Is matcha the next beverage trend?Is matcha the next beverage trend?

Made from a finely ground Japanese tea, matcha has been used in elaborate Buddhist ceremonies for more than 800 years. Since then, it has made appearances in everything from matcha green tea lattes to candy and ice cream. But recently, enterprising brands are selling this prized ingredient in approachable beverage formulations (adding sugar and chai spices, for example), and sophisticated packages.

Thanks to its electric green color, pleasant vegetal flavor and unparallelled health benefits (some estimate that matcha has 23 times the antioxidants of acai berries), more brands are incorporating matcha into natural beverages.

Here are a few favorites to watch.