Everything you need to know about matchaThe latest green superfood.

What is matcha tea?
Matcha has quickly become one of the biggest food trends of the moment, and this superhero amongst teas has long been celebrated for its restorative qualities. Made from 100% green tea leaves and originally from Japan, matcha actually comes from the same tea plant as most other teas. The reason matcha is such a powerful antioxidant, and is hailed as a super power green, is all down to the way the matcha tea leaves are grown, harvested, and processed.

What is matcha used for and how do you drink it?
Matcha has been used in tea ceremonies in China and Japan since the twelfth century. Nowadays this versatile green superfood can be used for cooking and drinking. Matcha can be added to pretty much anything and is found in treats such as ice cream, sweets and even guacamole. Traditionally, you can get your matcha fix from drinking it as a hot tea; whisk ½ teaspoon into hot water and just drink it to get all its super powers. As matcha is a powder it can be blended into juices and smoothies as well, or even made into a delicious latte.

How does it differ from green tea?
Often matcha is called matcha green tea and that’s because the two teas actually contain a lot of similar nutrients. When you drink a regular green tea you just strain the leaves into the water and drink. With matcha, you consume the entire tea leaf in powder form. Essentially, this just means that matcha is the purest form of green tea. When it comes to drinking matcha over a regular tea blend you get a lot more beneficial nutrients from drinking it. That is why one matcha tea can be as nutritional as drinking 10 cups of ordinary green tea!

Benefits of matcha/green tea benefits
The health benefits of matcha green tea are widely accepted and by ingesting the whole leaf, you get a lot of antioxidants to help boost your immune system. This super green antioxidant powder is high in green tea flavonoids, known as catcheins which have an antioxidant effect on the body. Matcha also contains an amino acid called L-theanine found uniquely in tea plants which works with matcha’s natural caffeine to steadily release energy throughout the day, whilst maintaining a sense of peace and calm at the same time. Matcha helps keep your skin looking younger and healthier as this super green tea contains polyphenols which can prevent skin damage. Matcha powder is said to be able to boost brain power as the amino acid l-theanine can promote brain waves which help with concentration and alertness. This may explain why monks drink matcha green tea to help with meditation.

Benefits of matcha for detoxing/weight loss
Scientific research has found that matcha increases thermogenesis (the rate the body burns calories). This means that matcha is great for helping with and increasing weight loss as it boosts metabolism and in turn helps to burn fat. Matcha, is almost calorie free, making it the desirable addition for anyone trying to lose weight. Many weight loss supplements, include some form of green tea extract and as matcha is the purest form of green tea, it is no wonder it is so good for weight loss!

teapigs
Quality and taste is key, so you won’t find any chopped-up tea in the bags, only whole leaf tea, herbs, berries, spices and flowers.