I’ve been receiving a lot of questions about matcha recently; this fashionable green tea is gaining popular and winning over even die-hard coffee drinkers. If you’re intrigued about matcha, here’s additional information about it, as well as the health advantages.
Matcha is a special form of green tea
Matcha literally translates as “powdered tea.” When you purchase traditional green tea, the leaves’ components are infused into the hot water before the leaves are thrown. With matcha, you’re drinking the real leaves, which have been finely pulverized and put into a solution, usually by combining approximately a teaspoon of matcha powder with a third cup of hot (but not boiling) water, which is then whisked with a bamboo brush until it froths.
In contrast to regular green tea, matcha processing entails shading the tea plants before harvesting. This stimulates the development of leaves with improved flavor and texture. The leaves are hand-picked, quickly steamed to stop fermentation, then dried and stored in cold storage to intensify the flavor. After drying, the dried leaves are stone-ground into a fine powder.
Matcha offers health benefits
Matcha is a more powerful source of nutrients than brewed green tea since it is created from high-quality tea and consumed in its whole. Matcha contains polyphenols, which have been linked to cancer prevention, improved blood sugar management, blood pressure lowering, and anti-aging in addition to supplying tiny amounts of vitamins and minerals. Another polyphenol included in matcha, EGCG, has been demonstrated in studies to enhance metabolism and inhibit or stop the development of cancer cells.
It contains caffeine
Because matcha is made comprised of entire leaves, it has three times the caffeine of a cup of steeped tea, or nearly the same as a cup of brewed coffee. Matcha enthusiasts claim that, in comparison to coffee’s caffeine rush, matcha provides a “alert calm” thanks to a natural chemical called l-theanine, which causes relaxation without sleepiness. To guarantee a good night’s sleep, I feel it’s better to avoid all kinds of caffeine (even matcha) at least six hours before bedtime.
It traditionally involves meditation
Matcha preparation is fundamental to Japanese tea rituals, and it has long been connected with Zen. This is probably one of the reasons it’s becoming so popular, as meditation becomes more mainstream. Because the evidence on the health and weight loss advantages of mindfulness meditation has blown me away, I included a whole chapter on it in my book Slim Down Now, and I produced a five-minute guided meditation video on my website.
The powders may be sweetened, and the quality varies
Matcha has a strong flavor. It has an umami flavor and is described as grassy or spinach-like by others. As a result, it may be sweetened to increase palatability. One client was overjoyed to inform me that he was drinking matcha, but not regular matcha powder, but a powdered combination. The first component was sugar, and it also included powdered milk, so it was essentially hot chocolate—but with cocoa replaced with matcha, which I wouldn’t suggest. Tea experts also advise that when it comes to matcha, quality is everything, and it comes at a price. To put it another way, high-quality, fresh, pure matcha is costly. A cheap price tag might be a warning sign of a low-quality product. Jade Leaf Organic Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder ($19; amazon.com) appeals to me since it is USDA certified organic, third-party tested for toxins, and hails from Japan.
Matcha can be incorporated into meals
Chefs love matcha, not just as a beverage, but also as an ingredient in both sweet and savory recipes. Matcha recipes include anything from matcha muffins, brownies, and puddings to matcha soup, stir-frys, and even matcha guacamole! I enjoy playing with it, and I have discussed the possible weight reduction advantages of umami meals in a narrative.
