Herbalists, nutritionists and doctors all over the world acknowledge the power of green tea and its different types, all of which are praised for its health-related qualities.
One of the most discussed and preferred green tea undoubtedly is matcha, and we could say that all the fuss about it is justified.
If you ask why, then you might not be very familiar with its nutrient structure and health benefits.
But first of all, let’s answer the question: what is matcha and where does it come from?
Matcha Plants
Matcha is a finely milled/ground high grade green tea powder – the basic ingredient that Japanese tea ceremonies were centered around in the 12 century, a tradition that goes on until this day.
The preparation of matcha initiates a few weeks before harvest time, and can take up to 20 days, just when the tea bushes are covered to prohibit penetration of direct sunlight.
This is done to slow down the growth, thus boosting the chlorophyll amounts, and causes the production of amino acids (more concretely L-Theanine, which we talk about below).
Only the best tea buds are picked, and depending on whether the tea leaves are laid out to dry or rolled flat before drying.
In the first case we have matcha, while in the second, we get to consume what’s called Gyokuro.
As you would probably have guessed by now, matcha originates in China and Japan. Though the tea was consumed in China in 10th century, the most premium matcha comes from Japan, and the most popular growing locations are in South Japan: Kyushu, Nishio, Uji, and Shizuoka.
History says that the very first green tea seeds were introduced in Japan in 1191 by Eisai who was a zen monk coming form China.
He was thought to be the one bringing the Zen ideas to Japan, and was the first person to consume green tea leaves in powdered form.
Organic matcha is a fantastic herbal supplement that is one of the most powerful antioxidant sources in the world!
It delivers 137 times more antioxidants than normal green tea and around 5 times more antioxidants than most foods we eat on a daily basis.
That’s the reason why this unique type of green tea is considered an anticancer tea.
But matcha’s health improving properties expand even further than that.
It is a marvelous concentration and memory booster, because of the L-Theanine and the Epigallocatechin gallate antioxidants. Thanks to the L-Theanine, the herb also promotes a peaceful mind, high energy levels and stamina.
Abounding with chlorophyll, matcha is a natural detoxifier too, helping to excrete heavy metals and toxins from our bodies.
Matcha green tea is a very decent cholesterol-lowering agent. Studies even hint that those who drink it more often, have 11% less chance of developing a heart disease.
At last, but not least, matcha can be a fine addition into a weight-loss diet plan, because it has the ability to speed up the human metabolism, making you burn 4x more calories than usual, during, and even after workouts.
Are you already curious about how to use matcha?
From smoothies to backed goods – matcha can be used as an ingredient in plenty of healthy recipes. Just use your imagination and put your creativity on the table!
As a quick start, you may try our selected list of:
5 Best Healthy With Matcha Green Tea Recipe
@1. Vanilla Matcha Protein Smoothie Recipe by Perry Santanachote
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops of organic protein supplement (vanilla flavored if possible)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder ( Tablespoons Conversion )
- 1 banana
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ cup ice
- Fresh vanilla bean, scraped from 1 inch of a pod
@2. Blueberry Matcha Granola Recipe by Cheryl Malik
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups nuts or/and seeds of your choice (for example almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, flax)
- 2 ½ teaspoons matcha green tea powder
- 1 cup dried blueberries
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon high quality maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons natural oil (melted coconut oil fits great here)
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation:
- Heat the oven to 250º F.
- Combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar in a big bowl
- Mix the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in another bowl. Pour over the oat mixture…see the full recipe on 40aprons.com
@3. Matcha Rice Recipe by Luke Otter
Ingredients: (2 servings)
- 200g rice, washed and strained
- 400ml water
- ½ spoon matcha powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Shredded nori (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Preparation:
Put the water, rice, matcha green tea powder, and the salt in an electric rice cooker.
@4, Chia Matcha Pudding Recipe by Emilie
Ingredients: (2 servings)
- 1 1/2 cups milk (preferably non-dairy) or water (or mix both)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons matcha tea powder
- 3-4 drops of stevia extract or 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Nuts, Seeds, granola, fruit, shredded coconut flesh (Optional Topings)
Preparation:
– See the full recipe on emilieeats.com
@5. Dark Chocolate Date Matcha Bars by Denise
Ingredients: (for nearly 12 bars)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 9 oz. pitted dates (about 1 and 2/3 cup)
- 4 oz. almonds (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 tablespoons matcha tea powder
- 1/3 cup coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preparation:
- If you’re using whole almonds, chop or blend them to small pieces. You can also use slivered almonds if you want.
- Put all the ingredients in a blender/food processor and blend until they’re finely mixed. Stop the blender when you have a homogenous texture.
- Pour the content from the blender onto a piece of parchment paper and form into a lump. Press the dough into a rectangle form with a thickness of approximately 1 inch.
