Tasty Tea Traditions: The Body Benefits of Enjoying Matcha Green Tea

Did you know you can get and stay healthy just by drinking some tea?

A little-known kind of tea, called Matcha tea is making waves in the natural health community. Matcha powder is the hot new beverage and there’s lots to love. Even dedicated coffee lovers are making the switch to this earthy-flavored tea. Why?

What Is It?

Matcha is a type of green tea, and is prepared in a similar fashion. The leaves of the plant are prepared by covering green tea plants with shade clothes before they’re harvested. What this does is trigger the growth of leaves with better flavor and texture. The leaves are then picked and steamed to stop the fermentation process.

After the steaming process, they are dried and aged in a cold storage unit to deepen their flavor. The dried leaves are stone ground into a powder which provides maximum surface area and allows the brewing of the leaves into a very strong tea.

By ingesting the leaves, you’re benefiting from the entire nutrient profile of the leaf, instead of the water infused version, which many people drink (green tea). This makes consumption of the tea much more powerful and potent.

The tea powder is highly valued for its sharp bite, which is followed by a lingering natural sweetness, owing to the natural sugars in the plant. Zen Buddhist monks drink the tea to remain alert and calm during meditation. And, like green tea, the matcha powder contains caffeine. It also contains l-theanine, which helps balance the caffeine and induce a state of calmness.

The tea also provides small amounts of vitamins and minerals. It’s rich in antioxidants which are called polyphenols. These polyphenols have been linked to protection against many diseases like cancer and heart disease. They can also help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure.

Another substance, called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG can boost metabolism and increase fat burning in certain individuals. This makes is an ideal substance for people trying to lose weight.

Other Health Benefits

The matcha powder has many health benefits, some of which are owing to the high levels of antioxidants. The tea has 137 times the amount of antioxidants as green tea, which can help boost the immune system and improve overall wellbeing.

An often understated benefit of matcha powder is the fiber content. The powder contains a high level of absorbable dietary fiber, which can help ease constipation and stabilize your blood sugar level.

This, in turn, can help you feel fuller, longer, decrease your appetite, and help you maintain a healthy weight.

The antioxidants in the matcha powder also have substances called catechins, which have thermic properties, which promote fat oxidation that’s beyond what can be explained by the tea’s caffeine content. When individuals consume green tea, thermogenesis is increased from a baseline of 8 to 10% up to 35 to 43% of daily energy expenditure. A study demonstrated that exercising right after eating or drinking matcha tea resulted in 25% more fat burning during exercise.

If you’re looking for ways to boost your workouts, this is definitely one of the best ways to do that. And, it’s safe and effective for most people who choose to do it. If you can tolerate caffeine, you can probably tolerate the effects of matcha tea.

Lowering Cholesterol

If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels, matcha tea may be able to help. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that green tea and extracts thereof lowered total serum cholesterol and LDL concentrations. Paired with a good diet, you may be able to control your cholesterol levels and keep them within a normal range.

If you want to know more about how to get ahold of it, you can see it at www.amazon.co.uk.

It May Help Keep You Younger-Looking

Everyone is interested in staying youthful these days. And, matcha tea can help you with that. The tea is one of the most popular green tea drinks in Japan. But, it’s also becoming more popular in other parts of the world because of the potent antioxidants it contains. It can combat inflammation and aging too. Okinawans are some of the longest-lived individuals in the world. And, it’s thought that regular consumption of matcha tea is what helps them live so long.

If you do decide to purchase matcha tea, make sure you get the freshest and purest available. Good matcha tea is expensive, and you should definitely look for organic options which won’t contain the pesticides or other chemicals found in non-organic varieties.

Connor Reynolds likes to think of himself as a mind, body, spirit guru, and is always handing out bits of information to those around him, whether they want it or not! He writes for various healthy living blogs on a variety of topics.