Health Benefits of Matcha Green Tea!

Here’s a video providing a brief overview of matcha, its health benefits, and a step-by-step guide to preparing a delicious cup of matcha green tea!

Who would have thought that ingesting leaves would have so many health benefits? I know I didn’t!

A few years ago, I didn’t even know what matcha was. It wasn't until a DAVIDsTEA Sales Associate recommended matcha to me as I was feeling pretty low in energy. After learning more about matcha and its health benefits, I was sold!

What is Matcha?

Matcha means “powdered tea” that is made from green tea leaves. It is a very fine green tea powder (as shown in the picture below).

For steeped teas, the flavor and nutrients from the leaves get infused in the hot water.

For matcha, you ingest the actual leaf (minus the spine and the stem of the leaf).

By ingesting the actual leaf, the body receives more nutrients, vitamins and minerals than drinking a steeped tea.

This brings me to the amazing health benefits of matcha green tea!

Health Benefits of Matcha:

1) Matcha green tea powder is loaded in antioxidants! In particular, polyphenols are micronutrients that have antioxidant properties. Polyphenols are important chemical compounds that can help protect the cells in our body from damage.

To put things into perspective, ONE cup of matcha has as many antioxidants as TEN cups of steeped green tea!

Matcha has more antioxidants than various “superfoods,” such as blueberries, spinach, broccoli and even goji berries!

2) Matcha is a caffeinated beverage. With that being said, it does not affect your mind and body the same way that a cup of coffee would.

Both matcha and coffee can bring an alertness to the mind and body. However, coffee may leave you feeling anxious, wired or buzzed after consumption. You may begin to experience a crash in energy about an hour or so after drinking a cup of coffee.

Matcha can leave us feeling calm and alert. This is because matcha contains a natural substance called L-theanine. L-theanine encourages the body to relax without causing drowsiness. Therefore, matcha can boost mental focus and promote relaxation at the same time!