I never thought I’d be a matcha drinker over a coffee drinker, but recently it became evident to me that though I adored coffee, the feeling was not mutual. After experimenting and deciding to switch from coffee to matcha for a few weeks, I realized that coffee was the culprit that exacerbated my hormonal acne, aggravated my body’s acidity levels and gave me acid reflux, and triggered my anxiety levels. Matcha still gives me that kick I need in the morning, but it offers a different and more steady level of energy; there are no highs and lows or crashes. I’m hooked. When researching a brand, ask these questions: Matchaful is based in Brooklyn, and has super-high-quality product. Mizuba Tea is my favorite culinary-grade matcha, a great deal at $30 for a 100-gram pouch. Laka Living has lots of cool products including a ceremonial-grade matcha, which is excellent. While matcha is fairly safe in normal amounts, you don’t want to go overboard, as this can be hard on your liver. It’s also still a caffeinated drink with 70 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup (compared to coffee’s 95). The Mayo Clinic suggests that most healthy adults try to stay under 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, so based on that alone, you’d want to stay under 6 cups daily—and yes, that includes matcha cookies, smoothies, and other treats. In general, most doctors recommend two to three matcha drinks or treats daily—and be sure to watch the sugar you include in those as well! Ingredients & tools Nine times out of 10, you’ll find me making my matcha in a blender because it’s just such a time saver and I love the no-hassle creamy and frothy result this method yields. Ingredients & tools You can upgrade your matcha for glowing skin, to alleviate anxiety, and to heal your gut with these simple recipes. This Iced Rosewater Matcha Lemonade is perfect for summer. These matcha black sesame cookies are grain-free and so easy to make. And, yes, matcha can be mixed with coffee for the ultimate treat. Try this dirty mint matcha and see for yourself how delicious it can be. Waugh’s trendsetting work has been globally celebrated and buzzed about in Vogue, Food & Wine, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Huffington Post, Refinery 29, Elle, Eater, Vice, DailyMail, and more.
