As much as I love infusing a cup of tea to drink (which I do more than once per day), I love drinking a matcha latte with my breakfast a few times per week when I'm not drinking a tea. You are correct if you guessed that I'm not a coffee drinker. It has just never vibed well with my body despite the fact I love the taste and smell of coffee.
Matcha has so many health benefits that make it truly a superfood.
Let's take a look at some of the health benefits of matcha.
- It's very high in L-theanine which is an amino acid that affects brain function by relieving stress, improving mood and helping to maintain a good sleep as long as you don’t drink it right before bed! It counteracts the negative effects of caffeine to help you feel calm.
- Low to moderate doses of caffeine do have benefits. The amount of caffeine per 1/2-1 teaspoon serving of matcha is anywhere from 40-175mg. We all know the drawbacks of too much caffeine, but just the right amount provides increased energy, alertness and ability to concentrate. For me, matcha is the sweet spot of caffeine, not too much, just right. If you are really sensitive, than matcha may not be for you.
- Matcha is very high in EGCG which is a polyphenol that has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits. It’s great for protecting the skin from the sun's damaging rays. It has also been found to boost neurohealth markers like NGF and BDNF.
- It can lower blood glucose levels and aid in blood sugar balance. I have personally noticed this. When I wore a glucose monitor for about two weeks, I noticed my blood sugar would drop more rapidly after a meal if I drank this matcha latte. This is because those polyphenols I just mentioned may inhibit starch digestion and minimize the release of glucose from the food you eat. That's definitely the case for me.
The only drawback can be the cost, but if you're used to buying a latte or coffee at a cafe than making it yourself will be cheaper! The brand I've got on an Amazon subscription is this certified organic brand from Canada, Soar Organics. I have tried many different brands of high quality matcha and this is by far my favourite. It doesn't need to be sweetened. It has a pleasant smell and earthy taste.
Helpful tips when preparing matcha.
- All green tea, white tea and matcha is very high in phytonutrients that can easily be destroyed by high heat. Do not add matcha to scalding hot water. You'll burn it and it will taste bitter. Therefore, I set my kettle to the lowest temperature. If you don't have a kettle with this option, you can simply bring it to a boil, open the lid and let it cool down for 5 minutes.
- Use a proper bamboo whisk to mix match and water. Do not use a wire whisk, you'll end up with little powdery balls of matcha. This is a big pet peeve of mine. I can't tell you the number of times I've paid 7 bucks for a matcha latte at a cafe, only to have powdery matcha in my teeth (blegh!). The ONLY place in Toronto I would get a matcha latte is Nutbar or Arvo Cafe - they do it right. Otherwise it's at home, preferably made by my hubby, he's the best at frothing the milk.
- Buy good quality matcha. There are different grades of matcha, there is organic and non-organic. All the ones I've tried from Soar Organics are great. They are my favourite brand of matcha.
A few times per week I add about 5-7g of collagen to my latte. Most brands have a scoop that is the equivalent of 5-10g. Most of the research on the benefits of collagen are around 10g per day. However, I notice benefits at half that amount which means your jar or tub of collagen will last twice as long as most brands have a dose recommendation of 10g!
A little more background on collagen
It is the "glue" that holds our body together and supports our tissue's elastic quality. Being the most abundant protein in the entire body, you'll find collagen in your blood, bones, joint cartilage, ligaments, muscles and skin. It is literally a building block. Speaking of skin, collagen makes up 90% of the dermis of the skin. This is essentially the scaffolding of the skin. This helps the elastic quality of your skin and not surprisingly, one of the most compelling research points about collagen is just how amazing it is for gorgeous, healthy, hydrated and youthful skin.
I've been taking collagen for about 5 years now and the biggest difference I noticed within about 2-3 weeks was that my skin became more hydrated. However, all the research into collagen peptides are pretty impressive (beyond skin health) so it's worth trying out.
You can buy collagen that has no flavour or odour either so when you mix it into drinks, all you can taste is the goodness of all the ingredients in the latte, while getting all of the wonderful benefits of the collagen! I use Bend Beauty, Great Lakes, Organika or Genuine Health. They are all good quality.
Let's get to my yummy recipe for this creamy, smooth, matcha latte!
You can watch a video of how to make this yummy Matcha Collagen Latte right here.
Drinks
Matcha Collagen Latte
Print
Ingredients
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 1 scoop collagen unflavoured
- 1-3-1/2 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk*
- Optional: 1/2 tsp with honey
Instructions
- Boil water in a kettle. Once boiled open lid to kettle and let cool for 5 minutes. Never combine scalding hot water with matcha, it will make the matcha very bitter.
- Place 1 tsp of matcha powder into mug and combine with hot water. Whisk until no powdery bits remain.
- Using a milk steamer or frother, steam milk to desired consistency. See notes for another method if you don't have a milk steamer/frother.
- Pour milk into mug with matcha. Add honey if using and stir. Enjoy right away!
Notes
Serves 1.
*I use Elmhurst 3-ingredient oat milk
If you don't have a milk frother or steamer, you can place all your ingredients into a high power blender and blitz until frothy.
Please note, some of the comments are older from a few years back because I have recently updated this post and republished it. Have a wonderful week!
Joy xo
Hi Joy! Is there benefits to choosing marine over bovine or vice versa?
ReplyGreat question Tricia! There are not. It's really a personal preference. They both contain type I collagen and your skin is 80% type I so either are great. The research does not currently indicate one is better than the other.
Love matcha! Where do you get yours?
ReplyI like Matcha Ninja http://www.matchaninja.com/
Can Matcha Ninja been found in stores or is online ordering how you get it?
I usually buy it online at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DaVcTj
Perfect. Thanks so much!
Hi Joy , wondering if clean collagen is OK if my husband take it oslo, thank you , we take B Complex ,if we take collagen we shouldn't take B Complex ?Thank you .
ReplyHi Nancy!
I haven't heard this before, can you attach a link to where you read this and I can take look? To my knowledge it's safe to take both B-complex and collagen at the same time.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Joy. I've been wanting to incorporate collagen into my diet but never really knew how (without just throwing it in my smoothie or my hot tea). Adding it to a matcha latte is the best, and perfect for the winter. Do you think I could also add it to a Turmeric Tea? Can't wait to try!
ReplyHi Amy! Yes 100%!! Adding it to a turmeric latte would be perfect! The one I use is tasteless and odourless so it's ideal. Enjoy!
Thank you Joy I'll get collagen , hopping it is going to help for healthier hair also .
ReplyYou're welcome!
Does collagen peptides cause a histamine reaction in people that have "histamine intolerance"?
ReplyIt's possible and I've heard of this. If you experience this then you should discontinue using collagen for 2 weeks and then introduce it again. That being said, I have a friend who is highly histamine intolerant and she's fine with collagen so I think it really depends on the person.
Thanks Joy! I have had pretty bad reactions to bone broth before so I have been tentative to try collagen. But it looks so amazing in these delicious drinks :)
Hello Trying to figure out what collagen to try. Do you recommend the genuine health or withUs tru marine collagen?
ReplyBoth are great! Look for what's on sale :)
Hi Joy I just joined the Joyous Health group I’m very excited as I really like your segments on City Line. I just ordered the Collagen powder you featured on your web site. I am very intrigued and interested in purchasing the Eczema Healing Guide as I suffer from it. I would like to know if there is a promo code you offer before I order the program?
ReplyHi Nathalie! Thanks so much. Glad to hear you're enjoying my segments on Cityline! There is no promo code for the Eczema Guide right now. However if you want to join the Joyous Kitchen Challenge and get on my newsletter list that's where you'll get emailed discounts and promotions: https://hi.joyoushealth.com/joyous-kitchen-challenge/ This challenge is completely free and gives you access to tons of great content. Thanks for visiting!
Can you make the matcha latte using a milk steamer instead of a blender? If so, how?
ReplyHi Kim, yes you can do that to warm up the milk in a steamer. The only thing is you'll have to mix the matcha the traditional way with hot water before combining everything. So steam the milk first, make the matcha traditionally. Combine both in a mug, add collagen (skip coconut butter because it needs to be blended), add collagen and honey - both will mix in nicely. Voila!
Thank you! I got an aerrocino frothed for Christmas too and LOVE it! Lol.
ReplyWhat amount of collagen should we be taking every day?
ReplyMost of the recent research is on 10g. One scoop of genuine health's collagen is 10g per scoop. When I make my Matcha Collagen Latte I use 1 scoop. This is the recipe: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27280-blog-matcha-collagen-latte
How much collagen can you have a day? And can it do more harm if you have too much? If putting it in baked goods or eating it in foods? Just asking.
Reply10g is an ideal serving. I wouldn't suggest going above this as the research supports 5-10g per day. Hope that helps! Taking it daily, you may notice a change within 10 days!
Thank you for the answer that helps and yes I have noticed the difference.
ReplyGlad to hear it!
Hi Joy, I tried the recipe and love the flavor but it was not as hot as I like to drink this kind of beverages. I was wondering if adding hot milk also could alter the collagen properties.
ReplyNot at all, you can definitely add collagen to a hot drink and it won't destroy the amino acids.
Hi Joy - I am new to your site and wanted to order the clean collagen but did not see the coupon but then noticed this was from 2018 so might not be available anymore? Thanks Gina
ReplyHi Gina! Correct, the coupon I had has expired. However, there are lots of great brands to choose from. Whether you buy marine or bovine, doesn't really matter, it's more personal preference.
Why have you chosen “Genuine Health” marine collagen over Bovine and how does this brand compare to Organika?
ReplyBoth brands are great choices. I mix it up. Right now I've been using bovine more often.
Hi! I can’t describe how much I love you, and appreciate you. Thank you! Anyway, what brands of matcha would you recommend??? I see so many options but am worried about how clean they are. Thanks!
ReplyAw thanks! You're sweet :) Check out Matcha Ninja!
Hi Joy! What are your feelings on monk fruit as a sweetener when cleansing sugar?
ReplyHi Ashley! I use monkfruit myself and I really like it. I think it's a great sugar alternative as it's very low in the glycemic index but I do find a little goes a long way. As for cleansing, because it doesn't really impact blood sugar the same way sugar does, I think it's fine but it really depends what kind of cleanse you're doing and what your goals are.
Hi Joy, I’d love to try this - I’m vegetarian and wondering if there is anything I can use in place of collagen powder. I know it won’t offer the same benefits, but would a plant protein powder work?
ReplyI would simply omit it and it will still be great! A protein powder would turn this into a smoothie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely won't be a latte.
Thank you! 💚
ReplyI didn't sleep well last night and re-read your blog about how to get energy after no sleep. I whipped up this latte today but added a tsp of mace for an extra kick and used coconut milk instead of almond. It's delicious and hopefully it will give me the pick up I need to get through a day at the (home) office and a night of stage managing at the theatre! I may have two of these lattes today...
ReplyMatcha definitely gives you a nice spring in your step without draining your body like how coffee can. Hope you have a better sleep tonight!