It’s “bold, green and attractive”, has boomed in popularity in Australia and on social media, and there are reports of a global shortage. But are we actually running low on matcha – and what are some alternatives to get your green tea hit?

Megumi Kanaike, manager of Sydney tea shop Simply Native, says suppliers of the Japanese ground green tea powder have placed limits on orders. She attributes the reported shortage to an “unexpected worldwide boom” in the popularity of a tea that is only harvested once a year in Japan.

While matcha production has remained consistent, international demand, driven by social media, has prompted concerns about a shortfall.

Kanaike says matcha sales have risen by an “insane” 250% over the past six months at her store.

However, sellers disagree about which products will be affected the most.

There are different grades of matcha, depending on when the leaves are harvested. Ceremonial grade refers to powdered leaves from the first harvest, with culinary and latte grades consisting of leaves harvested later.

“The brands that have been impacted most are the ones that people overseas like, the ones that have gone viral on social media,” she says.

Tea ceremonialist Cara Chen says consumers tend to notice the impacts of the shortage on ceremonial-grade matcha more, as it is produced on a small scale.

Most Australians, she says, are more familiar with matcha lattes, served with milk in cafes and at home, and here the shortage is less severe and alternatives easier to find.

If consumers are looking to make milky matchas, Kanaike suggests using good-quality food-grade matcha instead of ceremonial matcha; the latter is traditionally drunk without milk. Culinary-grade matcha is more readily available, and because it’s designed to be mixed with other ingredients, is more appropriate for milky drinks.

Kanaike and Chen say the shortage will affect all grades of matcha, but Arthur Tong, co-founder of Sydney tea supplier Tea Craft, says the shortage primarily affects organic latte-grade matcha typically used in cafes, which is higher in quality than culinary matcha but not quite ceremonial grade.

“The primary shortage lies in organic latte grades but … over time, as people look for alternatives, the upper and lower and non-organic grades may be affected too,” he said.

To brew traditional matcha, says Tong, sift 1.5g of ceremonial matcha into a bowl, add two tablespoons of 70C water, then whisk with a chasen (traditional bamboo whisk) until the mixture forms a paste. Then add another 80ml of 70C water, whisk vigorously again, and sip slowly.

However, Tong says this exacting process is less important if the matcha is consumed with milk and sweeteners, as is often shown on social media, which has also popularised fruit-flavoured varieties such as strawberry, blueberry and mango.

Three to try: leafy alternatives to matcha

1. Yerba mate

Popular in South America, yerba mate (pronounced mah-tay) is a drink brewed from mate leaves. The mate leaf is not technically a tea, but belongs to the holly family, says Olie Ford, founder of Mateo Soda. “I find coffee to be quite jarring and quite intense … [but mate has] a sort of more slow-releasing, long- lasting form of caffeine,” he says.

Traditionally, yerba mate is brewed in a mate gourd, where a small amount of hot water is poured over the leaves, and the drink is sipped with a straw.

Sometimes, yerba mate is compared to matcha but Ford says the two are “quite different”. Mate has a grassy, herbaceous and slightly earthy taste with refreshing bitterness – the drier the leaf variety, the earthier the taste.

He recommends brewing the mate leaves with 60C to 80C water for about five minutes – the hotter the water, the more intense the flavour.

It can also be enjoyed iced, as it is in Paraguay, or cold brewed overnight with fruit and herbs.

Mate leaves can be bought at Latin American grocers and specialty online stores, while yerba mate sodas can also be found at some supermarkets and bottle shops.

2. Gyokuro

Taka Kaneko, from tea shop EdoMatcha in Sydney, describes gyokuro as a well-kept secret and “the most luxurious green tea in Japan”.

Gyokuro translates to “jewel dew” and represents only 0.7% of Japan’s total tea production, Kaneko says. Like matcha, it is grown in the shade – which gives it a “rich umami” flavour and a mellow sweetness – and it has a slow caffeine release.

To brew gyokuro, Kaneko recommends brewing 5g of gyokuro leaves with 50C to 60C water for two minutes in a teapot. You can find gyokuro tea leaves in specialist tea stores.

3. Hojicha

Hojicha is made from ground, roasted tea leaves and has a similar earthy flavour to matcha, but has less bitterness – and less caffeine.

Kaneko has noticed its growing popularity in Melbourne cafes and bakeries, which use the green tea powder in lattes, cookies and brownies.

The process of brewing hojicha is similar to matcha. Kaneko recommends combining 1g of hojicha powder with 100ml of 80C to 90C water, then whisking with a chasen until frothy.

Hojicha can be found at specialist tea stores and some Asian supermarkets.

If you’re tuned into the latest beauty trends, you’ve likely come across claims that collagen supplements are the key to maintaining a radiant and youthful complexion. Collagen, after all, is a vital protein that serves as the building block for our skin, hair, and nails, and can give them strength and elasticity. As we age, our body’s natural collagen production begins to decline, leading to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

Several studies have found that taking collagen supplements daily or adding collagen-rich foods to your diet offers several benefits and truly does help improve the health of your skin, joints, hair and bones.

Here’s everything you need to know about what collagen is, where to find it and how you might benefit from collagen supplements — plus the drawbacks you should be aware of. Supplements like collagen can be helpful, but don’t forget that focusing on food sources for other vitamins and minerals is the easiest way to stay healthy.

Read more: Best Collagen Powders

What is collagen?

Before discussing its benefits, what is collagen? In short, collagen is the most plentiful protein in the human body and accounts for one-third of all protein. It serves as a connective building block that holds together your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and skin. It holds together your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, skin and promotes healthy joints and connective tissues.

There are nearly 30 known types of collagen, but type I is the most prevalent (it exists in all connective tissue and makes up 90% of all collagen in the body). Types II, III and IV are also common and found in various parts of the body, including your joints, kidneys, ears and blood vessels.

All of this leads us to another pertinent question: What is collagen good for? Your body naturally makes collagen by combining multiple amino acids (like proline and glycine) with zinc, vitamin C and copper. As you get older, production slows and the existing collagen in your body starts to break down at a faster rate.

When that happens, you may notice your skin getting wrinklier, your tendons and ligaments becoming less flexible and your muscles shrinking. To prevent or delay these effects, some people make up for what their body has lost by eating collagen-rich foods or collagen supplements.

Adding collagen to your diet

If you’re looking to amp up your healthy collagen production, you should ensure that your diet includes foods with these essential ingredients:

• Bone broth
• Fish and shellfish
• Chicken
• Pork skin
• Eggs
• Beans
• Citrus
• Bell peppers
• Nuts

Eating a well-balanced diet with a combination of these foods is the best way to boost the collagen protein in your body. You can also consider taking collagen supplements (typically collagen powder or capsules) if you aren’t getting enough collagen from diet alone.

For best results, experts advise taking a collagen supplement one hour before working out, but always check the label and speak with your doctor before starting any new wellness routine.

Benefits of collagen

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s explore some of the benefits of collagen supplementation.

Builds stronger bones

Bones are full of collagen, but as you get older, the protein starts to deteriorate — and so does bone health — leading to a decrease in bone strength and density. By incorporating collagen supplements into your diet, you may be able to prevent some bone loss and reduce your risk of bone-related problems, including osteoporosis and fractures.

Decreases joint pain

Collagen also works together with cartilage to keep your joints properly functioning. Over the years, as it wears down, it can lead to stiff and achy joints and put you at a higher risk for osteoarthritis. The good news is that taking collagen supplements has been found to reduce joint pain in physically active people. It may also serve as a pain reliever for people with existing joint problems.

Improves skin

Your skin also contains collagen, which gives it elasticity and hydration when you’re young. But as you mature, your skin becomes saggier and more wrinkly due to depleting collagen levels. Interestingly, studies have shown that adding more collagen to your diet can boost skin elasticity, firmness and hydration, visibly reducing the effects of aging.

Promotes healthy hair

Collagen is created with some of the same amino acids that are used to build keratin, the protein that makes up your hair. Because of this connection, there is some evidence that consuming more collagen may help with your hair health by promoting growth, reducing thinning and slowing graying.

Adds muscle mass

Muscle tissue consists of as much as 10% collagen. When the collagen in your body begins to break down, you could lose muscle mass and potentially develop a condition called sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Fortunately, studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement, along with increased protein intake and routine resistance exercise, may help people with sarcopenia build back muscle strength.

Drawbacks to collagen supplements

Despite these benefits, there are also a handful of drawbacks to collagen supplements that you should bear in mind before incorporating them into your routine.

They contain animal products (and sometimes, allergens)

Traditional collagen supplements, and all dietary supplements in general, are made from animal products, so they aren’t suitable if you follow a plant-based diet. There are some vegan collagen options on the market, but it’s unclear how they compare to the ones made from animal products. Similarly, if you have any food allergies, make sure to read the label on your collagen supplements thoroughly. In some cases, they may contain common allergens like fish or eggs.

Regulation is a gray area

Collagen supplements are regulated as food (not drugs) by the US Food and Drug Administration, meaning their ingredients and production aren’t monitored by an official governing body. These products aren’t subject to the same regulations and stringent approval process as pharmaceuticals, so it can be tricky to find out about the quality, purity and safety of the ingredients.

Effectiveness studies are limited

Although there have been studies about the effectiveness of collagen (many of which we’ve cited above), more research needs to be done. Also, some of the existing studies have been funded by companies that produce collagen supplements, which may raise ethical questions about bias.

Similar supplements to collagen

It’s difficult to find other supplements that replicate the effects of collagen because its amino acid makeup is different from other proteins. You could try boosting your intake of glycine and proline, the key amino acids that are involved in creating collagen. They’re most often found in protein-rich foods like meat and poultry, but they’re also available in supplement form.

If you’re most interested in how collagen can help improve your hair, nails and skin, you could consider keratin or biotin, which typically come in the form of shampoos and salon treatments but are also sold as dietary supplements. Biotin is also found in certain foods, including legumes, egg yolks, nuts and avocados.

For more advice on supplements, here are five fitness supplements that are proven to work. Plus, check out these three alternatives to melatonin for better sleep without drowsiness the next day.