Back when I was in high school, I drank a fair amount of coffee. So did many of my friends and most of my teachers. When I took the SAT, I made sure to drink plenty of coffee, thinking it would help me. Like many people, though, I’ve found coffee to lead to vastly imbalanced energy levels throughout the day. Recently, I’ve been on a huge tea kick—and it’s worked so well that I haven’t had a cup of coffee in weeks! In my opinion, tea (and particularly matcha green tea) is by far the best beverage for focus, lucidity, and longevity—good things to have when taking a standardized test.
Coffee Just Can’t Match Matcha Green Tea
Matcha is powdered green tea that’s dissolved in hot or cold water. Having swapped out my coffee for matcha, I feel better than ever.
Although matcha contains about a fourth of the caffeine that coffee does, matcha’s caffeine comes on gradually, resulting in a stable, focused buzz. There are none of the jitters associated with coffee. This is due to green tea’s flavanoids, along with the amino acid L-theanine, which, drinkers say, promotes mental and physical cognition, reduces stress, and stimulates alpha wave production in the brain. Because of matcha’s time-released effects, there’s no caffeine crash. Matcha keeps you awake when you need it but doesn’t prevent you from sleeping. No wonder Buddhist monks are known to sip it throughout the day to help keep them calmly alert while meditating!
Matcha is also loaded with antioxidants, and because you’re ingesting the whole leaf, your body is able to take advantage of those antioxidants. In addition to purifying the blood, matcha boosts metabolism by up to 40% and can aid in weight loss—a workout after drinking matcha burns calories more efficiently.
It’s also easier to make than coffee! You literally just add water and stir. I drink a pint glass with a nice teaspoon of matcha, add about two parts cold water and one part almond or cashew milk, and I’m ready to go!
If you’re a caffeine drinker who enjoys the taste of green tea, give it a try. Whether you drink coffee, tea, juice, or just water, it’s important to figure out what works for you to keep you happy, healthy, and energized! People who understand their bodies’ health needs and energy requirements are more likely to meet challenges like standardized tests with zeal!
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