15/10/2021
Until a couple of years ago I had the same question! I filed it under 'some health drink' and went on my merry way, but after repeatedly hearing the word here and there my curiosity got the better of me and I finally hit up good old Google for the answers. It wasn't until this research convinced me that I must try the green goodness, that I realised I had in fact taken part in a matcha tea ceremony many moons ago during a school Japanese lesson π΅
So what is it?
π Matcha is a type of green tea (don't give up on me yet!) which is made by shading, drying and then stone grinding the young leaves of a green tea plant into a fine, bright green powder. Traditionally the powder is combined with hot water and whisked to create a thin tea. Personally, I prefer my morning pick me up in the form of a Matcha "latte", which is essentially the tea added to a milk of your choice & sweetened if you wish (I use oat milk & sugar or honey)
π Matcha contains caffeine π But - here's the kicker - distinguishing itself from coffee, it gives you a slow and sustained energy boost. None of the jittery buzz and crash so many of us get from coffee! (Reading this β fact piqued my interest. With 2 boys + a new baby, and having mostly given up coffee thanks to it making me feel like the ol' ticker was going to explode ππ₯ This magical green caffeine sounded alot like I'd just won the sleep-deprived coffee-sensitive mama lottery π€©)
π The reason: Matcha contains amino acid L-Theanine which is believed to help with focus, mental clarity and calm, tempering the caffeine release to provide a relaxing energy boost. Sounds like an oxymoron, but it's legit π―
π Matcha also contains a bunch of antioxidants including catechins (not found in coffee) which help to prevent cell damage and may assist in slowing the ageing process and even preventing some diseases. One cup of Matcha is equal in antioxidants to about 10 cups of brewed green tea! Bonus!
So if coffee isn't making you feel your best π₯΄π³π€― perhaps you just won the sleep-deprived coffee-sensitive mama lottery too!
Matcha love π Ange x