Matcha green tea has been a buzzy-worthy health trend for the last few years, and since the whole anti-inflammatory diet boomed in popularity, more people are continuing to look for ways to add matcha green tea to their diet.
Let’s take a look at why matcha green tea is such a powerful superfood, plus a recipe you can enjoy throughout the cooler months of the year to keep your immune system strong and your inflammation at bay.
What is Matcha Green Tea?
The term “matcha” means powdered tea, so when you consume matcha green tea, you get the benefit of the whole green tea leaf. The leaves are ground into a fine powder, whereas when you brew a cup of regular green tea, you discard the leaves.
The powder is mixed with hot water and then traditionally whisked with a bamboo brush until the tea froths.
Benefits of Matcha Green Tea
So, what makes matcha green tea better than just a cup of regular old green tea? For one, since you get the benefit of the whole green tea leaf, nutritionally, it is more nutrient-dense.
Here are some of the other benefits of matcha green tea:
Rich in antioxidants: Matcha green tea is rich in polyphenols which have been shown to hold anti-aging benefits, and may help protect against chronic disease. (1)
Rich in EGCG: EGCG is a specific polyphenol that is abundantly found in matcha green tea which has been found to help boost metabolism.
May Help Support Brain Health: Some studies have found that matcha green tea boosts brain function by boosting attention, memory, as well as reaction time. (2) Want to really give your brain a boost? Consider enjoying a cup of matcha green tea with a serving of our Dr. Vim’s Magnificent Mushrooms Brain Blend for an added boost.
How to Drink Matcha Green Tea?
One of the greatest things about matcha green tea is that it’s very easy to enjoy. It comes in a powder, so all you need to do is boil some water, add a teaspoon or two of the matcha powder to your mug, and whisk with a bamboo brush. You can find a bamboo brush/whisk online.
You can also play around with how much water and how much matcha powder you use. For a thinner tea, consider using more water, and only a half of a teaspoon of matcha green tea powder to start.
Another tip is to buy the highest quality matcha green tea powder you can and stick to organic. Since the whole leaves are used, you run the risk of pesticide exposure depending on the type of soil the green tea plant was grown in, so the higher the quality, the better.
A Matcha Green Tea Latte
Ready to whip up a cup of matcha green tea? Here’s a matcha green tea latte to help get you started.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp. Raw honey
- ½ tsp. Matcha green tea powder
- 1 serving of the Magnificent Mushrooms Brain Blend
Directions:
1. Add the hot water to a mug and add the matcha green tea powder. Whisk with a bamboo brush.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until frothy.
3. Sip and enjoy.