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Most mornings, I like to start my day with a Matcha Green Tea. It's my go-to health tonic which simply combines Healthy Chef Matcha and hot water into an emerald green elixir that is full of antioxidants and makes me feel energised for the busy day ahead.
When I get to work, I'll often make a hot pumpkin seed milk matcha latte or matcha infused protein-rich smoothie, which is so creamy and dessert-like it's hard to believe it is for breakfast! This smoothie satisfies my cravings and keeps my blood sugars stable.
Matcha has the ability to support your immune system, positively impact your mood, improve cognitive performance, and enhance exercise-induced fat oxidation.
Matcha tea is my smart swap for coffee and milky lattes, which can often play with my blood sugar, leading to weight gain, especially during the winter months when I'm craving more warming drinks.
WHAT IS MATCHA
Unlike regular green tea where you steep green tea leaves, Organic Ceremonial-Grade Matcha is a more potent and concentrated form of green tea. It is made from the leaves of a young green tea plant that are hand-picked, steamed, dried and ground into a fine green powder. When you make it, you mix the powder with hot water so, essentially, you are drinking the entire leaf.
HOW MATCHA DIFFERS FROM GREEN TEA
- Matcha has 137 x antioxidants and 10 x more nutritional content compared to green tea.
- Matcha is ground into a powder using a traditional stone grinder, after being steamed and dried. Where green tea just goes through the process of being steamed and dried.
- Due to Matcha being a powder it can be used for an array of baking, cooking, and drink mixes. Green tea is not dissolvable, so is generally only used for brewing/steaming tea.
MATCHA HEALTH BENEFITS
Matcha has many health benefits, these include supporting your immune system, positively impacting your mood, improving cognitive performance, and enhancing exercise-induced fat oxidation. A 2018 study found that participants drinking matcha experienced enhanced fat oxidation during a 30-min brisk walk and were achieving a greater weight-loss overall.
+ LONGER - LASTING ENERGY
Matcha provides a gentle energy boost, thanks to the naturally occurring levels of caffeine. Additionally, matcha contains high levels L-theanine, linked to stress relief. When L-theanine is paired with caffeine, it can increase focus and attention and provide you with a pleasant clarity, so your energy boost is sustained over time.
To obtain all its benefits, choose Ceremonial Grade Organic Matcha. Ceremonial Grade Organic Matcha is high in antioxidants, and recognised as the highest quality matcha tea in the world as it uses the young leaves of the green tea plant.
+ MANAGE A HEALTHY WEIGHT
In a randomised, double-blind trial, 115 women with central obesity were randomly assigned to either a high-dose green tea extract group or a placebo group. Those treated with a high dose of green tea extract for 12-weeks resulted in significant weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and decreased plasma levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Consuming green tea extract increased thermogenesis, that is, the body's rate of burning calories, from 8-10% to 35-43% of daily energy expenditure.
+ THE REMARKABLE EGCG COMPOUND
Matcha is an excellent source of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a plant-based polyphenol with powerful antioxidant properties. Matcha contains significantly higher levels of EGCG than regular green tea, increasing its metabolism boosting and thermogenic effects in the body.
In fact, according to a recent review published in Molecules, EGCG has been shown to have beneficial effects against obesity. This is because EGCG can stimulate the genes responsible for fat breakdown.
HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL MATCHA TEA
To make matcha the traditional way, I like to heat filtered water to about 80°C – not quite boiling. Then combine 1 cup of the water with a small scoop of Matcha (about 1/2 teaspoon). Whisk the powder using a bamboo whisk in a ‘W’ shape until you have a bit of foam then sip slowly and enjoy. We like to enjoy our morning matcha with homemade hot pumpkin milk or added to a smoothie, for an antioxidant-rich breakfast to support concentration, energy and stable blood sugar.
