Coffee, step aside—matcha’s taking over your mug!
Matcha tea is a powerhouse of benefits for your heart, weight, and overall health, thanks to its high antioxidant content. Unlike traditional green tea, matcha is a powder made from finely-ground young tea leaves. When you drink it, you're consuming the whole leaf, making its benefits even more potent. This could be your new go-to drink, replacing your regular coffee with a matcha latte. Curious to know more? Scroll on to see why you should start whipping up some matcha at home!
Green tea is packed with antioxidants called catechins and polyphenols, but matcha takes it to another level. This powder gives you a megadose of these antioxidants, which help keep your cells healthy. Plus, matcha is loaded with vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. Adding matcha to your diet is an easy way to boost your antioxidant intake and help keep your body in top shape.
Curious about how matcha can make your skin glow? Give it a week! Swap your coffee for matcha if you have skin concerns. According to a 2017 study, the vitamin C in matcha stimulates collagen production. Plus, vitamin B helps promote healthy skin cell turnover. Try it out and see the difference!
Many people feel a bit too energised after a cup of coffee, so they might enjoy trying matcha instead! Matcha powder has L-theanine, an amino acid known for its calming effects. A 2016 study found that drinking a beverage with about 25 mg of L-theanine, like matcha green tea, can be great for promoting relaxation and boosting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. L-theanine helps keep your energy steady without the ups and downs that can come with coffee. It's a smooth, calming alternative!
Drinking matcha every day may help keep your brain sharp, according to a small 2020 study published in the journal Nutrients. Matcha is packed with vitamin K and lutein, which have been linked to better attention and memory. So, enjoying a daily cup of matcha might give your brain a healthy boost!
Last but not least, matcha powder packs quite the caffeine punch. Matcha has about three times the caffeine of other brewed teas. While black tea has 47 mg of caffeine per cup and green tea has 28 mg, matcha boasts a whopping 70 mg per cup. That’s almost the same as a cup of coffee, which typically has around 96 mg of caffeine. So, if you’re looking for an energy boost, matcha might just be your new bestie!
If you’re convinced you need all the goodness of matcha, let’s talk taste! Matcha has an earthy, grassy flavour that can be pretty intense, so it’s often mixed with milk or a non-dairy alternative like almond or oat milk. Making matcha tea is a breeze. Just sift 1-2 teaspoons of matcha powder into your cup, add 60 ml of hot water, and mix it with a bamboo whisk. You can tweak the ratio to your liking: for a lighter tea, use half a teaspoon with 90–120 ml of water; for a stronger kick, mix 2 teaspoons with just 30 ml of water. Now that you’re all set, it’s time to start sipping!
