Moving to Matcha

A lot of good came from my freshman year of college. I gained new friends, new memories and a new outlook on life. Yet all this good created a new habit I was not proud to admit: a crippling caffeine addiction. 

Before I stepped foot on my college campus, I had barely taken a sip of the notorious substance. My parents had joked that I would grow to enjoy the “acquired taste” once I became a busy college student. 

They were right. 

Occasional coffee runs with my friends became daily stops at my on-campus Starbucks. At the peak of my freshman and sophomore years, I was consuming two to three sources of caffeine per day. Even if I was well-rested, having constant caffeine became part of my routine. I liked the taste of my morning cold brew and afternoon Alani energy drink. It completed my perception of the on-the-go college student’s aesthetic. 

I did not think about how this was affecting me. Hours after my caffeine intake, I would feel jittery. I would feel flushed and warm to the touch. Caffeine certainly triggered my rosacea. Although I was slowly piecing together that my copious amounts of caffeine were inhibiting my mental and physical health, I wrote off my concerns. 

As someone who is anxious in general, excessive caffeine does not benefit me. I knew this, but deep down I think my body craved being in this “fight or flight” state. I’d feel great after immediately sipping on my cup of caffeine, but hours later, I would feel a sense of panic and exhaustion (which I now know is a caffeine crash). 

After two years of this cycle, I was fatigued. My best friend recommended I try an alternative. I was reluctant. My collegiate caffeine use was part of my lifestyle. It meant I could be the girl who went to classes, internships, clubs and still had time to hit the gym. But I was wrong. It shouldn’t be caffeine fueling these things; rather, adequate rest and a balanced lifestyle. 

One day a few weeks ago, I saw an ad for an iced matcha latte at the local coffee shop. I had tried matcha once in high school, to which I thought had tasted like grass. I had never tasted it since. The ad, however, convinced me to try the delicious strawberry iced matcha. Boy was I impressed. 

Two things came from me giving matcha a second chance. First, I enjoyed the taste. I learned I like matcha best iced with oat milk and a subtle fruit flavor. Second, I learned that matcha has subtle and calming amounts of caffeine without the jitters or crash. Matcha contains L-theanine and antioxidants that slow the release of caffeine for calming, sustainable energy. 

Since my epiphany, I have been enjoying a matcha latte each day instead of my caffeine craze. 

Now, this is not a breakup with coffee. In fact, I still enjoy coffee weekly. I will always love the taste and ritual of a good cup of coffee. However, having a cup or two of coffee a week versus two or three in a single day has made a tremendous improvement in my daily life. 

This could be a placebo, but I feel healthier. I feel balanced. I feel less bloated and dehydrated. My quality of sleep feels better, and I don’t wake up anxious. 

The moral of the story? The smallest changes in life can make the biggest improvements. What small things can you adjust in your daily habits to get closer to that life you’ve always wanted? 

• caffeine
• health
• matcha