Matcha tea* is one of the easiest ways to add health into your day. In less than 10 minutes you can be curled up on the couch drinking a great tasting cup of nourishing tea. The details of making this tea might seem complex, but I’m going to walk you through how easy it is to enjoy.
According to matchaful.com here is an informative description of just what Matcha does.
MATCHA CONTAINS Powerful Antioxidants
Matcha is an antioxidant powerhouse. On the ORAC scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity – a measure of the antioxidant capacity of food), it surpasses all other antioxidant-rich foods including blueberries, pomegranates, and dark chocolate.
The antioxidants in matcha are made up of 60% catechin polyphenols – the most potent antioxidant. Catechins offer protection against many kinds of cancer, helping to prevent heart disease, reduce cholesterol, and slow the process of aging. The most important and abundant polyphenol in matcha is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) – the same polyphenol found in all green teas.
MATCHA PROVIDES Sustained Energy & Focus
L-Theanine, an amino acid found in matcha, combines with caffeine to create increased focused and sustained energy throughout the day. L-Theanine has been hailed for relaxing the brain, muscles, and blood vessels. It can help lower blood pressure, enhance mood and promotes a sense of calmness by relaxing alpha waves in the brain (associated with a feeling of happiness and alertness) and increasing dopamine production – two of the brain’s ‘feel good’ chemicals. This amino acid is the secret ingredient that leaves you feeling energetic and focused yet calm all day long.
MATCHA IS Cleansing & Detoxifying
Matcha is five times higher in chlorophyll than regular green tea. The primary reason chlorophyll is considered a superfood is because of its strong antioxidant and anticancer effects. Chlorophyll benefits the immune system because it’s able to form tight molecular bonds with certain chemicals that contribute to oxidative damage and diseases like cancer or liver disease. Chlorophyll can help give you clear skin, protect your blood and heart, and also help prevent joint inflammation.
Pretty amazing right? And it tastes awesome too. Matcha dates back a thousand years, and making it is a beautiful ritual. To make this perfect cup of tea, you are going to need a few simple tools.
MATCHA WHISK: These are about $10-$20 dollars and you can find them just about anywhere online. I got mine at Davids Tea** but you can find it on Amazon, or at a local tea shop.
BOWL: You will need some type of small ceramic bowl. You can easily use anything you have lying around your house. If you want to get fancy, you can designate a matcha bowl.
MEASURING SPOON or a MATCHA SPOON: I use a matcha spoon because the powder is very concentrated, and easier to scoop with its really long handle. You don’t need it but it’s a lot less messy with it. I got mine for $7 at Davids Tea.**
MATCHA POWDER: My personal favorite is Harney & Sons Organic Matcha. There are plenty of great brands but this one is on the top of my list for quality and taste. Make sure your tea is just matcha powder with no added sugars or additional ingredients. Shop here.**
Follow your packages instructions. For mine I measure two heaping scoops with my matcha scoop and pour in 4 oz of 175-degree water which is before it’s boiling and just starting to bubble up. Learn more about water temperature for tea.
Take your whisk and start whisking until it froths and there are no chunks of the tea (at least a minute). Pour liquid into a small mug. You can drink it just like this or make it a latte.
In my personal opinion, a latte version makes it even better. You can buy a stick frother and add the milk of your choice or you can buy a larger frother. I use and love the Nespresso. It retails at about $120, which is a substantial investment, but if you love lattes, it will pay for itself quickly. It has four choices of foam and takes less than a minute to create the perfect latte. Easy to clean. This mini appliance is easily on my top 5 list of best things I ever purchased in the kitchen. Find it here.**
You can add any type of milk, or milk alternative. I am dairy free and love to make almond milk lattes. The BEST almond milk I have used is New Barn Barista Almond milk.** This product is pure magic. It froths up like a coffee house latte. It’s organic and from an awesome local small business. I can’t say enough about how great these guys are, but back to matcha tea and perfecting your matcha latte.
Add the milk of your choice to your hot matcha tea (iced versions available too). If you like cinnamon, add a dash for even more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. Enjoy!
*Matcha does contain caffeine and one cup per day is the recommended amount. If you have a caffeine sensitivity, make sure you don’t have it too late in the afternoon
** Despite my enthusiasm over these products, I am not being paid to endorse any of them.
