I love Matcha and enjoy this superfood in my smoothie every morning. Read this tip to learn why you may want to make it part of your nutritional lifestyle.
Matcha means “green powder” and that is exactly what it looks like when you purchase high quality Matcha. When you drink Matcha you are drinking the ground up whole tea leaves which makes it a more potent source of nutrients than regular green tea. As Dr. Axe puts it, “with matcha, you get all of the health benefits of green tea but in a mega dose, and it tastes exactly like that — green tea on fire!”
Green tea contains polyphenols including flavanols, flavandiols, flavaniods and phenolic acids. The majority of the polyphenols are flavonols commonly known as catechins. There are four kinds of catechins mainly found in green tea: epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate and EGCG. Catechins are incredible cancer fighters and can inhibit tumor cell growth. “According to the National Cancer Institute, the catechins in matcha green tea are so powerful that they may actually help prevent cancer, potentially making matcha one of the top natural cancer treatment options out there.”
“The concentration of EGCG available from drinking matcha is 137 times greater than the amount of EGCG available from China Green Tips green tea, and at least three times higher than the largest literature value for other green teas.”
-source Dr. Axe (www.draxe.com)
Matcha green tea also contains the highest concentration of antioxidants compared to all natural fruits and vegetables. According to the ORAC scale which measures the antioxidant capacity of all fruit, vegetables, teas, spices and herbs, Matcha contains 1384 ORAC units per gram. That is a significant amount of antioxidants in 1 cup of tea!
Matcha has high levels of chlorophyll which is what gives it its beautiful green color. Chlorophyll is a very effective detoxifier that can aid in the elimination of unwanted toxins, chemicals and heavy metals from your body. Chlorophyll increases the blood’s capacity to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to cells within the body, which helps the body regenerate and cleanse itself at the cellular level. Consuming a daily cup of matcha is an easy way to incorporate detoxification into your everyday life.
Catechins stimulate metabolism and trigger weight loss and since match green tea is such a potent source of catechins, it makes it a very effective fat burning tea. Matcha also help prevent and improve other metabolic conditions such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol, insulin resistance and Type II Diabetes.
Matcha contains up to five times as much L-theanine as regular green tea (20 milligrams versus 4 milligrams). L-theanine promotes alpha waves, which lead to a state of relaxed alertness. L-theanine has been shown to benefit people with anxiety as it increases levels of dopamine and GABA in the brain. Matcha does have caffeine in it (less than coffee), so don’t exceed 1 mug a day and drink it with some food or after a meal if you are sensitive to the effects of caffeine.
Not all Matcha is the same quality. Many powders can contain sugars and natural flavorings. Read ingredients when you purchase it or if getting one at a coffee shop, ask what kind of matcha they use. Matcha and other green teas from china have been found to have high levels of lead and pesticides. It is best to buy organic, non-GMO Japanese Ceremonial-grade matcha, available at health food stores and specialty tea shops.
Matcha is traditionally made by mixing 1 teaspoon of matcha powder with a third cup of hot water (heated to less than a boil), which is then whisked with a bamboo brush until it froths. You can also use a milk substitute like unsweetened cashew, hemp, almond or coconut milk in place of water. You can sweeten your matcha using raw honey.
1 tsp Matcha can also be added to smoothies and protein balls.
Give Matcha a try and savor, appreciate and enjoy this incredibly powerful tea!
Enjoy!
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