Why Switch From Coffee to Matcha

There are so many people out there who drink coffee every day - sometimes multiple cups a day. I have so many friends who rely on coffee & love it. Recently, I learned how coffee could be leading to major health issues, especially in women, while reading In The FLO by Alisa Vitti. I wanted to help spread the word. I feel like I should start off by saying I don’t drink coffee & I never have, just as a disclaimer. I’m not here to say “Switching to matcha will be so easy,” because I’ve never done that. Still, that doesn’t negate what I’m about to tell you!

Understanding the CYP1A2 Gene

Thanks to Alisa Vitti, and her amazing book, I am able to relay this information. Let’s start off with some of the basics. Just like we have genes that determine our eye color & hair color, we have genes that determine how effective we are at metabolizing caffeine in coffee. The CYP1A2 gene is responsible for producing an enzyme that metabolizes caffeine in the liver. This same enzyme metabolizes estrogen in the liver.

Some people have a version of the CYP1A2 gene that produces an abundance of the caffeine & estrogen metabolizing enzyme, while others have a version that does not produce much of the enzyme. Those who produce an abundance of this enzyme are considered fast metabolizers, those who do not are considered slow metabolizers.

Less than half of the population qualifies as fast metabolizers. Still, the average American drinks two cups of coffee a day.

Significance of Being a Fast or Slow Metabolizer

When a slow metabolizer drinks coffee, their liver has to work on overdrive to eliminate the caffeine, as well as estrogen, from the body. Since slow metabolizers don’t produce enough of the metabolizing enzyme to expel all of the caffeine as well as the estrogen from the body, excess estrogen can build up in the body. This condition is referred to as estrogen dominance.

Estrogen dominance has been linked to breast & ovarian cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, & irregular periods. That’s why making the switch from coffee to matcha is so significant for women, especially.

Here are some statistics from Allisa Vitti’s, In The FLO:

• Slow metabolizers who drink two or more cups of coffee a day have a higher risk of suffering a nonfatal heart attack.

• Drinking three or more caffeinated beverages a day, prior to conception, increases the risk of miscarriage by 74%.

• Caffeine reduces the absorption of nutrients & minerals in the body, such as magnesium & B vitamins.

Now that we have just scratched the surface on how coffee can negatively affect the body, let’s move on to the more positive topic: the healing gifts of matcha!

* If you want to learn more about how coffee negatively affects human health, I strongly suggest getting & reading In The FLO *

Matcha Can Fight Cancer

I know you’re probably thinking this is too good to be true, but I promise you it’s not. I listen to this wonderful podcast called “What’s The Juice” by Olivia Amitrano, an herbalist, where she discusses holistic medicine, psychology, & how plants can heal us. In her episode entitled “Dr. G Spills the Green Tea,” she interviews an integrative oncologist on his favorite interventions for treating cancer. Listening to this podcast, I learned so much about living a healthier lifestyle & of course, about the amazing health benefits of matcha!

So, let’s get down to basics again & discuss another gene: the P53 gene. The P53 gene is responsible for the apoptosis (cell death) of cancer cells. When someone has cancer, their P53 gene turns off & therefore their cancer spreads. Matcha & green tea can turn the P53 gene back on & effectively help to fight cancer. It’s literally a miracle plant!

Even if you don’t have cancer, matcha is great for you. Matcha is one of the most potent antioxidants in the world. Antioxidants help the body eliminate toxins which is something every one of us could use in this day in age.

Caffeine in Matcha

Ceremonial grade matcha powder has about half of the caffeine as one cup of black coffee. Even though matcha still contains caffeine, due to the phytonutrient in matcha, L-theanine, the caffeine affects the body in a positive way. L-theanine causes a slow, steady release of caffeine that doesn’t leave you crashing or craving more caffeine later. L-theanine combined with a lower dose of caffeine leaves you with long-lasting energy & no negative side effects.

Matcha Increases Metabolism

Matcha is able to increase the body’s metabolism, which actively helps to eliminate caffeine from the body while simultaneously delivering the drinker with energy, antioxidants, & nutrients that improve the body’s natural detoxification process. All of this leads to an increase in energy throughout the day & a decrease in anxiety. You won’t get any anxious caffeine jitters from matcha!

I absolutely love matcha & I usually mix it with my favorite chai tea & oat milk to give it a bit of extra sweetness. I hope you will consider ditching coffee for matcha! If you want to learn more, check out the resources linked throughout this article!