A LETTER FROM AN EX-COFFEE ADDICT

Heya, I'm Claudia, co-founder of JENKI matcha and an ex coffee addict.


I drank coffee every day of my adult life since university, rarely missing a day. I tried giving up coffee but could never go through with it. I was addicted to the taste and to the feeling and British culture steered me to drink coffee. Feeling tired? Have a cuppa coffee. Stressed? Take a coffee break. Need an emotional pick-me-up? Go grab a coffee. Afternoon slump? Drink a coffee. Instead of approaching it from a functional standpoint, coffee became a mental and emotional support.


What changed my dependence on coffee?


Deep down, I knew it wasn't a good relationship. It gave me mood swings and often left me anxious and frantic.


I was told to quit coffee, but I knew to achieve this I needed a replacement, that still gave me that energy kick without the added baggage.


When introduced to matcha, I wasn't sold at first, I hadn't tried "the good stuff" but soon decided to go cold turkey and give matcha a go for a month. It needed to be convenient and fit in with my current routine. So I hooked myself up with some ceremonial grade matcha and a whisk and off I went.


Here's what I experienced when I gave up coffee and replaced it with matcha.


  1. Anxiety decreased, big time. 

Matcha has less caffeine than coffee, that's 60mg of caffeine per 2g matcha serving instead of 98mg you'd get in a double espresso coffee. It also has high levels of L-theanine which increases alpha brainwaves leaving me relaxed and stress-free without feeling drowsy.


  1. I had more energy. 

Again I have L-theanine to thank for this, an energy-boosting amino acid found in green tea that's been shown to improve memory, slow cognitive decline, and make you feel calmer cognitively. Coffee gave me an energy burst, but that often came with a mighty crash an hour or two later. Matcha gave me a slow-release energy that lasted hours. See-ya, 4 pm slump.


  1. My focus skyrocketed.

L-theanine crosses your brain barrier, reaching peak concentration levels in 30 minutes after consumption. I felt more alert than ever, compared to the scatterbrained-wired feeling I got after drinking coffee. 


My only regret?


I wish I'd tried it sooner. Whilst I can be tempted by a good flat white (when the local doesn't do a decent matcha), my daily Flat Green serves me better. Every time.


I sometimes slip back into my old dirty habits, so I wanted to kick start my year green. I can happily say I’ve had a coffee-free January and this is how I’m feeling; link to reel

TIPS