Matcha, not just a Japanese green tea
Maybe you have heard of Matcha before, but what is Matcha actually? Matcha a very fine green powder. It is a Japanese stone ground green tea and is fully packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Compared to green tea, Matcha contains a very high level of protein. Besides the high level of protein Matcha contains higher levels of potassium, iron, calcium, fibre and vitamin C than green tea. All of these antioxidants, vitamins and minerals benefit your skin, hair and nails. Matcha increases thermogenesis (fat burning), warms your body and burns calories. A very pleasant thing about Matcha is that it gives energy throughout the entire day. When consuming coffee or energy drinks we all get to experience a sudden peak and drop in energy. It only gives us energy for a very short amount of time. The great thing about Matcha is that it provides energy throughout the whole day without sudden drops. Matcha puts you in a very pleasant soothing, calm, alert, happy state of mind. It reduces the effects of stress.
The last few months I have been working really hard at my day-job besides going to the gym for a minimum of 7 crazy hours a week. So, my body has been enduring a lot during the last year. About two months ago my body let me know that it had been enough and I got a rough wake-up call. I ended up not being able to work, drive or even walk for a decent amount of time. I was sleeping a lot. When I say a lot… I mean a lot! Last week I started with treating myself with Matcha Latte. It has helped me so much! It is absolutely crazy. Matcha has helped me to calm down, keep a happy state of mind but also provides me with energy throughout the whole day. So, I am actually enjoying a regular sleep rhythm again. I hope it will benefit others as much as it benefits me. So these days I am treating myself with a lovely Matcha Latte in the morning.
Matcha Health Benefits
A quick view at some of the benefits of Matcha:
- High in antioxidants
- Improves energy level
- Improves your state of mind
- Improves your immune system
- Stimulates your metabolism
- Improves concentration
- Improves skin, hair and nails
- Lowers your cholesterol
- Just freaking healthy!
Because of all these amazing benefits Matcha is seen as a superfood and therefore considered as one of the most healthiest ingredient for all kinds of foods and beverages.
A traditional cup of Matcha tea is made by sieving 1 teaspoon of Matcha powder into a ceramic bowl and adding about 75ml of warm water. It is very important to sieve the Matcha powder. If you do not sieve the Matcha you will end up with lumps. The lumps will cause a very bitter taste. Also the temperature of the water influences the delicate flavor of Matcha. A great temperature is around 75-80 °C (~170 ºF). Whisk the water and the Matcha well. A very good way is to move the whisker in either an M or a W motion. Once a good layer of foam emerges, stop whisking. Now it is time to enjoy this cup of goodness.
The taste of Matcha is hard to describe. The first time I tasted it, it made me think of Pu Erh tea. Most likely because this tea is made out of a combination of green and black tea. I would describe the taste of Matcha a bit earthy and sort of bitter. Because of this earthy bitter taste it is very nice to enjoy a glass of Matcha tea together with a sweet snack. Matcha powder can be used for so many other recipes like Matcha Latte, cakes, crepes, smoothies and other amazing delicious foods.
My favorite Matcha beverage so far is a nice warm cup of Matcha Latte. I absolutely love it! It is very easy to make.
How to make a Matcha Latte… we will show you in a later post.