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3 Powerful Ingredients In Matcha Tea You'll Love!

3 Powerful Ingredients In Matcha Tea You'll Love!

What is the hype with Matcha green tea and how does it differ from good ol' green tea?  

Both Matcha and green tea are derived from the same plant called Camellia Sinensis.  Matcha is 100% green tea leaves that have been ground into a fine powder; making it more concentrated than regular green tea. Matcha green tea is grown in the shade, which actually increases the chlorophyll and amino acid content in the leaves. Matcha tea is also known as an antioxidant powerhouse! 1 gram of Matcha green tea contains about 1348 units of antioxidants. Compare this to 105 units or 91 units of antioxidants per gram of pomegranates and blueberries respectively! Now, doesn’t this make you want to grab a cup of Matcha green tea right now!

Matcha Green Tea is composed of 3 main ingredients that give it its nutritional profile: L-Theanine, EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) and Caffeine. Let's talk about the benefits of each:

Ingredient #1 - L-Theanine 

L-Theanine is the most amazing nutrient found in green tea! L-Theanine helps the brain to produce alpha waves, which increases the two ‘feel good’ chemicals, serotonin and dopamine. This induces a state of relaxation, improves sleep, enhances mood and improves mental functions like alertness and memory.

Ingredient #2 EGCG 

This is the most abundant antioxidant in Matcha! EGCG makes up 60% of the antioxidants found in Matcha green tea. EGCG helps to kill unhealthy cells, stimulates metabolism and boosts the immune system.  It is used in the prevention and treatment of different kinds of cancer, weight loss and helps in athletic endurance

Ingredient #3 Caffeine + L-Theanine

The best thing about Matcha green tea is how well L-Theanine and Caffeine work together. The caffeine component gives you a sense of alertness while the L-theanine evokes a sense of relaxation, resulting in a ‘calm alertness’. The L-Theanine modulates the effects of caffeine in the body by eliminating the caffeine crash you would normally get with coffee! The increased energy effects can last up to 6 hours after ingestion.

Yummy Green Tea Recipes You Will Love!

Matcha Green Tea is so diverse in the way it can be ingested (Smoothies, latte's, breakfast bowls, baking). My personal favourite is to incorporate it into your daily morning routine by adding Matcha green tea powder to a smoothie or latte. 

Matcha Smoothie

  • 1 tsp of Matcha powder
  • 1 scoop of your favourite vegan protein powder
  • 1 tsp of MCT oil
  • Cinnamon (for the warming effect in winter months)
  • Âź of a cup berries
  • Blend ingredients in an electric blender and pour into a glass!

Matcha Chai Latte

  • 1 tsp Matcha Powder
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 tsp spices: cinnamon, cardamom
  • Bring 1 cup of almond milk to simmer in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add chai spices and 1 tsp of matcha powder into milk and stir.

 

Matcha Green tea really and truly is a superfood for both the body and mind! It is known to help with brain fog, increase energy, increase focus, increase stamina, decrease stress and anxiety. It has the wonderful dual action of making you feel calm and alert at the same time thanks to the L-theanine and caffeine. The high antioxidant component also helps in preventing and treating various diseases.

Are you curious about giving Matcha Tea a try? Here are some of our favourites from vitamart.ca

  1. DoMatcha Organic Ceremonial Matcha

  2. Organic Traditions Matcha Tea (Ceremonial)

  3. Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen

Comment below which recipe you want to try and if you are a matcha tea lover!

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