What ancient ingredient has suddenly spawned dozens of speciality cafes, is responsible for getting models through fashion week, can be used in everything from drinks to cakes and ice-creams, creates a buzz, fights cancer, AND is taking over instagram?
Image: huffpost.com
Answer: Matcha!
Originated by Japanese Buddhist monks some 800 years ago, Matcha tea has made a whopping resurgence in popularity lately thanks to it’s wide-ranging health and mental benefits. A purer type of green tea, Matcha is like green tea, amplified.
Made by ceremoniously grounding whole tea leaves into a powder then whisking the powdered leaves with water, matcha is a lot more potent than regular green tea. With matcha, you are consuming the entire leaf rather than just the water that’s been steeped from leaves. The ritual involved in preparing the beverage is also said to help relax, revive and aid in meditation.
READ: THE IDEAL ALTERNATIVE TO CAFE BANANA BREAD
Image: Pinterest
However, matcha itself is highly versatile and it’s perfect for use in a vast array of recipes. The powder can be used in juices and hot drinks, baked into sweet and savory foods, frozen into ice creams and ‘popsicles’, and even used as the basis for face masks!
YOU’LL LOVE: 25 BEAUTIFUL BEDROOMS YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO LEAVE
Image: Pinterest, foodideasrecipes.com
According to matchasource.com, matcha…
- Matcha is packed with exponentially more antioxidants than any other ‘superfood’ (ie 137 times more than regular green tea.) The more antioxidants you have, the better equipped your body is in the fight against infections and disease.
- Boosts metabolism and burns calories. The caffeine in matcha is released into your system slowly over a three-hour period, so it’s much better at sustaining your energy and alertness than coffee.
- Detoxifies effectively and naturally. The Chlorophyll is a powerful detoxifier, helping to eliminate both chemicals and heavy metals from the body.
- Calms the mind and relaxes the body
- Is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
- Enhances mood and aids in concentration
- Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
- Prevents disease
- Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar
So there you have it – matcha in a nutshell! Have you tried matcha before? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!
READ NEXT: 7 SIMPLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR A HEALTHIER YOU
5 Comments
There are quite a few matcha specialist websites, both local and international, if you want to give it a try at home first!
wow! where in melb can i grab these?
I’ve never heard of this before.
Have heard about this and would love to try but haven’t seen it in shops!
amazing!