Matcha green tea’s vibrant green powder tastes a lot like green tea, but it offers more potent and meaningful health benefits. 

Matcha green tea is a fine powder green tea native to Japan. Matcha green tea tastes like green tea, only a bit more full-bodied. In one gram of matcha green tea there are 34 milligrams of amino acids, 14.26 milligrams of L-theanine, 35 milligrams of caffeine, 318 milligrams of fiber, 447 milligrams of carbohydrates, 1.75 milligrams of vitamin C, 291 units of vitamin A, 26.6 milligrams of potassium and just 3 calories. Each gram also contains 105 milligrams of catechins.

Matcha tea and stylish accessories retailed Matcha Source was founded by Alissa White, who is a huge proponent of matcha tea and its life-changing benefits, both on the inside and out. Alissa says, “Drinking matcha in concert with eliminating or reducing sugar is a powerful way to clear up your skin and promote your inner glow. Its highly alkaline and the chlorophyll in it helps to remove heavy metals from the body. Thus matcha naturally eliminates body odor. Try iced-matcha in the summer instead of iced-coffee for a hydrating pick-me-up.”

What is in the matcha tea to make it so beneficial? Catechins. Catechins are a type of antioxidant found in tea, red wine, chocolate, berries and apples. Part of a molecular family called flavonoids, catechins function as antioxidants – they protect the body from free radicals and play a prominent role in everything, from heart disease to cancer to aging.

A diet rich in catechins reduces body fat and may be useful in the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases, most notably obesity. It has also shown to aid in the prevention of age-related disorders, such as artherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. The catechin most active and abundant in matcha tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg). EGCg has shown in clinical applications to reduce inflammation, improve skin cell health, treat arthritis, control blood sugar levels in the body, suppress tumor promotion, improve survival rates of bladder cancer patients, lower the incidence of breast cancer and prevent and treat lung, pancreatic, skin and stomach cancer. Each gram of matcha green tea contains 61 milligrams of EGCg.

Matcha green tea is available in powdered form, which makes it particularly beneficial to the body. When you drink matcha tea, you ingest the entire leaf, receiving 100 percent of the nutrients of the plant. (This is unlike brewed green tea, in which you ingest the water that leaches nutrition from the leaves but not the leaves themselves.) Matcha powdered green tea boasts three times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea. It’s safe to say that matcha offers unparalleled nutrition, especially with regards to its antioxidants. It completely runs other antioxidant powerhouses to the ground. Its oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is valued at 1,573 units per gram, while goji berries, pomegranate, blueberries, acai berries, broccoli and spinach hold only a 253, 105, 93, 60, 31 and 12.6 rating, respectively.

So, how do you get started? Alissa says, “I recommend starting with one-two teaspoons of powder in the morning. See how you feel.  You can add a second serving in the afternoon or add a little more powder to your morning ritual.  Matcha does have a caffeine but it’s also rich in L-Theanine which is a natural mood enhancer.  Part of the lore of the tea is that Buddhist monks drank it prior to meditation because the caffeine kept them alert while the theanine kept them calm.  The result is a gentle sustained lift lasting several hours.  Perfect for work or play. Matcha is full of fiber and can help kick start your system if you are sluggish.  Be sure to drink plenty of water if this applies to you. Some of our Matcha Source customers, drink it 2-3 times a day and can’t imagine a day without matcha tea!”

Try Matcha Source’s classic grade organic morning matcha tea to get started. Matcha Source works with farmer and growers who have been cultivating premium quality matcha teas for centuries.  Tea, like wine, is impacted by quality of soil, water and climate. In addition to location, or terroir, the handling of the leaf during production is also critical for creating rich tasting smooth creamy matcha tea flavors. Matcha Source teas are shade covered at end of harvest to enrich chlorophyl production. At harvest they are hand-picked, steamed, air dried and then ground on hand-carved stone grinding wheels. The early harvest selections are blended by tea masters for ultimate mouth feel and incredible flavor. Also all matcha is shade covered at end of harvest for three weeks. This is a critical step in creating the unique nutritional profile of authentic matcha. There are other “green tea powders” on the market but they are not shade covered and do not have the same benefits or flavor.

Watch Alissa prepare matcha tea so you know how to do it yourself in the comfort of your own home.

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These are the perfect accompaniment to a tea party of any size. Whether it’s high tea at three o’clock for the ladies or a tea party for your budding princesses, these teanies add unparalleled nutritional perks. In addition to vitamin C, chromium, zinc and magnesium, Matcha tea contains unique and powerful antioxidants called catechins, which counteract the effect of free radicals, a cause of DNA damage. I also add hemp seeds to the batter and the frosting to bump up the protein, omega-3, omega-6 and phytonutrient content. Just some added health insurance.

Makes 24 mini-muffin-size teanies

Ingredients

Teanies

24 mini paper baking cups
2½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (see page 13)
2 teaspoons Matcha green tea powder
1 teaspoon sodium-free baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon guar gum
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
½ cup grapeseed oil
1/3 cup coconut nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/8 teaspoon stevia powder
¾ cup water
¼ cup unsweetened plain rice milk
1/3 cup hemp seeds

Frosting

1 cup hemp seed butter
¼ cup coconut nectar
1/8 teaspoon green Matcha tea powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with mini paper baking cups.

To make the teanies, whisk together the flour, Matcha tea powder, baking powder, baking soda, guar gum, salt and coriander in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle.

Add the grapeseed oil, coconut nectar, vanilla and stevia and stir to combine. Next add the water and rice milk, and stir until the liquid is absorbed and the batter is smooth. Stir in the hemp seeds and mix well to distribute evenly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups to the top.

Bake the teanies for 13 to 14 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown around the edges and bounce back slightly to the touch. Rotate the muffin tin from front to back after 10 minutes of baking.

Transfer the muffin tin from the oven to a wire rack and let sit for about 15 minutes before removing the teanies to cool completely.

To make the frosting, mix together the hemp seed butter, coconut nectar, Matcha tea powder and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Frost the teanies when they are completely cool.

Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1 teanie):
180 calories, 8 g total fat, 0.0 mg cholesterol,
16 g carbohydrates, 80 mg sodium, 2 g fiber,
3 g protein, 7 g sugars

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Image via Debbie Adler

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