Viral matcha cocktail trend may not be as healthy as it looks, say experts

Before matcha's recent surge in popularity on social media, bartenders rarely considered whisking green tea into the mixed drinks they were making.

Rensel Cabrera, bar director at The Sylvester in Miami, said the idea started more as a trend experiment than a passion project.

"When we were doing these menu flips, we started looking at trends, style of cocktails, ingredients — and one of the top trends besides espresso martini was matcha," Cabrera told Fox News Digital.

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His bar doesn't serve coffee or tea, but he figured the powder's bright color might really make a cocktail pop. 

"Since we're a cocktail bar, we don't really serve any teas, lattes or coffee, but we still thought it could be a cool ingredient to use," he said.

The "Dama Verde," pictured at right, is a cocktail infused with matcha powder at The Sylvester in Miami. (iStock; RC Visual for The Sylvester)

A year later, his "Dama Verde" — a matcha-infused honeydew vodka cocktail — is one of his bestsellers.

"They're drinking pretty hardcore at night," he said of some of his customers, "and if they're going to drink something, at least [let's] make it a little healthy."

But others point to the paradox between caffeine and alcohol — and wellness.

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South Carolina dietitian-nutritionist Lauren Manaker told Fox News Digital that the health benefits of matcha tend to fade when mixed with liquor.

"While matcha itself has a host of benefits, mixing it with alcohol does shift the narrative," she said.

'Not quite healthy'

In New York City's East Village, Bananas founder Chris Ng and general manager Dania Kim said their boozy "Matcha Latte" has become a local hit.

Kim said she wasn't chasing a fad when she created it.

Dania Kim, shown at right in the background, developed the "Matcha Latte" cocktail for Bananas of New York City. (Bananas NYC)

"It wasn't [about] following any type of trend," she told Fox News Digital. "It was more [about] catering to the weather in summer, and any particular flavors that I truly enjoyed."

She grew up drinking matcha, but said she "didn't know how much matcha was actually trending."

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Then she realized it was the Generation Z crowd, mostly, who were "going crazy" for the drink.

Kim said she knows the health halo only goes so far.

The "Matcha Latte" is a popular drink among the Gen Z crowd. (Bananas NYC)

"Ultimately, it's the health factor of it, even though this version is not quite healthy because it's alcoholic," she said.

Still, her Gen Z guests seem drawn to the idea of a better-for-you buzz.

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"They don't really drink as much," she said. "They care more about their health and nutrition-based habits. If something is good for you, I think they'll kind of look past any bitterness or earthiness."

Ng told Fox News Digital that much of matcha's appeal is visual.

The "Matcha Latte" at Bananas is a visually appealing dessert cocktail. (Bananas NYC)

"When people go out to eat, they eat with their eyes first," he said. "When they see on a menu 'Matcha Latte,' the first thought probably reminds them of getting a hot drink and getting something with green tea."

Too much caffeine?

Cabrera's Miami version, dusted with matcha powder and citric acid, remains a top seller, though he said caffeine-sensitive customers sometimes hesitate to order it.

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"Maybe if someone doesn't want the energy, the natural caffeine that matcha has — maybe, [later at] night, someone's looking for something that's not so caffeinated."

Though it's not marketed toward women, the cocktail seems to be more popular with that demographic, Cabrera said. 

"It's like double matcha," he said. "The matcha is in the drink and outside the drink."

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Even for the health-conscious who aren't big drinkers, the trade-off is clear, Manaker said.

"Matcha cocktails might feel like a middle ground," she said. "They're not pounding shots. And sure, they are getting some antioxidants in their drink. But they are also getting alcohol, which isn't great for our livers or brains."