Ever since quitting coffee last year, I have replaced my morning and post-lunch “perk me up” beverage with herbal or fruit tea, with very occasional splurge of Starbucks matcha latte (usually hot, small, and with almond milk). I tell you, the sweet tooth in me enjoy it while it last. There’s something in that $5.08 cup which kept me wanting for more: the sugar which is mixed in with the powder has whopping 30 grams per serving (that’s almost 8 teaspoons, que horror!). If you have pre-diabetes or diabetes, this isn’t a healthy drink at all. Sure I can make my own! (read: soothing tea for troubled tummies)
What is matcha anyway? simply put, it’s a finely ground powder made from green tea leaves. Matcha is packed with mega dose of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, among others. Because it is made from whole leaves rather than a portion, it has more caffeine than a tea bag or half the strength of a cup of black coffee. And being that I used to be a coffee junkie before, I can tell the huge difference: energy boost sans the jitters (especially Starbucks!). So is matcha stimulant? yes, but milder than coffee. 1 cup of matcha is estimated to have 35 mg of caffeine compared to 95-200 mg of caffeine for a cup of coffee (or 0.035 grams versus 0.095-0.2 grams).
Now let’s go to this simple latte recipe. While you can steam or heat your plant-based milk and whisk to create a foam, the convenience of having a milk frother saves you time. Affordable and easy to use, this frother heats your concoction to just the right temperature. No burning of tongue, ready to drink anytime, under two minutes.
1 cup almond or oat milk, 1 teaspoon matcha powder (this brand is the best one I’ve tried), ice cubes. If you’re looking to add a little bit of sweetness, add a teaspoon of maple syrup. Buyer beware: there are match powders that are sweetened, note that these contain tons of sugar (much like Starbucks) so I can’t emphasize enough the value of reading ingredients. Don’t you just love it when you know exactly what goes in your mouth? with this matcha latte, you’re using your own reusable straw and cup, two less pollutants for the day, right?
If you enjoy this simple matcha recipe, please pin, tweet and share with a friend!
This is something my sister will love to try!!
Oh my god that looks amazing!!!
Drinking one as I type
As someone that can’t have caffeine in their diet I’d have to pass on this but I’m sure it’s great for tea drinkers.
I’ve never gotten into coffee or teas, but I do love water. LOL 🙂 I’ve never tried matcha – for some reason it gives me green tea vibes.
It is green tea
This looks delicious and healthy! I can’t believe I haven’t tried matcha yet!
I haven’t tried matcha before but I know that it’s very popular in some of the larger Texas towns. I have been reading labels a lot more and the amount of sugar has definitely freaked me out. I was all excited to buy some fruit Popsicles the other day until I saw that they had 30 grams of sugar each!
Omg, that’s a lot of sugar indeed
Probably way cheaper than buying one at Starbucks!
Definitely
I bought some matcha a couple of years ago, but I never bothered to find out how to use it, so I never used it. Now I can get some new matcha and try your recipe. I have the almond milk and maple syrup!
Enjoy your latte. Just adjust the matcha powder. I usually do 1/2 to 1 tsp only
Your comment on sugar has got me thinking – I’ve been binge-drinking this fantabulous “mango almond-milk shake”, which is thick, creamy, and utterly delish, and I keep buying them by the dozen. I have to go check the quantity of sugar in there; can’t be good for acne!
Sugar is also named different ways, in fact more than 50. Whenever I buy a drink, I always check the sugar because while the brand markets it as healthy, oftentimes the sugar content is the killer
Matcha has been my go-to drink for the past 2 months or so. I just adore that bitter flavor!
I’ve tried matcha but never a matcha latte, bet it’s tasty.
Ooo this sounds like something good to try!
Thanks for explaining matcha….I never really know what made it different from other green teas. I am going to have to give this a try instead of coffee!
I really want to try some matcha now!