, which help to prevent bad breath and reduce staining on your teeth - two problems that regular coffee drinkers will know plenty about! These are just a few of the benefits that matcha can bring to your life to help you live better and longer. 

If you’re interested in trying matcha, buy matcha powder in Australia to make a hot drink in the morning or eat a couple of matcha cookies and see how it improves your day.