If you’re anything like us, your social feeds have been flooded with everything matcha – matcha teas, matcha lattes, matcha smoothies, and even matcha cheesecake (check out this video from Goodful for inspiration). With the growing popularity of the fine green powder, we decided to take a closer look at the product and its benefits.
According to Healthline.com, matcha comes from the same plant as your ordinary green tea, – Camellia sinensis – but what makes it so special is the way that it is harvested and produced. Since the plants are shielded from direct sunlight 20-30 days before harvest, these plants have a chance to produce more chlorophyll, boost their amino acid content, and gain a darker green hue. All of these traits, combined with the fact that matcha is produced from the entire tea leaf, result in a more concentrated and potent type of tea that is linked to multiple health benefits including liver and heart health, improved brain activity, and even weight loss and management.
A lot of research is being performed on the benefits of matcha, but one thing seems to be clear – the product is high in antioxidants, containing 137 times more catechins than other types of green tea. If this has you scratching your head, don’t worry, we didn’t know what catechins were either, but luckily our friends at Healthline explained them as “a class of plant compounds in teas that act as natural antioxidants.” These antioxidants help to stabilize harmful free radicles and may help to prevent cell damage and even lower risk of chronic disease.
Similar to its high antioxidant count, matcha contains a more concentrated amount of caffeine when compared to other green teas. This caffeine proves helpful in boosting brain function, particularly in the areas of attention, reaction time and memory. But more than this, matcha also contains the compound L-theanine, which promotes alertness and even helps to prevent the dreaded post-caffeine crash, all while helping to decrease stress levels and encourage relaxation.
With so many health benefits, there’s no wonder why so many people are trading in their daily coffee and tea for the occasional matcha treat. And just like honey, one of the best traits of the popular powder is how easy it is to work into your routine. Today we are sharing three of our very own honey + matcha recipes that will fuel you to take on whatever your day has in store!
We want to hear from you! Have you tried matcha? What are your best tips or favorite ways to enjoy it? Let us know in the comments below!
