I Replaced Coffee with Matcha for a Month

Matcha is a concentrated form of green tea that involves grinding the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant into a fine powder. The plants used for matcha are grown in the shade, which boosts its amino acid content.

Due to its purported benefits, many members of Gen Z are swapping out their morning coffee for matcha. Some of matcha’s potential health benefits include:

As a 22-year-old with a caffeine dependency, I replaced coffee with matcha for a month. Below, I’ll describe my experience with making the switch.

I thought it would be important to share my circumstances before I dive into my review.

I usually have a double shot of espresso in my morning iced coffee. This comes out to about 254 mg of caffeine. This is the amount I need to feel “awake” and have come to depend on.

When I made my matcha, I used 2 tsp of matcha powder and 4 oz of hot water. Since I didn’t have a wooden whisk, (and also because I am lazy), I blended the two together using the milk frothing attachment on my espresso machine.

There is around 70 mg of caffeine per tsp of matcha powder. This brings the total amount of caffeine I was consuming to 140 mg—a 110 mg deficit compared to my coffee.

I used a bulk bag of matcha from Costco. Matcha can get very expensive, and I was not willing to fork over hundreds of dollars for a month’s supply.

This brand wasn’t ceremonial grade, but it was $20.00 for a giant bag. I was cutting it with milk to make a latte anyway, so I personally wouldn’t have noticed the difference.

If the quality is important to you, or if you prefer to drink matcha without milk or sweeteners, there are many options when it comes to quality and pricing.

The first day I made the switch was brutal. I was dead tired. But, interestingly, I didn’t experience the withdrawal headache, which I usually experience if I don’t drink any coffee.

I believe that the matcha didn’t have enough caffeine to make me feel awake, but it did have enough to prevent the headache.

The issue of feeling awake was hard to handle when it came to work. After having coffee, I experience a burst of energy and motivation which allows me to dive into my tasks first thing in the morning.

On the other hand, matcha felt like more of a steady release. I didn’t experience that initial burst after drinking it. But I also didn’t experience the caffeine crash from coffee. Over time, I started to feel like I was at an average level of energy throughout the day.

Interestingly, when I started drinking coffee again after my month of matcha, I got a headache.

I love my morning coffee. I enjoy feeling the huge burst of energy, and I don’t mind if I get sluggish later on.

I have a hard time getting up in the morning, and having my coffee makes me feel like I’ve started my day. I felt that my performance at work suffered when I did not get to drink my coffee.

I also enjoy the taste of coffee more than matcha.

Am I dependent on coffee? Absolutely. Do I care? Not particularly. Matcha is nice every once in a while, but it can’t replace my coffee.

Matcha is higher in caffeine than green tea and can serve as a refreshing morning drink. Potential health benefits can include supporting cognitive function and weight loss.

There are different levels in the quality of matcha available at different price points. Some ways to improve the taste of matcha include adding sweeteners and milk.

However, as a coffee enthusiast, I personally did not find it to be a suitable replacement for coffee.