As iced matcha lattes flood coffee shop menus just in time for summer and matcha sales continue to scale up, a question arises: does gen Z spell the end for coffee’s long-standing reign?

Walk into almost any café and you’ll see it: green, frothy and often iced. Matcha was introduced to Japan by Zen Buddhist Monk, Eisai who discovered it on a pilgrimage in China in the twelfth century. The once-niche Japanese tea powder is no longer reserved for zen tea ceremonies or wellness circles. It’s now on high street menus, supermarket shelves, and all over our socials. 

New data from Ocado Retail reveals sales of matcha are up by 67 per cent since last year. TikTok videos tagged #matchalatte now exceed 1.5 billion views. High street coffee chains such as Pret, Starbucks and Caffè Nero have added matcha drinks to their menus. One matcha latte on the high street will set you back about £4.75. Or, for just over £15, you can get a kit with 50g of matcha powder and make your own. Maslow Magazine tried it (and filmed it – down below). That’s around 25 matchas at only 62p a serving. 

According to The Economist, Blank Street Coffee claims to sell “some kind of form” of matcha “every four seconds” from its 80 shops in the UK and US. With rising awareness of how caffeine affects anxiety, the gentler green tea powder is earning a place in the daily routines of an increasing number of young people. 

Globally, the market for matcha-based products is already worth around £3.3 billion and is predicted to grow by 53 per cent by 2029, according to the Business Research Company. A 2023 report by The Independent also revealed a 202 per cent rise in matcha sales in the UK. And it’s not just about health. There’s an aesthetic to matcha – it’s bright, it’s photogenic, perfect for the social media driven gen Zers, and it certainly makes you look as if you have your life together. But beyond the visuals, there is a practical reason why gen Z might be leaning into matcha over coffee: how it makes them feel. 

Unlike coffee, which spikes energy quickly then crashes hard, matcha gives a steady boost. This is thanks to L-theanine, an amino acid unique to the tea that slows the body’s absorption of caffeine. That means no jitters, no sudden crash, and often, better focus. It’s the reason Buddhist monks have been drinking matcha for centuries to aid meditation. Today, students and young professionals use it for calm concentration, as it has proven to be a gentler alternative to coffee for people prone to anxiety. 

Jo Travers, registered dietician and founder of The London Nutritionist, says matcha’s benefits go beyond caffeine. “It has a high polyphenol content, it’s higher in fibre than infused tea, and although it has caffeine, the L-theanine reduces the negative side effects like restlessness or anxiety,” she says. 

Matcha also wins on other fronts. The Tea Makers of London shared seven reasons why matcha is better than coffee. These highlighted, among other benefits, how matcha doesn’t stain your teeth, like tea and coffee. It actually supports oral health, and it doesn’t lead to dependency. It’s simple to make too: no expensive machines needed, just hot water or milk and a whisk or shaker. 

Gen Z, who is notoriously more open than any previous generation about mental health, is drawn to options that support rather than undermine their wellbeing. Sarah Choi, 22 year old associate editor of Healthline, experimented with swapping her morning coffee for matcha for a month. “I didn’t get the energy burst I was used to, but I also didn’t crash,” she says. “Over time, my energy levels evened out. I didn’t feel anxious. And when I went back to coffee, I actually got a headache.” In the end, Choi, who calls herself a coffee enthusiast, was not a matcha convert. “Matcha is nice every once in a while, but it can’t replace my coffee,” she says. “I enjoy the taste of coffee more than matcha and coffee makes me feel like I’ve started my day.” She even felt her performance at work suffered without her morning coffee. 

So is matcha replacing coffee? Not quite. But for gen Z, it’s no longer a question of either/or. It’s about having an option that aligns with their lifestyle – one that looks good, leaves them feeling calm, and helps them stay focused without the inevitable crash. 

As nutritionist Jo Travers says: “It’s not a direct competition between coffee and matcha. They both have benefits. But matcha is expensive, and not everyone likes the taste.” 

So if the price is the issue and you do want to enjoy matcha’s taste and holistic benefits, here is a video tutorial on how you can make your own iced matcha latte at home. 

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Smart water bottles, tracking apps and flavoured pods, what’s behind Londoner’s unquenchable need to stay hydrated?  

Every scroll through TikTok or Instagram is like the hydration Olympics. “‘My emotional support bottle never leaves my side’” is both a meme and a mantra. The ‘Water Tok’ trend is giving us tips on the bottles to buy and introducing us to gadgets such as Air Up, which use scented pods to flavour water for those who dislike the taste. You’ll find people timing their sips, tracking every drop with water tracking apps, and making ‘hydration goals’ part of their morning routine.  

Are we so fixated on drinking water that we must celebrate National Hydration Day every summer on 23 June? 

For LSE student Anissa Durajczyk, 23, hydration is second nature. “I make sure I have water on me at all times because I used to get headaches quite often and it’s just become a habit,” she says. “Having water with me when leaving the house became part of my routine. If I forget my bottle, then I will make sure to buy one.” She doesn’t track how much she drinks but estimates she hits the recommended two-litre mark. “I think I’ve made my body so used to a generous water intake that when I don’t drink water for a while, I feel dehydrated even though I’m probably not.”  

Doran Binder is a certified water sommelier. If you’re unfamiliar with this concept, essentially, this is a specialist trained to educate people about different qualities and types of water. The founder of Crag Spring Water and owner of the UK’s first water bar started doubling his intake after reading The Drinking Water Cure and says it changed his life. He now drinks four litres of water a day – and won’t leave the house without a bottle of Crag Spring. “I get anxious when I don’t have water with me. I won’t go anywhere without it,” he says. Known as the @beardedwatersommelier online, he believes most people are missing out on the health benefits of spring water by relying on highly treated tap or bottled water. “The quality of what we drink matters more than most people realise.” 

But how did  we move to this idea that hydration is a lifestyle, not just a basic human need?  

According to Dr Leah Austin, a London-based GP and nutritional therapist, the popular two litres or ‘eight glasses a day’ rule is more of a guideline rather than a gospel. “It was based on total fluid intake  including water from food and drinks like tea or fruit,” she explains. 

“Two litres might be right for some people, but others need more or less depending on their body size, climate, activity, and diet.” 

Your body, she says, is pretty good at knowing what it needs. “Thirst is the most obvious sign, but it comes late. Earlier clues include dry mouth, low energy, headaches, and darker urine.”  

What might be surprising among all the “drink more water” promo is that there is also such a thing as drinking too much. “Overhydration is rare, but it can be dangerous,” Dr Austin says. “It dilutes sodium in the blood, leading to hyponatremia. In extreme cases, that can cause confusion, seizures and even death.” Medics suspect this condition led martial arts legend Bruce Lee to his death. Usually, it’s seen in endurance athletes who drink excessive amounts during races. But it’s a good reminder that an excessive amount of anything can be bad for you. 

Dr Austin partly blames the wellness industry for our obsessive need to drink water. “Hydration is essential, but we’ve turned it into another checkbox or source of guilt,” she says. “Huge water bottles can help some people stay mindful – but they can also make you ignore your body’s signals.” Drinking water has gone from a natural habit to a lifestyle statement. 

In a time when many of us feel stressed or out of control, the routine of having something to sip on all day or even just hold might bring comfort. It feels like a small thing we can control. Like lighting a candle or doing a skincare routine, carrying a jumbo water bottle can feel like a calming act, making us feel more organised and put together. 

Szymon, 21 carried his two-and-a-half litre Everlast bottle everywhere with him Pic: Ola Mendykowska

Szymon Siemko, 21, bought a giant two-litre bottle to help him drink more water, mainly for the gym. “I bought the two-litre bottle to drink more water and carry it everywhere with me,” he says. “It wasn’t practical, it was a bit too heavy, but it worked in terms of drinking more.” While he doesn’t credit the bottle alone for feeling fitter, it had an effect. “In a gym sense and physical sense, I felt like I had my life together,” he adds. “There’s just something about a bigger bottle that I liked. Even the edginess of it – you’re always drinking water, staying hydrated and keeping healthy.” 

Dr Austin backs a simple approach to staying hydrated, “Listen to your body, drink when thirsty, aim for pale straw-coloured urine, and eat plenty of fruit and veg.” 

As for her own bottle? “I use a stainless steel insulated one – it keeps the water cold and doesn’t have plastic toxins. I like it simple and sustainable.” 

The bottom line seems to be: do what works for you. But there is no denying that water, in the right amount and form, is still one of the simplest ways to feel good. “The human body will survive dehydrated – just like a plant,” says Binder. “But when you rehydrate it, it comes back to life. That’s the difference.” 

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