Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Getting the Best Out of Matcha Tea


Matcha tea is a powdered green tea. Unlike loose leaf teas, it offers a powerful source of nutrients that are good for the body. Because matcha is a powdered tea leaf, consuming it allows you to ingest the whole leaf and let you enjoy the full health benefits it offers. A matcha drink is believed to have 10 times more nutritional values than brewed water from loose leaf tea.

Processed in a Unique Way

Matcha teas come from a tea plant. When the first few shoots of this plant appear, they are shaded for about three weeks or 20 days to shut out direct sunlight and to minimize the rate of photosynthesis. They are then harvested and steamed.

The leaves are then dried. through a gentle flow of air. When they are almost completely dried, the stems and the veins are removed from the leaves. The grinding of the leaves is the final step in the processing of matcha. For many years, grinding has been done manually on a stone mill. Recently, however, an automated stone mill is used that produces a more refined matcha powder.

RELATED: What is a Powdered Green Tea?

Rich in Antioxidants

Matcha has high antioxidant level. It has 137 times more of the antioxidant EGCG than green tea. Antioxidant is essential to the body especially that we store toxins coming from food that we eat and impure air that we breath in. As we age each day, more and more toxins get into our body. Toxins destroy our healthy tissue that may result to degenerative diseases. We need antioxidants that will remove these toxins and maintain a healthy immune system. The antioxidant component in matcha can help restore a strong immune system and prevent diseases.

RELATED: Why Should You Need to Have a Cup of Matcha Frappuccino Today?

Promotes Weight Loss

Matcha is also rich with chlorophyll. Studies reveal that chlorophyll promotes weight loss. In a study in 2013, twenty moderately overweight women were given three separate meals once in a week for three weeks. Two of the meals had chlorophyll and the other had none. The women reported reduced hunger after meals with chlorophyll with stable blood sugar levels in their blood tests. This concludes that chlorophyll can indeed help in reducing weight.

RELATED: The Wonders of Chlorophyll in Matcha

Increases Energy Level

A serving of matcha has 70% less caffeine than a cup of coffee. The caffeine in matcha, which is called theophylline, is absorbed by the body in small quantities spread over many hours. This results to a sustained energy for about 4 hours. Because the caffeine is released slowly, there is no feeling of adrenalin rush like that with coffee.

It is also a relaxant. It contains L-theanine that relaxes the muscles and blood vessels. L-theanine also sooths the nerves that causes a feeling of calmness. This also relaxes the brain that helps focusing and concentrating easier to do.

RELATED: The Benefits of Caffeine in Matcha

It is Not Just a Drink

A tea is commonly known as a drink. Matcha tea goes more than just a drink. Because it is powdered, it can be mixed with sweets and delicious pastries. If you browse the internet today, you can find a whole lot of drinks, sweets and cakes flavored with matcha powdered green tea. It can even be mixed with dishes. There are matcha puddings, matcha soups and matcha stir frys! These matcha recipes of  sweets and dishes come with a package of health benefits that matcha tea provides and the nutritional values of the other ingredients. Matcha brownies, for example, has both the nutritional components of matcha and chocolate.

The amazing benefits of matcha tea makes it, indeed, a popular choice for those who love to combine a refreshing drink with quality health benefits.


RELATED: Red Leaf Tea Offers 50% Off for English Toffee Matcha!

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