Matcha, Matcha

Small sips for an impactful health change

Oct 19, 2025

I’m a reformed coffee addict turned full-fledged matcha devotee. But let’s be clear—this wasn’t a clean break. It took years (and several caffeine crashes) to get here.

Once upon a time, I was an espresso enthusiast of near epic proportions. A morning triple Americano to start the day, followed by a late-morning top-off, then an afternoon (possibly) iced version with oat milk (because wellness, I thought). I told myself coffee was my productivity elixir, my creative juice, and needed to boost my energy. But over time, the “buzz” felt more like a short circuit. My energy spiked, crashed, and left me anxious, wired, and perpetually in search of my next fix. My body started to whisper—then shout—that maybe, just maybe, coffee and I needed to see other people.

Enter: matcha.

My first attempt? A total disaster. Picture me, post-SoulCycle in New York’s Flatiron district, walking into Cha Cha Matcha—hot, hopeful, and thirsty for my new green beginning. One sip of that oat milk matcha latte and…nope. Sugary yet somehow bitter and not in the romantic, “this-is-good-for-me” way. I swore it off. Never again.

Fast forward four years—same jitters, same crashes—when my friend Rilee, glowing in that calm, focused, how-do-you-do-it kind of way, credits her energy to (you guessed it) matcha. It was time to try again.

This time, I did it right: ceremonial-grade matcha, whisked with hot (not boiling) water, frothed with creamy homemade almond milk, and sweetened ever so slightly with raw honey from a local farm (I get mine at the farmers market). Game changer. Smooth energy. No spikes, no slumps, no GI issues, no stress. Just focus.

Here’s the science-y chic part: matcha contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes calm, steady energy—basically nature’s chill pill for your nervous system. Unlike coffee, which floods your body with cortisol (that’s your stress hormone), matcha helps balance it. For women, this matters. Cortisol spikes can wreak havoc on your hormones—think disrupted sleep, irregular cycles, mood swings, and that mysterious afternoon bloat. So, when you swap your third latte for matcha, you’re not just cutting caffeine; you’re giving your hormones a spa day.

Now, I can’t imagine my mornings without it. It’s less of a caffeine jolt and more of a daily ritual—a quiet luxury that’s equal parts energizing and grounding.

If you’ve been thinking about breaking up with coffee (or at least seeing other beverages), consider this your sign. Your hormones—and your nervous system—will thank you.