What is Matcha and Why You Should Be Drinking It
If you’ve known me for longer than 15 seconds, you would probably know that I am OBSESSED with matcha! I have it once (or more) every single day, and I love that it is both delicious and full to the brim with health benefits. Maybe you’ve heard of matcha, or even tried it once or twice, but you’re wondering why people are raving over this drink. I have heard so many people say that they tried matcha and didn’t like it, but when I made them a cup the proper way, they loved it! So if you’ve tried matcha and didn’t like it, or if you haven’t tried it before, then I hope that once you’ve learned more about it, you’ll be tempted to give it try yourself!
Let’s start with the basics.
What is matcha?
Matcha is a form of green tea where the entire tea leaf is consumed. Why is that so important? Well think about it like this- with normal green tea, you are drinking the water that the leaves were soaked in, but with matcha you are drinking the ground up leaves themselves. That means you are getting 10x the health benefits of normal green tea, or that you would have to drink 10 cups of loose-leaf green tea to get the same amount of antioxidants, L-theanine, vitamin C, carotene, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and overall nutritional value you get in one cup of matcha. Pretty cool, huh?
Matcha vs Coffee:
Matcha does have caffeine like coffee, but the difference is that your body processes it in a completely different way. For one, the caffeine in matcha is released slowly, and the amino-acids included in it control how it functions in the brain. Bascially this means you won’t get any of the jittery, anxious feelings that can accompany drinking coffee. It also means you won’t feel a big spike and crash the way that coffee can make you feel. Matcha is also much better for your digestive tract as it actually serves as a probiotic rather than causing irritation the way coffee does. Finally, matcha is actually a much better source of energy as it gives you four to six hours of energy compared to the one to three you get from coffee.
Did you know?
Studies in humans have shown that caffeine increases cortisol and epinephrine at rest, and that levels of cortisol after caffeine consumption are similar to those experienced during an acute stress. Drinking coffee, in other words, re-creates stress conditions for the body. Compounding the problem, people tend to consume more caffeine during stressful periods (as nearly every student during exam season knows well). They add stress to stress, potentially making things even worse. Luckily the caffeine contained in matcha will give you the same energy boost without increasing the release of cortisol or epinephrine!
Matcha vs Other Superfoods
Matcha is so much more than just a yummy drink that helps give you energy, it is a true superfood! All superfoods are measured by a unit called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) with helps identity how strong their antioxidant abilities are. Goji berries, for example, contain 253 ORAC units per gram. Dark chocolate contains 227. Pecans have 180; walnuts, 135. Pomegranates have 105, and wild berries, acai berries, broccoli and spinach all have less than 100. Where does matcha stand? Matcha green tea has a whopping 1,348 ORAC units per cup. Isn’t that amazing?
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Many people describe matcha as having an earthy or grassy taste, which I know, makes it sound like we are all grazing animals, but while it does have an earthy taste, please don’t associate that with being a bad thing! The flavor of matcha is generally described as being very rich and savory (although many recipes and lattes are made with added sweetener, usually honey.) The quality (called grade in the tea world) of your matcha will determine the quality of the flavor. Knowing the grade of your matcha as well as understanding the difference between culinary and ceremonial matcha will help you determine what the taste will be like.
What are the different grades of matcha? Culinary vs Ceremonial
Matcha runs from the highest grades to the lowest. Lower grade matcha generally tastes more bitter, while higher grades have a more floral taste. The highest-grade is grown and harvested in Japan in ideal conditions. You can tell the quality of matcha by a few different factors, but the main one (other than packaging and labels) is color! Higher quality has a darker green color, while lower has a pale green shade.
Culinary
Culinary grade matcha, also known as food grade, is exactly what it sounds like: meant to be used in food products and not intended for drinking (you can still drink it but the taste won’t be as pleasant!) Culinary grade matcha is often used in foods because the additional ingredients help to cover up some of the bitterness that can be found in lower grade matcha. The health benefits don’t change, but the flavor does. You can typically find matcha in desserts such as smoothies, baked goods, ice cream, mochi or cream based products like mousse and cheesecake. Culinary grade matcha is generally cheaper than ceremonial grade, and is a perfect option if you are looking to add matcha to your next dessert!
Ceremonial
Ceremonial grade matcha is more commonly used for preparing the popular matcha tea or tea lattes. This type of matcha has a much more pleasant flavor, and can taste wonderful when made with simply water. It is also the best option for tea lattes, or other forms of drinking. The leaves used in ceremonial grade matcha are generally less mature than in culinary grade matcha which means they include less tannins and will have a less bitter taste.
Now that you know what differentiates matcha from normal green tea, and how to select the appropriate grade let’s dive into what those health benefits are and why you should care!
What Does Matcha Green Tea Do for Your Body?
When you consume matcha, you are getting an unparalleled amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and more. With its incredible nutritional properties, matcha tea can boost your metabolism, detoxify your body, calm the mind, enhance your mood, and lower cholesterol. Matcha tea provides vitamin C, selenium, zinc, magnesium, EGCG, fiber, chromium, and more. It is also known to support a healthier immune system. The antioxidant catechins in mathca work to boost the immune system and protect against cancer and inflammation. Studies also remind us that matcha may help boost immunity against the common cold and flu virus, because the catechins protect our cells from infection by reducing their chance of attaching to pathogens. In short, matcha can help you feel better, think better, and live healthier. Matcha tea has high levels of l-theanine, an amino acid that contains many health benefits towards the human body. L-theanine has been shown to alter the amounts of dopamine and serotonin that the brain emits. By increasing the dopamine and serotonin in one's brain, it will increase the person's overall mood.
Other Health Benefits:
Disease Protection:
Matcha contains catechins, a family of polyphenols known to assist in our bodies’ antioxidant activities. One catechin found in mathca is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is one of the world’s most powerful antioxidants, and can help reduce inflamation and protect the heart and brain from disease. and is potentially promising in studies against cancer. EGCG is also key in protecting your body from the damaging effects of air pollution, harmful UV radiation, and chemicals used in our daily environment. Matcha contains many antioxidants that can help provent cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other degenerative issues.
Cholesterol Reduction:
The catechins in matcha tea are known to help naturally lower cholesterol levels.
Reduces the Effects of Stress:
The amino acid L-theanine (which is found in matcha) is know to reduce stress, and promote a sense of peaceful focus. For the average person, matcha is an excellent way to help relieve daily stress and promote clear thoughts.
Detoxifies the Body:
Matcha green tea has high levels of chlorophyll, which may not directly flush toxins, heavy metals, and chemicals from your body, but it’s one of nature’s best indicators for the high concentrations of the key compounds that do. The rule of thumb is to look for the greenest matcha, that guarantees tons of antioxidants, polyphenols, and amino-acids which regulate our metabolism and clean our bodies from the inside out.
Helps Make Workouts More Effective:
Matcha is the perfect fuel for before and after workouts. When consumed before a workout, it increases blood flow to muscles, and protects the heart. The antioxidants present in matcha are also known to help reduce exercise-induced oxidative stressors, which are known to make recovery take longer, and can be difficult on your body to tackle on its own.
Promotes Healthy Skin and Teeth:
Matcha has antibacterial properties which help cleanse the gums and teeth, while also suppressing the overgrowth of harmful bacteria that causes cavities and gingivitis.. Even better, matcha protects skin from free radicals, the molecules associated with aging, damaged cells, and a lackluster glow. By drinking matcha green tea, your skin will maintain a natural, radiant, and healthy glow.
Benefits Cognitive and Emotional Health:
Finally, the presence of amino- acids like L-theanine and EGCG have positive influences on our brain. As we mentioned earlier this amino-acids can help activate our serotonin and dopamine systems which lead to overall better mood.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of matcha, check out www.matcha.com for tons of information!
3 of my Favorite Ways to Make Matcha:
Traditional Matcha:
Bring 1.5 cups of water to 180 degrees (just under boiling)
Pour 1/2 cup of water into your mug or bowl to warm the surface
Pour out the water and dry the mug/bowl
Sift a 1/2 teaspoon of matcha through a small sieve
Add 1/4 cup of water to the matcha and whisk- you can use a fork or small whisk, but a proper matcha whisk is ideal (we linked one below)
Whisk until the matcha has dissolved into the water and there are no clumps remaining
Add the remaining water
Matcha Latte (Hot or Iced):
Hot:
Bring 1 cup of water to 180 degrees (just under boiling)
Pour 1/2 cup of water into your mug or bowl to warm the surface
Pour out the water and dry the mug/bowl
Sift a 1/2 teaspoon of matcha through a small sieve
Add 1/4 cup of water to the matcha and whisk- you can use a fork or small whisk, but a proper matcha whisk is ideal (we linked one below)
Whisk until the matcha has dissolved into the water and there are no clumps remaining
Head up 1 cup of your milk of choice (ideally dairy free as dairy can interrupt the benefits of matcha from properly absorbing in the body)
You can heat the mixture in a few ways: using a steam wand on an espresso machine, in a pan on the stove, or if necessary in the microwave (although I recommend avoiding this option when possible!)
Add the heated milk to the matcha mixture
Iced:
Add 1 cup of milk (ideally dairy-free as dairy can interrupt the benefits of matcha from properly absorbing in the body) 1 teaspoon of honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of matcha to a blender
Blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until the matcha is fully incorporated
Pour over ice and enjoy!
If you are looking to buy some matcha or a kit to make matcha I suggest the options below!
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