Here's Why Everyone's Going Crazy Over Matcha Green Tea
Matcha tea, matcha cookies, matcha smoothies, matcha pastries -- it seems people are putting green tea powder in everything these days. And why not! It's incredibly healthy, tastes good, and turns foods a lovely green color.
There's more to matcha green tea than just a fun cooking trend, though. It's a healthy superfood that does fantastic things in your body. Unfortunately, since it's become so popular there are plenty of low-quality matcha products out there that don't include all the health benefits you're hoping for from green tea powder.
Let's dive into this topic today and take a closer look at what makes matcha so special, and how you can get all the benefits from this amazing food.
What is Matcha, Exactly?
Matcha is powdered leaves from the green tea plant. Drinking or eating matcha gives you all the nutrients in the leaf, unlike when you brew green tea and only get part of the nutrients. This means matcha powder has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea. In terms of nutritional content, one cup of matcha equals about 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea. That's pretty significant. Studies that describe green tea as anti-aging say you need to drink at least 5 cups a day to see any benefits. With matcha, though, one cup gives you twice as much of a boost as drinking the recommended 5 cups.What Are The Health Benefits?
People have been drinking matcha in China for thousands of years, for the taste as well as the medicinal benefits. It's only more recently that the rest of us have caught up with the trend. The ancient Chinese knew it was good for you, but now we also know why. Green tea, especially matcha ...- Is full of antioxidants, including the powerful Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG).
- Boosts metabolism and burns calories by increasing norepinephrine, which signals the body to break down fat.
- May help against free radicals that contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries
- Increases energy without the "jitters" that come from other sources of caffeine.
- Contains a rare amino acid, L-theanine, which produces anti-anxiety effects and also increases dopamine and alpha waves in the brain.
- May improve insulin sensitivity and reduction in blood sugar levels to help combat Type II diabetes
- Increases immediate and short-term brain function and may protect against neurodegenerative diseases in old age.
