The history of matcha in Japan dates back to the 13th century, when Buddhist monks discovered that it helped them maintain concentration during long hours of meditation. The Zen Buddhist master Eisai, who introduced matcha to Japan, called it the "elixir of immortals". Today, it is part of Japanese culinary culture, not only as an ingredient in hot and cold beverages, but also in baked goods. Matcha, drunk as a cold, energy-boosting drink from a can or bottle, is an example of how tradition seamlessly transitions into modernity.
The West truly discovered the "matcha effect" only in the 21st century and quickly adopted it as a discovery comparable to that of coffee. Its growing popularity worldwide is partly due to research indicating that matcha is one of the healthiest ways to supplement one's daily diet. Matcha is by far the richest natural source of antioxidants, which slow down the aging process of the body and contribute to the prevention of many serious diseases. Because matcha consists of powdered tea leaves, by drinking it we ingest all the nutrients contained within them, both water-soluble and insoluble. This is the fundamental difference between matcha and other green teas.
Many people treat matcha as a healthy energizer or coffee substitute. The caffeine in matcha stimulates, but the presence of L-theanine, an amino acid with relaxing properties, mitigates and prolongs its effect. After drinking matcha, we thus achieve an "alertness" effect which, unlike coffee, lasts for several hours and does not end with a sudden crash.
