Matcha Made in Heaven?

Audience: Middle and High School Students

A warm cup of the newly-popular matcha latte—someone’s pick-me-up to start the day or a sweet treat to end one. But is it as great as everyone says it is? Photo by Jason Leung from Unsplash.

What is matcha, the new green phenomenon taking over social media and neighborhood cafes alike? A high-quality green tea cultivated from the tea plant known as Camellia sinensis grown in regions of Japan, matcha has recently taken social media and cafes by storm. Enjoyed as a tea or added to baked goods, drinks, or other foods, it is often advertised as an uber-healthy alternative for coffee. However, others dislike its controversial “grassy” taste and generally higher price point. So is matcha as really as good as it seems? 

Firstly, matcha does boast many health benefits and contains healthy elements. For starters, the tea has an abundance of antioxidants such as catechins, which can protect your cells, and phytochemicals such as chlorophyll and quercetin, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties—both of which can have positive effects on our health. The antioxidant catechin found in green tea is known to help lower blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. Matcha is specially grown in the shade, which heightens chlorophyll production, giving matcha its brighter, green coloring and alters the naturally occurring levels of antioxidants, L-theanine, caffeine, and sugar. The amino acid, or building block of protein, L-theanine found in matcha has been associated with improved concentration and alertness. Moreover, many sources state that matcha may have an enhancing effect on cognitive function, cardio-metabolic health, and anti-tumorogenesis. Similarly, randomized clinical trials have shown that matcha decreases stress, slightly enhances attention and memory, and has no effect on mood. However, research on matcha is still shallow—more studies must be done on the effects of matcha on the human body, including on one’s health in conjunction with other health variables.

Matcha is also often advertised as a sort of “better” alternative to coffee. Matcha, like coffee, contains caffeine, the most widely used central nervous system stimulant in the world, often associated with alertness and affecting the functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and nervous systems. Matcha contains, on average, 38 mg to 89 mg caffeine—a little more than bagged green tea (23 mg to 49 mg) and a little less than coffee (100 mg to 120 mg). That’s why many matcha drinkers report an energy boost similar to that of coffee and other caffeinated drinks. However, many matcha drinkers also report less jitters and anxiety, common side effects of a cup of coffee. This may be thanks to the L-theanine, which can soften caffeine spikes, crashes, and other negative side effects that coffee is known to cause. At the moment, there is not much research done to prove that matcha is wholly better than coffee; however, many matcha drinkers recommend it for those who want the boost of caffeine without the jitters and crashes.

A lot of matcha’s growing global popularity is attributed to its caffeine content, health benefits, and versatility—being able to bring out its flavor in drinks, baked goods, and other foods. However, consuming an excess amount of matcha can result in the health detriments associated with caffeine, including an upset stomach, headaches, blood sugar spikes, and increased blood pressure. Therefore, it’s always important to have caffeine in moderation, especially in lesser-researched drinks such as matcha. Similarly, always remember to be fully aware of something’s effects before you put it into your system to the best of your ability.

Still, feel free to try a matcha menu item the next time you visit your neighborhood cafe. You never know—you might hate it and its grassy taste, or you might love it, and it might just be a matcha made in heaven.

Bibliography

Frank, Christina, and Teresa Fung. “Matcha: A look at possible health benefits.” Harvard Health, 25 November 2024, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/matcha-a-look-at-possible-health-benefits. Accessed 7 October 2025.

Goodwin, Meredith. “The Effects of Caffeine on Your Body.” Healthline, https://www.healthline.com/health/caffeine-effects-on-body#digestion. Accessed 7 October 2025.

Hadjipateras, Elara. “What is Matcha and What Does It Taste Like? | How Matcha is Made, How to Make Matcha and More.” Matcha.com, 1 September 2025, https://matcha.com/blogs/news/what-is-matcha. Accessed 7 October 2025.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 2, Pharmacology of Caffeine. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/

Sokary, Sara et al. “The therapeutic potential of matcha tea: A critical review on human and animal studies.” Current research in food science vol. 6 100396. 23 Nov. 2022, doi:10.1016/j.crfs.2022.11.015