Matcha Latte, Please

Recently, I was reminded of the antioxidant power of green tea.  In particular, matcha green tea.  I’m one of those people who can eat or drink something if I know it’s good for me….for the most part.  When a choice is presented, I usually tend to choose the fruitier flavored teas because of the natural sweetness.  Although there are choices in flavors of green tea that help to mask its natural bitterness. 

Why should you be drinking green tea?  It’s astringent and bitter.  Not nearly as pleasing to one’s palate as black, white or herbal tea.  We, as Americans, enjoy sweetness; and as a result consume a large quantity of sugar each year (152 pounds per person according to the 2018 statistics.) Sugar is an inflammatory substance and compromises our immune system.  It also invites free radicals to harm our tissues and cells.  Green tea is a bitter, which is why it’s so good for our health, yet many people don’t enjoy the taste.  The over consumption of sugar has rewired our brains into not liking those bitter tastes.  Just like any other addiction, the brain wants more of what it likes.  What it wants is sugar.  The more we consume, the more we want.  Because of our preference to sweet, we often don’t consume the necessary bitters our body needs.  

Each day, we are subjected to toxins that can disrupt our DNA and cause disease.  Toxins are found environmentally and can enter the body through the skin, which is the largest organ, through food, and air.  Once those toxins enter the body, there is the potential to cause harm to our good and healthy cells.  What we then need to have are antioxidants.  These are found in certain foods that bind to toxins and keep them from entering our cells.

Green tea is loaded with antioxidants.  Antioxidants grab those free radicals and hold on to them.  Once and antioxidant binds with a free radical, they are bound for life.  That’s a good thing.  Otherwise, the free radical will grab onto your healthy cell and cause damage.  We are all exposed to free radicals each day from cleaning agents, food, air, and all sorts of environmental factors.  Consuming foods that have a high antioxidants are beneficial to our overall health. Side note:  consuming antioxidants can help you look younger too—yay!

If you haven’t heard of matcha yet, let me introduce you to it.  The powered green tea is a traditional Japanese tea used in ceremonies.  It has gained popularity in recent years due to reports of its healthy benefits.  Why this green tea has more antioxidant power is due to both how it is harvested and how it is consumed.  Just before harvest, the leaves of the plant are covered bringing out the plants’ chlorophyll levels. This process turns the leaves a vibrant shade of green.  Once the harvest is complete, the leaves are laid out to air dry and then ground into a powder.  It’s the powder that is then whisked with hot water or a steamy milk of choice then consumed. It’s because the whole leaf consumed, is why the tea is much higher in antioxidant power.  Traditional green tea leaves are steeped and then discarded, while the matcha leaves are consumed.  According to research conducted by the University of Colorado, matcha contains at least three times a much epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the green tea antioxidant, then originally thought.

There’s a host of research suggesting that there could be several health benefits to consuming this supercharged antioxidant EGCG.  Those include:

·     Lower blood pressure

·     Improved memory

·     Bone strength

·     Lower cholesterol numbers

·     Fat burner

·     Feelings of calm

While matcha does contain caffeine, it’s only about half as much as coffee.  Because matcha contains a hefty supply of the amino acid, L-theanine, the caffeine effects are less noticeable with only a “gentle buzz.”  Research continues in the realm of cancer fighting properties and the prevention of cold and flu.

Not all matcha is the same.  Depending on the process and where is originates from determines the flavor and grade of the tea.  Some companies have better quality control than others.  And because it is harvested as a whole leaf, dried and ground, it will spoil more rapidly.  Be sure to purchase your matcha from companies with high standards of quality control. A poor quality will be pale in color while a better quality is a bright green.

Other uses for matcha is to add to a smoothie, salad dressing, mix with pancakes or muffins. Give it a try and let me know what you think.  It’s now my go to latte with coconut milk.

Health bite: Consume antioxidants daily