Matcha is a powerhouse. Superfood of superfoods. So the next time you need an energy boost, brew some matcha green tea latte! It pumps you with energy without all the guilt of drinking a calorie and sugar-dense espresso latte.
Matcha tea is the whole green tea leaf, ground up into a fine powder. The reason it is 10 times stronger is because you drink the whole leaf instead of just the water that the leaf is brewed in (which is the way we drink regular loose leaf tea). The consumption of matcha goes back to the Tang Dynasty days in China. The practice of drinking powdered tea became popular in the Buddhist tradition and was taken to Japan around 1191. The production methods of growing tea specifically for being ground up includes shading the tea bushes from direct sunlight, thus promoting increased production of amino acids in the tea leaves.
The health benefits of matcha are amazing and wide-ranging. Matcha has been linked to cancer prevention, weight loss, mood enhancement and longevity. It is high in antioxidants, especially EGCg (Epigallocatechin Gallate) which is a potent compound that has been linked to the reduction of plaques related to AIDS-related dementia and the prevention of 5 different types of cancer. It’s also super high in amino acids (building blocks for protein), chlorophyll, and vitamins A, C and E. The amino acid that it contains is called L-Theanine. This wonderful amino acid promotes a sense of relaxation and calm in the body, all while acting upon the brain to stay alert. This little ingredient is what makes matcha the perfect drink for when you want to be alert but not jittery.
Try my easy-peasy matcha green tea latte recipe and you will add hours of productivity to your day!
Ingredients
- 1/2 filtered water
- 1/2 almond or coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons of matcha powder (see below for where to buy)
- 1 teaspoon honey or coconut sugar
Directions
- Boil 1/2 cup of water
- In a bowl mix the matcha powder and water
- Whisk until there are no lumps (you can use a handy match whisk or a regular whisk will do the job too, may take a little longer though)
- Transfer to mug or cup
- Heat up the almond or coconut milk, bring to boil
- Add milk to tea and water mixture
- Optional: add honey or other natural sweetener to taste
- Optional: use a frother to whip up some lovely foam
- Enjoy!
This takes less than 5 minutes to make and costs a fraction of what you would pay at a fancy coffee shop (even Starbucks charges $4.50 for one of these!).
You can purchase matcha powder from a health food store or online. I buy organic matcha from Got Matcha. They have some cool blends of raw cacao and matcha and other fun flavours to try. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way. You only need 2 teaspoons to make a pretty strong matcha latte.
See you matcha latter! (ok that was cheesy even for my standards)
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matcha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigallocatechin_gallate
