Have you ever been tea drunk?

At the end of a hard day’s work, many people like to unwind with a cocktail, a beer or two, or maybe a glass of red wine. While consuming alcohol in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle, it can also have a lot of negative side effects, too. But if you’re someone who would prefer not to participate in that type of activity, there is still a way to achieve a similar relaxed state of mind with the help of tea!

It’s called getting tea drunk.

Wait a second, if there’s no alcohol in the tea, how exactly do you get tea drunk? 

Tea is a fairly innocent beverage. It relaxes you, might bring you inner peace after a day of chaos, and warms not only your stomach but also your soul. There have been instances of people experiencing tea drunkenness. It’s a state of euphoria after consuming large amounts of tea. Tea drunkenness causes a relaxed feeling similar to being drunk on alcohol. However, unlike alcohol, tea drunkenness increases alertness and focus and does not cause the same impairment. 

Of course, being drunk on anything can have some downsides, and tea is no different. Due to the fact that you have to drink much more tea than you normally would in order to get tea drunk, some of the effects of tea are magnified. Drinking too much tea can trigger feelings of nausea, dizziness, or shakiness. Thankfully, these unpleasant side effects are temporary and do not affect everyone. 

Caffeine in Matcha Tea

Caffeine is the main stimulant in tea. The way tea releases caffeine is a little different than the way coffee does. It keeps you alert throughout the day without a crash!

Catechins in Matcha Tea

Catechins are the antioxidants you will find in each cup or bottle of tea. They bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which are responsible for controlling your mood. When you drink tea, the catechins bind to your cannabinoid receptors to create a feel-good sensation. This is similar to what someone experiences when they use cannabis. As a matter of fact, “tea high” a synonymous term for “tea drunk”! 

L-theanine in Matcha Tea

L-theanine has shown to produce the relaxed state of mind that comes with drinking tea. It does this by boosting the production of alpha waves in your brain. Your brain makes alpha waves when it is not focusing too hard on anything in particular. You’ve probably experienced this wakeful state of mind if you’ve ever tried meditating. Why is this important? When your mind is trying to relax and ease stress levels it produces alpha waves to help you feel calmer. It’s one of the body’s natural ways of relieving stress. In fact, your brain is working around the clock to produce five types of brain waves. When you’re in a relaxed state of mind, more alpha waves are produced than the other five. Your brain will always produce alpha waves even when you’re not particularly relaxing.

What’s the buzz?

Before you can understand how a non-alcoholic drink can make you “drunk,” let us break down what happens to you when you drink tea.

We’ve mentioned in previous blog posts the effects of caffeine, catechins, and l-theanine found in matcha. So, it’s no surprise hearing these magical compounds are hard at work when you’re experiencing tea drunkenness!

Where Do I Start?

If you’re trying to experience tea drunkenness, make sure there’s a little light food in your stomach first – we recommend fruits and nuts. However, we do not recommend eating a full meal – not only does it slow down your body’s ability to absorb the compounds in matcha, but it can also contribute to some of the negative side effects we mentioned earlier! 

The most important thing you can do while drinking tea is to take your time. Drinking tea, whether you do it on a regular basis or only on special occasions, should be a relaxing, almost a philosophical experience. So get comfortable and remove all of those unnecessary distractions. Tea drinking is a healthy practice for both body and mind, and it should feel rejuvenating!

Quick Tip: There are certain teas that make the perfect combination to get a person tea drunk. You might even call them bes-teas! 

White tea made from new tea buds and leaves is one of the most effective teas to help you experience tea “drunkenness”, as well as aged teas like oolong. However, the best results come from teas with the highest catechin content, plus caffeine and L-theanine. Like, say, organic ceremonial grade matcha! 

But of course, you shouldn’t drink matcha for the sake of the “tea drunk” experience. The matcha health benefits are extraordinary so drink in moderation and for the benefit of your health. You can also check out our recipes page to see all the different ways you can incorporate matcha into your diet, and there’s still so much more to be discovered!

Oh BY THE WAY

At Yum Matcha, we also make CBD-infused matcha drinks! With catechins, caffeine, L-theanine, and infused with Full Spectrum Hemp, Yum Matcha™ is giving your favorite drink a shot of CBD and other cannabinoids. Don’t worry, Yum Matcha™ with Hemp contains NO THC. Let us repeat that: NO THC. That means no stigma and no addictive qualities, just the tea and a relaxing buzz.