tracing its roots to ancient china and japan, matcha is japanesese for “powdered tea”. it was known to be a popular drink, from monks to samurais, and in our century, your local starbucks.
if you’re looking for a coffee alternative, matcha might be a good option with its high caffeine content (minus the jitters).
pure tea goodness
Even though matcha is a tea, it is specifically the powdered form of green tea leaves. This means that when you consume matcha, you’re ingesting powdered tea leaves as compared to drinking tea leaf-infused water. While green tea has many benefits, the majority of valuable antioxidants and minerals actually remain unused when the leaves are drained and thrown away.
Catching that catechin
In a study that compared the benefits of matcha to regular green tea, scientists found matcha to have 137 times more Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) - a plant based compound that is linked to reducing inflammation, weight loss, and heart and brain disease prevention.
when the time’s right
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you might want to exercise a little caution with matcha. It contains similar amounts of caffeine compared to coffee. On the up side, many who’ve tried matcha have noticed less jitters, better moods and improved concentration. This is due to L-theanine, a compound that slows the release of caffeine and also has a calming effect.
matcha magic
While drinking matcha won’t make you more mindful, meditation might. Traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, Buddhist monks loved the process of preparing matcha, which set them in the right frame of mind before meditation, and increased their ability to focus while meditating.
bad breath be gone
Ever had to sit beside someone with halitosis (fancy term for bad breath)? If you have, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be that person. Drinking matcha slows the growth of germs that cause bad breath in your mouth. So, drink up and keep your teeth and gums fresh. Win-win.