I drink coffee every morning, and it’s something I can’t live without.
Coffee has many health benefits. For instance, coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels; it improves brain function such as memory, mood and reaction times; it can lower the risk of several diseases such as type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease; it can lower the risk of developing depression.
But, there are a few negative effects of coffee too.
For instance, caffeine in coffee can greatly reduce the amount and quality of sleep. Many people also report that caffeine increases their anxiety levels. Caffeine gives you a burst of energy but it can induce nervousness and even a panic attack. For some people, caffeine is also a major trigger for headaches. Moreover, Coffee can stain your teeth and it can cause gradual tooth decay.
But, the reason I started considering quitting coffee is that it’s highly addictive. Personally, if I don’t drink coffee in the morning, I feel so sluggish and drowsy all day that I can’t get anything done. And, being completely dependent on a substance to even function normally seemed alarming.
Recently, I came across ads about matcha green tea. It turns out matcha is a great alternative for coffee, or even better than coffee.
Matcha green tea is essentially finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. Traditionally in Japan, matcha is served in tea ceremonies. But nowadays, it’s often used to flavour foods like ice cream, snacks, and drinks.
Research shows many health benefits of matcha.
Matcha is high in antioxidants called catechins. Antioxidants help stabilise harmful free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease. So, having matcha daily can help prevent cell damage and even lower your risk of several chronic diseases.
Some studies also show that matcha could prevent liver damage and decrease the risk of liver disease. For instance, One study gave diabetic rats matcha for 16 weeks and found that it helped prevent damage to both the kidneys and liver.
Similar to coffee, Matcha has also been shown to improve brain function such as attention, memory and reaction time.
Additionally, drinking green tea is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
Finally, studies show that it may help you lose weight by speeding up metabolism to increase energy expenditure and boost fat burning.
After researching about matcha, I decided to give it a go. The one I got is called Purechimp. It only cost about $10 for one matcha which lasts a month.
What I love about this matcha is that it’s easy to make. All you need to do is put 1 TBS of matcha powder into your mug and pour boiled water. I usually add some coconut milk too, which is healthy as well as delicious!
It’s been a few weeks since I replaced coffee with matcha. So far it’s great. It tastes good and gives me plenty of energy in the morning. It doesn’t give me shaky hands like coffee does or doesn’t increase nervousness too.
To sum up, matcha green tea is a very healthy, tasty drink that is a perfect alternative for coffee. Although coffee has many health benefits, it may not be for everyone. Matcha can give you health benefits coffee don’t have.
