Originating from Japan, matcha comes from crushed green tea leaves to make an antioxidant-rich beverage. Recently, avid coffee drinkers switched to matcha drinks, which can come in multiple forms, to reap the benefits. Matcha can come in lattes, tea, water, and numerous other creative variations and provides a calm caffeine alternative to the high energy buzz that coffee induces. Instead of bouncing off the walls from caffeine, matcha drinkers feel alert and focused. 

The antioxidant powerhouse can prevent diseases, raise metabolism, and enhance concentration, which coffee cannot do. Made straight from ground green tea leaves, one cup of matcha tea holds as many antioxidants as ten cups of brewed green tea. Unlike coffee, matcha beverages also help with detox, a popular health trend that eliminates toxins from the body. Other health benefits associated with matcha include better blood sugar regulation and reduction, anti-aging, and even slowing down the growth of cancer cells. 

Along with the aesthetically pleasing green hue of the drink, drinkers struggle with a way to describe the taste, other than complex. Without sweetener, matcha can taste grass-like with vegetal, earthy notes; with the more popular choice of sweetener, the drink tastes smoother and nuttier. An important aspect to remember when switching to matcha involves the quality of the matcha. Like any product, quality can vary, and higher quality matcha usually comes with a higher price tag. Matcha powder usually rings up at around $20, whereas a bag of coffee grounds costs around $10. An excellent choice of matcha powder, Jade Leaf Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder, comes directly from Japan; cafes, such as Starbucks, often oversweeten and undermix their matcha lattes.

Luckily, creating a matcha latte at home comes without much difficulty. Mix one teaspoon of matcha powder with two ounces of hot or cold water, depending on your preference for a hot or iced latte, to create a paste-like substance. Pour your preferred type of milk over the paste and stir to create a pale green beverage. Next, froth a bit of milk to add on top and add your preferred sweetener if needed, which depending on the matcha powder, may already come sweetened. 

This easy matcha latte provides a healthy alternative to coffee that replaces the morning coffee ritual that 90% of Americans participate in every day. The light green color of the matcha latte makes the perfect morning Instagram and wakes you up, while also boosting metabolism and increasing productivity before class.