Matcha is a finely ground, bright green tea powder. It has been used in Asia for centuries for its purported health benefits. Matcha is a type of powdered green tea made from the whole tea leaf and is a more concentrated source of vitamins and minerals than other types of teas.
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What is Matcha?
Matcha Tea is a traditional tea from East Asia which is used to treat several conditions such as depression, fatigue, high blood pressure and stress.
Matcha is also finely ground powdered tea leaves of special grown and refined green tea leaves, usually grown in the shade. The green tea grown for matcha is shade-grown for at least three months prior to harvest; only the stems and leaves are removed during processing.
For use in preparing matcha tea, one will need a matcha tea bag, a teaspoon of honey, and two teaspoons of freshly grated ginger. Boil two cups of water in two cups of hot water and strain into the matcha tea bag.
Fill the container with the honey and ginger and leave to infuse for about twenty minutes, then strain again into the cup. The hot liquid will then cool down and it can be served chilled or warm for a delicious treat.
Using Matcha Tea
When using Matcha Tea in cooking, it should always be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month after preparation. Matcha can also be found in the Asian market as well as in specialty stores and some health food stores.
In our use, we prefer the culinary grade Matcha that has been lightly steamed and is bottled in a light amber colored bottle. The light color makes it easier to see the delicate leaves when stirring.
As a flavor enhancer, the leaves of the matcha plant have been widely used in Chinese and Japanese dishes for centuries.
Matcha tea powder can also be used as a dietary supplement to help improve overall health, especially when taken in combination with regular consumption of healthy foods.
In keeping with their beverage niche, many companies now produce Matcha Tea in bags or boxes with the same flavorful tea leaves.
These packages and packs provide an attractive selling point for companies wishing to market to people who are concerned about their diet and nutrition.
For example, one manufacturer has taken advantage of the trend by producing specialized Matcha Tea bags with a nod to the company's health conscious customers.
Their matcha tea bag is printed with a bright and colorful green logo that is reminiscent of the company's green tea leaf logo.
A Matcha Tea bag is designed to have the same nutritional value as its Matcha tea leaves. The nutritional value of any product depends on the ingredients and how they have been prepared.
Since Matcha Tea leaves are grown in the shade, they retain the majority of the vitamins and other nutrients from the plant. Because of this, Matcha tea bags provide an excellent source of these nutrients.
Why consumers enjoy Matcha Tea
It is believed that Matcha Tea accomplishes much of its rich flavor and health benefits by providing what is known as polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants found in various plants and are responsible for their ability to protect the body from damage.
The Matcha tea leaves contain a high concentration of polyphenols. Aside from protecting the body from damage, they are also said to help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Another reason why consumers enjoy Matcha Tea is because it is one of the few teas that has been approved by the Japanese government as a health food.
Because of this certification, there are many tea lovers who will purchase any flavor of Matcha Tea over the rest of the culinary grade teas available on the market. For this reason alone, the Matcha Tea market is booming.
Matcha Green Tea, which is a variety of Matcha Tea that has undergone a higher processing level to achieve its specialized culinary grade status is the most popular variety.
Matcha Tea can be purchased in a variety of different forms. They can be purchased in loose leaf form, in powder form, in tea bags or in a Japanese tea ceremonies container.
If you wish to experience all the amazing benefits of Matcha, purchasing one of the many different forms of the delicious drink is a great option. You may also want to try the Matcha green teas that are available.
Health Benefits of Matcha Tea
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- Anti-aging and health benefits
Matcha green tea is a traditional form of powdered tea that contains high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, along with other polyphenol compounds.
The tea has been used by the Japanese for many years because of its known anti-aging and health benefits. Polyphenol compounds are powerful antioxidants that combat free radicals, the main cause of cellular aging and disease.
Free radicals damage cellular DNA and the longevity of the cells can be severely affected.
2. Improve brain function
A recent study showed how matcha can improve your brain function. Scientists at the University of Glasgow published their results in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience.
The scientists studied the relationship between the antioxidant polyphenol compound, EGCG, and the antioxidant polyphenol compound, ECG, with brain function, including neurocognitive functions, visual functions, and reaction time. The scientists found that when they gave test subjects an antioxidant supplement such as matcha tea, they performed better on cognitive tests than when they were given the placebo.
The results of this study showed that the supplement was able to enhance brain function.
3.Heart health benefits
This is just one of the exciting new uses of matcha. The researchers also found that drinking two cups of matcha tea every day was beneficial to the heart.
The reason why it is beneficial to the heart is that the tea has high amounts of antioxidants, similar to red wine, and these antioxidants protect the vessels of the heart. This is how matcha helps to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
4.Improve Working Memory
Another of the Health Benefits of Matcha Tea is that it has been shown to increase endurance. Research has shown catechins improve working memory and the ability to focus.
In fact, research has shown that catechins are as effective at boosting your cognitive functions as the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.
Matcha also contains a range of plant compounds called catechins, which are similar in chemical makeup to quercetin and resveratrol. These ingredients have been shown to have similar antioxidant properties. Quercetin and resveratrol have been scientifically proven to have anti aging effects.
5.Reduce LDL ('Bad') Cholesterol
Like all antioxidants, matcha has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. It has been proven to increase the elasticity of arterial walls.
This is how it prevents hardening of the arteries and its accompanying problems like coronary disease and heart attack. It also protects against damage to blood vessels.
All of these contributing factors cause an increased risk for heart disease and strokes.
6.Rich in antioxidants
But, did you know that matcha green tea also has more antioxidants than any other tea? It's so rich in antioxidants that eating an entire cup would give you the same amount of antioxidants as eating a glass of red wine or eating a bag of blueberries.
This is because the antioxidants in matcha exceed those found in the other two types of tea. Not only does this make it healthier than most other teas, it makes it tastier too.
7.Cancer prevention
There are a few other Health Benefits of Matcha Tea that were recently discovered. One of them is the fact that it can help prevent cancer. In tests tube extracts from the leaves have helped prevent the growth of cancer cells.
There were even tests tube extracts from the leaves that were shown to prevent the growth of pre-cancerous tumors.
8.Prevent Atherosclerosis
Another of the Health Benefits of Matcha Tea is that it can help prevent atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition that leads to hardening of the arteries and can lead to heart attacks and stroke.
What's interesting about the Health Benefits of Matcha Tea is that it contains two herbal compounds that can help to reduce the buildup of cholesterol. One of the compounds is called L-theanine. L-theanine is found in a variety of plants, especially in the tea plant.
It has been shown to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the body and increase your energy boost as a result.
This is all because the tea contains caffeine and the L-theanine acts as a selective amino acid that helps to cleanse out your body of harmful impurities.