Energizing Matcha Overnight Oats

Matcha is a type of powdered Japanese green tea that has grown in popularity across the world.

It’s made from the same plant as green tea, however it’s made from the entire leaf, which packs in a more concentrated amount of the health benefits!

Matcha is best known for its high antioxidant content, being particularly rich in a class of antioxidants called catechins. Antioxidants help to reduce cell damage and prevent chronic disease.

In particular, matcha contains high amounts of a catechin called EGCG, which may have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and cardio-protective effects.

Matcha also contains more caffeine than green tea, coming in at 35 mg of caffeine per half teaspoon of matcha powder, or 70 mg for a standard 1 teaspoon serving.

What’s unique about matcha’s energy-giving properties is that it also contains a compound called L-theanine, which helps to promote a calm state of alertness and concentration without the jittery crash that often follows caffeine consumption.

While the research on matcha is still in its early stages, it certainly can be part of a healthy diet if you enjoy consuming it. As a dietitian, I personally drink matcha every morning in place of coffee or black tea. I truly love the taste and calm alertness that it gives me. It’s a morning ritual that I’ve enjoyed for close to a decade now 🙂

With SO many matcha powder brands popping up these days, it can be hard to know which ones to choose!

To start, I recommend using “ceremonial-grade” matcha over “culinary-grade,” especially for drinking.

You’ll also want to look for matcha that has a vibrant green colour. Ones that are light or yellow-ish green or almost grey/brown are not of the best quality and will usually have a much more bitter taste.

Matcha should smell fresh and grassy, while having a very smooth, fine texture. The powder should almost be like dust. A lower quality matcha will have a rougher sand-like texture.

While I have by no means tried every matcha brand out there (I guess I’m loyal to the ones I love lol!), my favourites while living in the US were Ippodo and Matchaful.

Since moving home to Canada, I’ve found a great product from a local matcha cafe called Whisk which has become my go-to (they ship worldwide).

All you need to make these matcha oats are 9 simple ingredients + toppings as desired:

1. Rolled oats: I like to use old fashioned, rolled oats for overnight oat recipes. That said, this will work with instant oats if that’s what you have on hand! Nutritionally, there isn’t a big difference. Instant oats are simply more processed, so they will digest faster and you may not feel as full for as long. While oats are naturally gluten-free, if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet you will need to ensure that you use certified gluten-free oats for this recipe as sometimes oats can come into contact with gluten during manufacturing.
2. Chia seeds: These little seeds are packed with omega-3s and have a unique “hygroscopic” property, meaning that they attract and hold onto water molecules from their surrounding environment. This is what makes them absorb some of the liquid around them and gives them their gel-like coating and unique texture. You may use either black or white chia seeds.
3. Matcha powder: Japanese matcha is a type of powdered green tea. Please see the lengthy description above for its health benefits and tips for purchasing (along with my favourite brands).
4. Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds the perfect touch of warming spice to oatmeal. Along with vanilla, I find cinnamon creates a sweeter flavour.
5. Salt: While it may sound counterintuitive, a pinch of salt helps to bring out the sweetness of the other ingredients!
6. Plain Greek yogurt:  Unlike regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is strained to remove most of its whey and liquid content. This results in a thicker yogurt with about twice as much protein per serving. I like to use plain yogurt as it won’t contain any added sugar. If you’re dairy-free or vegan, you may swap greek yogurt with a dairy-free alternative.
7. Milk of choice: You may use any type of milk – from regular cow’s milk, to almond milk, coconut milk, etc. If you’re vegan/dairy-free and using a plant-based alternative to Greek yogurt, you may consider using soy milk to increase the protein content of these oats. I personally used an unsweetened almond milk for this recipe!
8. Vanilla extract: Used to add a delicious touch of vanilla flavour to the oats. Using vanilla, cinnamon, and maple to flavour these matcha oats was inspired by one of my favourite matcha latte in NYC (the vanilla zen at Matchaful – IYKYK!!)
9. Maple syrup: Used to add some sweetness to this recipe as the rest of the ingredients are unsweetened. Can also be swapped with honey – both taste great with matcha!

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Not only do these toppings add extra flavour and texture, but they can also add extra nutrition and help to make a more filling breakfast. My personal favourites for this recipe are fresh fruits, a scoop of nut butter, and some coconut flakes 🙂

1. Fruits, like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or sliced bananas.
2. Nut or seed butters, like peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter
3. Nuts or seeds, like raw pecans, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
4. Raw cacao nibs, for a bit of a chocolatey taste
5. Coconut flakes