There is so much love right now between Matcha and I. I first tried Matcha at Starbucks when I was curious about what a ‘Green Tea Latte’ was. I love lattes and green tea, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was light, creamy, and had a hint of the green tea flavor – simply divine. Traditionally, Matcha is not prepared with any sugar or milk, but I honestly don’t know if I could drink it any other way. Without these additions, it can be a little bitter. Matcha is a bit stronger than brewed tea since it is essentially dissolved tea leaves. However with regular tea, the leaves are discarded after brewing.
Why do I love Matcha so much, you ask? Well as much as I LOVE coffee (seriously it’s kind of like a dessert to me), I don’t like feeling the after effects – shakiness, irritability, craving a burger by like 10am, etc. Matcha is categorized as an adaptogen, so if you feel stressed, it will calm you down, and if you feel sluggish, it will keep you energized. As magical as this might sound, I can definitely vouch for its’ adaptogenic qualities. A lot of this resulting ‘calm energy’ is due to the fact that it contains L-theanine, which is an amino acid that when combined with coffee will increase cognitive performance (if your interested in learning more about the science behind this, google ‘Nootropics’). Last but not least, Matcha has the most amazing health benefits. According to matchasource.com, Matcha…
- Is packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg
- Boosts metabolism and burns calories
- Detoxifies effectively and naturally
- Is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
- Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
- Prevents disease
- Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar
There are many varieties and producers of Matcha, but my favorite is Sunpotion’s ceremonial grade Matcha. It is much creamier than others that I have tried, plus it is ceremonial grade, which is the highest quality green tea powder available. Ceremonial grade Matcha should be a vibrant green color, have a delicate and smooth taste, and a very fine texture. It is made from the young tea leaves, with the stems and veins removed.
Today, the ways in which you can utilize Matcha are endless. Matcha can be used in smoothies, ice cream, salads, soups, face masks (stay tuned for this one), or just about any dish you are preparing. The way I’ve been preparing Matcha is by first whisking 1 teaspoon of the powdered Matcha with room temperature water. Once all of the Matcha has been dissovled in the water, the fill the rest of the cup with 80% hot water and 20% warm milk. It is much easier and quicker than brewing coffee!
Have a wonderful day enjoying your Matcha!
The Bird's Nest 