Make a Habit of Matcha
The first thing that most people do when then they wake up in the morning is reach for their coffee. In fact, most people become so reliant on that boost of caffeine that preparing their morning cup of coffee has become less of an intentional process and more of a habit. But what exactly is a habit? And can we change them for the better? Let’s start with the first question. According to the British Journal of General Practice, a habit can be defined as the following:
To put that into more approachable terms, we'll just say that a habit is a process by which intentional behaviors become automatic through positive reinforcement. And, it’s important to note that habits can be both good and bad. For example, starting your morning off with exercise is a healthy and beneficial habit, while something like repeatedly hitting the snooze button could be considered a bad habit. Usually, habits form without a person intending to acquire them, but they can also be intentionally acquired and eliminated in order to pursue one’s personal goals.
The Downside of Your Morning Cup of Joe
As one of the most popular beverages in the world, coffee is widely loved and appreciated. It is also a crucial part of many people's morning routine. But they may be some more menacing side effects hiding behind your beloved coffee beans. Although it does deliver an instant energy boost via a surge of caffeine to the bloodstream, this energy boost comes with some troubling side effects. Frequent coffee drinkers often experience at least one, if not a combination of these symptoms:
anxiety
agitation
restlessness
sleeping problems
tremors
But in reality, this is just the tip of the iceberg. These symptoms can create a dangerous cycle that has serious negative effects on our health and wellbeing. In addition to irritability, anxiety, and migraines, coffee has a serious impact on our natural sleep patterns. Drinking coffee makes it difficult to sleep at night, and when you wake up in the morning and turn again to coffee to rectify your lack of energy, you’ll have even more trouble falling asleep the next night. The thing that you think is saving you in the moment, is really hurting your future self. And, until you kick your coffee habit, this cycle will only continue to get worse.
Kick Your Coffee Habit
So, what can you do if you’re one of those people who has a habit of reaching for a morning espresso? As with anything that contains such a high amount of caffeine, quitting coffee cold turkey will likely result in withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and irritability. Sound familiar? Thankfully there is an alternative to a daily cup of coffee, that has enough caffeine to keep you awake and alert during the day without keeping you up at night or causing any other harmful side effects. Replacing your unhealthy morning coffee ritual with a morning matcha is the best way to ditch your coffee habit for good, and start the path towards a healthier habit. A morning cup of matcha enters the bloodstream more slowly than coffee, preventing future crashes and carrying you through the afternoon without any jitters or anxiousness.
And, much like coffee, you can make matcha as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. You can start your day off with a simple iced matcha latte, or you can welcome the morning with something more extravagant like a Brown Sugar Cardamom Matcha Latte. In fact, much like a morning coffee preparation, making your morning matcha can become a soothing part of your daily rituals.
Getting Into Matcha Mode
So how do you incorporate matcha into your daily routine? It’s quite simple really. We suggest trying a couple of recipes, finding one that you enjoy, and then preparing that for yourself instead of your cup of coffee. Soon, you’ll be craving matcha to start your day instead of coffee. But like any habit, this takes awhile to truly become instinctual. If you’re concerned about the transition, you can begin by simply introducing matcha into your daily life, without kicking coffee.
Our matcha Green Eye combines espresso and matcha for a tasty energy kick that lasts all day. Then, once you feel comfortable making, preparing, and drinking matcha, try switching to something more simple, like this iced matcha latte. The preparation will feel much like making your coffee and the refreshing flavor is the perfect way to welcome in a new day. In no time at all, you’ll find that every morning is a matcha morning. And, with a lifetime of matcha mornings, comes a lifetime of matcha magic.
When Matcha Becomes a Habit, You Get Matcha Magic
Once matcha becomes a morning habit, you won’t even miss coffee anymore. You’ll even likely find peace and calm in your newfound habit. But that’s not the only good thing you’ll find. In stark contrast to coffee, consuming matcha every day has been linked to many wonderful benefits… benefits that come without harmful side effects. When you start every day off with matcha, you’ll have these things to look forward to:
BURNS FAT AND BOOSTS METABOLISM
One of the most well-known benefits of matcha is that it contains particular traits that promote increased fat burning. Essentially, drinking matcha has been shown to help enhance your body’s ability to burn fat and calories—up to four times the normal amount. This is in stark contrast to coffee which has been linked to weight gain. Oftentimes when people feel their caffeine crash coming on, they try to fuel their body with sugary snacks or drinks, which in turn leads to more crashes and more sugary snacks and drinks. This cycle is often responsible for unintentional weight gain. Luckily, when you make matcha a habit, you get all the fat-burning power of green tea and none of the caffeine crashes of coffee.
CALMS THE MIND & RELAXES THE BODY
No, we don’t mean that you’ll fall asleep after a cup of matcha. In fact, quite the opposite… For thousands of years, matcha has been used by Japanese monks to help them stay calm and relaxed yet alert, while on their quest for Nirvana. You could even say that their matcha habits helped them reach enlightenment. Matcha is rich in the amino acid L-Theanine, which naturally eliminates the unwanted reactions of caffeine so that you get all the energy you need to take on the day without the nervous rush of coffee.
ENHANCES MOOD & HELPS WITH MENTAL FOCUS
When you drink matcha, you’re doing more than just fueling your body, you’re also fueling your mind. Not only does L-Theanine promote calmness and relaxation, but it also aids in the production of dopamine and serotonin. Which helps to improve your mood and boost your memory through better concentration. So, a morning matcha ritual makes for a happy day.
BOOSTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
While a daily cup of matcha won’t guarantee that you never get sick, thanks to the catechins found in matcha, your immune system does experience a little boost. Catechins are a disease-fighting antioxidant that have been linked to a healthier body and a more capable immune system. When matcha becomes a habit, your body is all the better for it.
INCREASES ENERGY LEVELS AND ENDURANCE
Last, but certainly not least. The biggest fear that people have when trying to leave coffee in their rearview is not having enough energy. It’s hard to believe that something like a tea can hold up to the energy that coffee gives you, but believe it. Matcha contains a completely different type of caffeine than coffee. This caffeine, known as Theophylline, in conjunction with Epigallocatechin gallate, helps to sustain energy levels for six hours. This slow, continuous release of coffee fosters healthy adrenal gland function and normal hormone levels, giving you the energy you crave without any of the typical caffeine side effects.
And these are just a small selection of the many benefits that matcha can provide. You should also remember that when you make matcha a habit, you’re getting rid of the negative side effects of coffee. But even if you're not a coffee drinker, adapting a matcha habit is still beneficial. Because when matcha becomes part of your daily routine, you have endless energy, a stronger immune system, better focus, and an overall healthier body and mind. And, along with all the daily matcha magic, you can also expect a reduction in anxiety, fewer headaches, and less problems falling asleep. Making a habit of matcha great way to start the day with a happier and healthier you.
