Many French people are looking for a healthier drink than coffee to start the day: less acidity, less palpitations, but enough pep to last until midday. Green tea in bags is not always enough, and a green powder from Japan is now invading social networks.
This powder is the matchaa very finely ground Japanese green tea, formerly served in ceremonies and today in coffee shop lattes. Between aesthetic craze and health promise, experts are starting to dissect its effects. There remains one question that tickles all coffee drinkers: is it really more interesting in the morning?
Matcha, this morning drink healthier than coffee
Matcha is obtained from young green tea leaves grown in the shade, then dried and ground into an ultra-fine powder. We whisk this powder in hot water: we swallow the whole leaf, not a simple infusion, which concentrates polyphenols and nutrients.
Geneticist Tim Spector, in the podcast ZOEreported by GetSurreysummarizes the interest of
antioxidants matcha.
“What I really like about matcha is that it contains similar levels of polyphenols as coffee, these defense chemicals that you get from the seed or the leaf or, you know, the plant itself. Whereas it’s more diluted in green tea, there you get a really concentrated dose of it and, for a lot of them, we still don’t understand exactly what they do, but you know, they’re great antioxidants“.
Caffeine-wise, a cup of coffee is around 95 mg, compared to around 60 mg for a standard bowl of matcha. Except that matcha also contains L-theanine, which softens the stimulating effect.
In the same article, chef Andrew Kojima describes this particular feeling. “In addition to caffeine, there is L-theanine. Caffeine and L-theanine work together to slightly delay the release of caffeine. So you still feel energized, but you also have this sort of calm feeling. When you’re overstimulated by screens and all the ways people contact you, messages, emails, whatever, I feel much more able to deal with them one by one.”
Calm energy, fiber and antioxidants: what matcha really changes
A little-known asset of this morning drink rich in antioxidants is its fiber content. A cup of coffee provides around 1.5 g of fiber, which is already interesting. But more than 50% of matcha powder is made up of fiber: a tablespoon exceeds 10 g, with around 17% protein and omega-3 and linoleic fatty acids that are good for the brain. Combined with lower acidity than coffee, this profile works well for sensitive stomachs and can help you go longer without cravings.
On the cognitive level, a Japanese study cited by Tim Spector observed improvements in certain functions in elderly people, especially women, after around 3 g of matcha per day for 12 weeks. Research also suggests that 3 g in the evening does not disrupt sleep in most people, whereas a late coffee easily wakes you up. L‑theanine could explain this mixture of alertness and relaxation, useful when the day promises to be busy.
Matcha vs coffee in the morning: the limits and how to combine them
Silhouette-wise, Tim Spector remains very clear. “On the metabolic effects, it doesn’t make you lose weight”he added. “They’ve done some studies on this. It’s not a cure-all, but everything points to a beneficial effect.” In other words, matcha is not a fat-burning potion, even if its nutritional profile is in the right direction.
The scientist also recalls that coffee remains better studied to this day. However, he encourages fans to alternate: keep the morning coffee if you like it, and install a matcha ritual at the end of the morning or in the afternoon, for more stable energy and less nervousness. A way to adopt this green powder without completely giving up your espresso.