UAE: 4 drinks that are super healthy and definitely not matcha

Matcha no longer holds the monopoly in superfood drinks – slowly, but surely a number of alternatives are making themselves known. If that fresh-from-the-sea style is not your vibe, give these beverages a try. The best part: most of them are caffeine-free, so a midnight cuppa will not keep you awake.

It’s green, it’s local, and it’s caffeine-free. The UAE’s answer to the Nipponese drink is now in play. Safcha, which looks eerily like matcha, is made using dried palm fronds that are carefully picked, steamed, dried and ground into a fine powder. Want to try a sip or three? Saaf Café in Al Wadi Park in Hatta serves the brew (and the packaged powder, for takeaways). Are we looking at a new viral drink?

Names aside, this drink has little in common with the matcha we all know and love. For one thing, it’s made with butterfly pea flower, which is rife in SouthEast Asia. However, it does have high levels of antioxidant content. And a pretty colour once it dissolves in water.

Tea anyone? This drink is green, rich and earthy, and originates in Japan. The brew is crafted by steeping whole leaves in hot water. It’s a bit lighter than matcha, but still a warm and comforting option.

Gut health is super important, and with this drink you’ll be helping yours along. It’s nutrient dense and caffeine free, and has a lingering nutty flavor. To make yourself a cuppa, steep roasted barley pearls in warm water for about 20 minutes before straining the pearls away.