What's up (with) Matcha?
- science
I had my fair share of laughs looking at matcha memes, coffee lovers hating matcha and vice versa. But know what, I don’t hate matcha. I didn’t like it initially, but recently developed a taste for it.
Never liked it in cafes. Let’s discuss why, what made me build a taste and all the fun (science).
Let me be clear - if you love coffee, which is one of the reasons you are here, you don’t have to hate matcha.
How is it made?
Unlike regular tea where you steep leaves and throw them away, matcha is the whole leaf.
Matcha Tea plants are put in shade for about 3-4 weeks before harvest. This stresses the plant (in a good way) and makes it produce more chlorophyll and amino acids. That’s why matcha has that vibrant green colour that looks almost unnatural.
After harvesting, the leaves are steamed, dried, and have their stems and veins removed. What’s left is called “tencha”. These leaves are then ground into a super fine powder using stone mills. Traditional stone grinding can take up to an hour to produce just 30 grams of matcha!
The grind is so fine that when you whisk it with water, you’re essentially drinking the entire leaf.
That’s also why ceremonial grade matcha costs a bomb. All that careful processing adds up.
And this “ceremonial grade” is the culprit that led me to like matcha in the first place.
Because it costs a lot, most cafes use regular matcha - tastes okayish. But ceremonial grade is next level. I ordered ceremonial grade from Amazon and tried it with just hot water, normal milk, and even oat milk. Every drink was top-notch.
How are the effects different from Coffee?
Here’s where things get interesting for us coffee lovers.
Coffee hits you like a freight train. You drink it, and within 15-20 minutes, you’re buzzing. Your heart rate goes up, you feel alert, maybe a bit jittery if you overdo it. And then comes the crash - that 2 PM slump where you’re reaching for another cup.
Matcha has the slow-push.
The caffeine content is lower - about 70mg per serving compared to coffee’s 95-200mg. But the game-changer molecule is L-theanine, an amino acid that basically puts the brakes on caffeine absorption. Instead of that spike and crash, you get a sustained release over 4-6 hours.
L-theanine also promotes alpha brain waves - the same ones you get during meditation. So while coffee makes you alert but potentially anxious, matcha gives you “calm alertness”. You’re focused but not wired.
Matcha vs Coffee
When do I actually reach for matcha?
Practically speaking, I go for matcha when:
I have a long focus session ahead
It’s past noon, and I still need caffeine (won’t mess with sleep as much)
My stomach is acting up from too much coffee. You would know if you have coffee on an empty stomach for long enough.
And here’s a fun hack I love - you can get matcha’s L-theanine effects without actually drinking matcha. L-theanine supplements are available, and you can take them with coffee to smooth out the caffeine hit. Best of both worlds? Maybe.
I would love for you to try.
The taste? Honestly, it’s an acquired one. Grassy, vegetal, slightly sweet if you get good quality. Nothing like coffee’s roasted, caramelized notes. But that’s okay - they’re different drinks for different moods.
Let me leave you with links to the ones I bought so that you can get a bit closer to what I experienced.
That’s all I have. Have a caffeinated (well yes, matcha is caffeine too) weekend.
See you.
Keep on brewing!