What’s in a cup of matcha? Turns out a whole lot! The perky powder is a green, mean, vitality machine (and Molly’s go-to morning drink!). Packed with vitamins and minerals to nourish your neurons, matcha helps you start the day alert, but not amped. If you’re hooked on caffeine but want to take a step back from coffee, matcha is a tremendous alternative.

Here’s how they stack up: A 12 oz. drip coffee contains roughly 140 mg of caffeine. A single shot of espresso contains about 80 mg (but multiply that by the number of shots in your daily latte order). One 2 gram serving of matcha will give you 70 mg of caffeine, so you’ll still feel the pick-me-up and you’ll sustain that alertness longer.

Here’s why: Because of its complex nutrient profile, the caffeine in matcha is processed differently in the body than the depleting, dehydrating jolt from coffee. Matcha’s vitamins, trace minerals, and amino acids cause it to hang around the system longer, so you have more time to reap its rich rewards. Think of it more as a superfood and less like tea. Traditional teas and coffees are steeped in hot water, infusing the water with the plant’s potent essences. Matcha, by contrast, is a scoop of finely ground tea leaves that you actually ingest. Those nutritious phytonutrients and chlorophyll-rich leaves aren’t soaked and tossed out, they’re delivered right to the body to be absorbed.

Why Matcha is an Excellent Way to Power Up

MOOD

Right away, mixing a cup of matcha invokes images of regal kimonos and graceful tea ceremonies. There’s a gravity to the ritual that begs a pause to be present and deliberate. The energy boost is also surprisingly focused. Matcha contains L-theanine, which stimulates the production of “calming” neurotransmitters that enhance concentration and mood, and also promote sleep. Buddhist monks turned to matcha as a meditation aid. Imagine downing a mug of coffee and sitting down to get zen!

METABOLISM

Matcha is a metabolism boosting superfood that nourishes your workout while amplifying your burn. Coffee may be a great appetite suppressant, but its dehydration effects can leave you reaching for extra calories throughout the day, as we tend to snack more when we’re water deprived. If you’re on the intermittent fasting train, matcha won’t break your fasting hours, and can help invigorate you during calorie-free bouts.

IMMUNITY

Matcha packs 10% of your recommended daily zinc and vitamin C, making it an immune system supercharger. But the health enhancing qualities don’t stop there. Matcha is full of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which prevents plaque from building up in your arteries. Several studies have shown that when consumed over a long period, matcha can regulate blood pressure, cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes by 10% to 20%. It’s also reported to benefit liver health and soothe inflammation throughout the body.

MINERALS

If you’re in the habit of washing down vitamins with your morning joe, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Not only does the acidity of coffee prohibit the absorption of many vitamins and minerals, but as a strong diuretic, coffee’s kick to the adrenal glands increases your trips to the bathroom where you pass those water-soluble vitamins before your body has a chance to absorb them. Conversely, matcha provides trace minerals and electrolytes that play vital roles in each and every function of the body; digestion, muscle contraction, cognition, even keeping cells hydrated.