Wednesday, April 8, 2015

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS MATCHA?

Welcome to Wednesday friends!

I've been curious about all of the buzz surrounding a new beverage receiving a lot of publicity recently called "Matcha Tea." You may have heard about this in news releases lately.

I became quite curious and have done some research. I chose an Organic tea grown in Japan. There is some information that reflects concerns of high lead levels of lead in teas grown particularly in China.   

My daughter and I have tasted a few recipes using Matcha and am sharing them with you today.


Matcha comes in a powdered form and is green in color. To make Matcha, green tea leaves are ground super-fine into a powder form. For a traditional cup of Matcha tea, hot water is added (not boiling) to one teaspoon of tea powder and mixed until a bit frothy. My daughter added a bit of unsweetened Almond milk to her cup and loved it. There really isn't much flavor otherwise.





So what's so special about Matcha? Because the whole tea leaves are ingested the tea becomes much more potent and is full of nutrients. It is rich in antioxidant polyphenols which are helpful in protecting against heart disease, cancer, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction and anti-aging. There is another polyphenol called EDCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) that in some research is touted as boosting metabolism and slowing or halting the growth of cancer cells.

Matcha may be incorporated into meals, may be sweetened, and is the focus of Japanese tea ceremonies. It's a great way to slow down. Research also shows the benefits of health and weight loss.



Link to the above recipe:
http://kelliesfoodtoglow.com/2014/03/14/glow-green-matcha-yogurt-breakfast-bowl/


Matcha Chia Pudding
1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 tbsp. maple syrup (or any sweetener)
1/2 tsp. Matcha powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. Chia seeds

You may also add berries or nuts for added texture.

Whisk all ingredients together and chill overnight. (Stir ingredients once approx. 
1/2 hour after refrigeration and then let set.) If you choose not to stir Chia seeds
will sink to the bottom of the pudding.

***This is my daughter's recipe.

As usual, I suggest you perform your own information finding facts and form your 
own opinion on whether Matcha is a good choice for you.


Wishing you a wonderfully Matcha day!

                      Kathleen


Source: http://time.com/3766975/matcha-green-tea/

                     








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