Coffee or Matcha, and why the perfect health routine doesn't exist

Happy Monday friends - hope the weekend was restful for you. Back to it this week with some info to improve your health and life!

Coffee...or Matcha. Or coffee AND matcha?

Two drinks that are incredibly popular right now in the culture (but obviously have a steep history in countries like Ethiopia, Japan and so on).

Two drinks that have great health benefits.

Two drinks that have often been pitted against one another.

To me, I like both - but they're unique in their own right: neither is better than the other (in my humblest of opinions); context matters here.

Here's the breakdown of the two of them:

Coffee

Coffee is actually one of the richest source of polyphenols in the diet - powerful antioxidants that actually protect against cellular damage.

One of those being chlorogenic acid, a compound with potent metabolic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits.

It of course contains a fair amount of caffeine too, which can either be of benefit or a bit of a sticking point:

• from a performance standpoint caffeine has been robustly studied for its ability to enhance workouts
• but for those who are a little caffeine-sensitive it can be an issue.

Matcha

Matcha offers a slightly different profile to coffee.

Still containing caffeine, it is also paired with l-theanine, an amino acid known for its calming properties (and one I sometimes supplement with glycine before bed).

It also contains potent antioxidants in the form of epigallocatechin gallate, otherwise known as EGCG - which has anti-inflammatory and potential anti-cancer properties.

It's a little gentler in terms of energy, and perhaps not the jolt that coffee can give you if you really wanted to attack your day.

And with matcha, I'm not talking about the syrup-laden stuff that's doing the rounds on social media...

I'm talking about the real deal: proper ceremonial-grade matcha that is a vibrant green, high in antioxidants, naturally mild in flavour and delivers the calm, focused energy people think they're getting from their dessert-in-a-cup versions.

So what's the verdict?

If you are comfortable with caffeine and want a jumpstart to your day? Choose coffee.

If you want a gentler, more steady energy? Matcha is your pick.

If you care about long-term health and cardio-metabolic function? Both are a great shout.

And if you have a caffeine sensitivity? Matcha will be the one you lean on.

Social media will tell you its one or the other, or that one is 'bad'.

It's not about what is 'bad', it's about what suits YOU and your goals.

And if you like both, then just choose what you want on any given day.

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Speaking of social media, I saw a fantastic tweet just over a week ago from world-class athletic coach Steve Magness, and it encapsulated so much of what I think about social media today:

Every man and his dog will tell you that you need a laundry list of supplements, you need to avoid eating out, you must avoid processed foods 100% of the time, you must ALWAYS get 8 hours of sleep, and basically live like a monk in order to be healthy and perform.

But that's just not real life; that's marketing - because life will get in the way.

And the irony is this: neuroticism over your health will actually get in the way of your health.

Enjoy the occasional takeout.

The very infrequent glass of red wine at dinner won't totally derail your progress.

If you have a night where your sleep isn't on point, it isn't the end of the world.

Because in my view, true health requires flexibility.

Imagine having a child and then desiring an unbreakable and uninterrupted morning routine! Nonsense.

My early fatherhood experiences saw quick, easy and pre-prepared meals, and lots of workouts on fairly minimal sleep - but I got things done somehow because I had to adjust and find a way to make it work.

Wanting everything to be perfect is a myth and signals fragility...and your health habits should contribute to you being robust, not fragile.

It's entirely possible to enjoy the occasional late night with friends and a very occasional glass of wine at dinner - while being deeply committed to maintaining a robust level of health through your nutrition, training and sleep habits.

It's not either/or; it's really both/and.

Don't get caught up in social media health faux perfection and neuroticism; it just isn't reflective of real life.

Stay healthy,

Jeff