By Maureen Post Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Sep 13, 2009 at 10:14 AM

I'm contemplating an experiment of morning beverages.
A friend gave me a box of Rishi's Japanese Matcha Tea, saying that drinking it every day changed his life. He didn't go into detail or give any specifics but it was enough of an endorsement to provoke me to at least give it a try.

Matcha is a Japanese tea with, according to the packaging, three times the health benefits of one glass of green tea. Its long list of benefits includes acting as an anti-depressant and increasing levels of energy.

Each time I've drank the bright green tea this week, I've been shocked at how much energy I have late into the day. I admit, it could quite possibly be solely a subconscious association, but I haven't ruled out the possible miraculous affects of matcha.

So, I've realized the only real way to truly test the power of matcha would be to swap out my morning coffee and see what transpires.

I don't drink a ton of coffee, just a cup a day, but I don't remember the last time I went without it and as such, I know it would be brutal to cut it out of my daily routine. Enter matcha.

The price is about the same; Rishi sells a 10 pack of matcha for $19, slightly more expensive than buying a cup of coffee every day at Alterra.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on Japanese matcha? Use the Talkback feature below.

Maureen Post Special to OnMilwaukee.com

OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.

After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.

Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.