Once upon a time, tea was brown, came in bags, and tasted vaguely of regret. Then along came matcha – aggressively green, faintly smug, and now being whisked into lattes at a pace that suggests civilisation may yet survive.
Matcha, for the uninitiated, is powdered green tea, traditionally Japanese but now grown in Australia, made by grinding shade-grown tea leaves into a fine dust so bright it looks radioactive. The key difference? You don’t steep matcha and throw it away. You drink the whole leaf. Which means you’re not just having tea – you’re committing to it.
What Matcha Actually Is (Behind the Marketing Poetry)
Matcha comes from the same plant as regular green tea, Camellia sinensis, but it’s grown in the shade for several weeks before harvest. This increases chlorophyll (hence the alarming colour) and boosts compounds like antioxidants and amino acids.
The leaves are dried, de-stemmed and stone-ground into powder. When you drink it, you ingest everything the leaf has to offer – caffeine, antioxidants, the lot – rather than waving a tea bag at hot water and hoping for the best.
How It Works: Calm Energy, Not Coffee Chaos
Matcha contains caffeine, yes – but it also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that takes caffeine by the hand and says, “Let’s not make a scene.”
The result is what devotees describe as calm alertness:
steady energy
improved focus
fewer jitters than coffee
no dramatic 3pm existential crash
It’s why monks drank it to meditate, and why modern humans drink it to survive meetings.
Why Matcha Is Actually Good for You
Strip away the breathless wellness jargon and matcha’s benefits are fairly sensible:
High in antioxidants, particularly catechins, which help combat oxidative stress
Supports brain function, thanks to that caffeine–L-theanine pairing
May assist heart health, as part of an overall balanced diet
Gentler on blood sugar than sweetened coffee drinks
Potential metabolic lift, modest but real
It’s not a miracle. It won’t fix your knees. But it’s a quietly intelligent drink.
Matcha Lattes: From Zen Bowl to Café Darling
Traditionally, matcha is whisked with hot water and drunk straight – grassy, savoury, unapologetic. But the modern world, being the modern world, added milk. And suddenly matcha went from monk to model.
A matcha latte softens the bitterness, adds creaminess, and turns a serious drink into something you might actually choose on a Sunday morning.
Origin Tea Matcha Latte
Origin Tea’s Matcha Latte is a polished, easy-to-use blend designed for people who like the idea of matcha but don’t want to feel they’re licking a lawn. It’s smooth, balanced, and mercifully not cloying.
Expect prices in the $30–$60 range depending on size and retailer – very much premium tea territory, but still cheaper than daily café lattes (and far less judgmental).
Should You Add Vanilla to a Matcha Latte?
Yes. And anyone who says otherwise is lying or deeply humourless.
Vanilla rounds out matcha’s grassy edge and adds warmth without overpowering it. A small amount – not a birthday-cake situation – works beautifully, especially with oat or almond milk. Many cafés do this quietly already.
Easy Matcha Recipes At Home
Classic Matcha Latte
1 tsp matcha
60 ml hot (not boiling) water
180 ml milk
Whisk matcha and water until smooth and frothy. Add warm milk.
Vanilla Matcha Latte
As above, plus: ¼–½ tsp vanilla extract
Optional: a little honey or maple syrup
Iced Matcha Latte
Whisk matcha with warm water
Pour over ice
Add cold milk
Civilised and excellent in warm weather.
Matcha Smoothie
1 tsp matcha
Banana
Greek yoghurt
Spinach
Almond milk
Health, but make it drinkable.
A Sensible Word on Health Benefits
Matcha is rich in antioxidants, provides sustained energy, and can support focus and heart health. It’s also caffeinated – so three large matcha lattes before bed is not a wellness practice, it’s a cry for help.
As part of a balanced diet, though, matcha is a genuinely smart drink – particularly if it replaces sugary coffees or energy drinks.
The Final Sip
Matcha is not magic. But it is clever: ancient, focused, quietly energising and now – thanks to the latte – rather enjoyable. If you like the taste (and Origin Tea’s version makes that easy), you could do far worse than letting a little green smugness into your cup.
Just don’t start talking about “rituals” unless asked.