Things We Love – Matcha!

Are you looking for a magical elixir to cure what ails you? Look no further. Matcha green tea is for you.  The health benefits of this green wonder are endless, from fighting cancer to fighting aging.  I first learned of matcha from my cancer nutritionist, Rachel Beller, and have been a huge fan ever since. 

What makes matcha so special? This tea is steamed and immediately ground into a powder, rather than fermented like most teas, so it retains all of the good stuff because the entire leaf is used.  The tea bags you are used to have lost a good deal of the healing properties by the time they get into your cup.  Matcha is a double dose of goodness, because while it does give you an energy boost like coffee, it has a more longterm effect so it lasts longer and yet it is calming at the same time. Bonus!

Health benefits include catechins that fight cancer and a high EGCG antioxidant content, which means that 3 cups of green tea per day can help prevent breast cancer by 50%!  Adding lemon to your tea increases the amount of antioxidants.  It combats inflammation, oxidation, and aging, lowers cholesterol and increases thermogenesis which aids in weight loss. 

Matcha has more antioxidants than blueberries (over 15 times!) and over 60 times more antioxidants than spinach.  It also has a high level of fiber that is easily absorbed, and just a cup can help tame those food cravings.

Our favorite resource for this magical stuff is Matcha Source in Los Angeles.  We spoke with founder Alissa White about the benefits of matcha and some easy ways to incorporate it into your daily life.

Matcha is still a novelty here in the states. Most people love the rich green tea taste and the energetic lift from the tea. Plus, drinking matcha nourishes body and mind and is a kind simple way to show-up for yourself everyday.

Matcha tea works hot, cold sweet and savory.  Enjoy Morning Matcha Classic Grade as a tea with water, or Gotcha Matcha Café Grade as an ingredient in smoothies, lattes, salad dressings or pastry.

MNU: What are the long-term benefits of a daily cup of green tea?

Matcha is a positive change tea. Drinking matcha everyday will help boost immune function, reduce inflammation, improve your pH balance and reduce sugar in your blood.

Matcha is known as the Emperor’s Tea.  It is the tea traditionally served in highly ritualized tea ceremonies where treating guests with respect is the ultimate pursuit. Part of the lore of the tea is that Buddhist monks drank it to assist with meditation because the caffeine kept them alert, while the theanine was calming and increased concentration.

Matcha is shade covered at the end of harvest, which means the leaves work harder to produce photosynthesis. This in turn, increases the chlorophyll in the leaf which means the tea is higher in nutrients and amino acids. Plus, when you drink matcha, you are ingesting the whole leaf and receive 100% of the nutrients of the tea.

Blending grades are made from mature leaves and have not been de-stemmed. These will cost less and taste a bit more astringent- which is why they are best suited for blending. Tea grade, or ceremony grade, matcha is made form the youngest leaves at the top of the plant and is completely de-stemmed for a superior mouth feel and vegetal grassy flavor.

I like to prepare matcha in the traditional style, using a bamboo whisk and ceramic tea bowl.  For more tips and tricks, visit the Preparing Matcha page at matchasource.com.

Please visit matchasource.com/recipes for serving suggestions including green tea lattes, breakfast bowls with berries and yogurt and buttercream frosting.  My customer’s use matcha in everything from breakfast oatmeal, to protein shakes to chocolates.  Also check out cigfy.com  (Cinnamon is Good for You – Apothecary meets Candy Store) for her raw organic cinnamon, chocolate and matcha truffles. 

About Alissa White:

Alissa’s own personal journey to matcha represents the ingenuity that fuels Matcha Source. White balances SoCal vibrancy spiked with the drive and passion of New York. After college in California and a master’s degree in at the prestigious Tisch School of Arts at New York University, Alissa embarked on a high-energy, ten year career in media.  

Eventually, the hectic pace left Alissa looking for something else. In 2004, a chance encounter with matcha became her vehicle for change. Alissa’s fascination wasn’t simply aesthetic or culinary. The healthful qualities of matcha made a personal connection with White, who learned how the green elixir could have helped her diabetic father. Gradually, she came upon the same discovery made in Japan over a thousand years before: green tea in its most refined form—matcha—had the potential to heal and restore health. 

In 2006, Alissa founded Matcha Source which is creating a first generation of American matcha drinkers who can find their own way to enjoy matcha. Because matcha is so versatile, she believes matcha can fit into all kinds of lifestyles in many different ways. And there’s no better example than her take on matcha.  Reminiscent of the simple sense of togetherness behind chanoyu, or the Japanese tea ceremony, Alissa says that her favorite cup of matcha is one shared with a friend. 

About Matcha Source:

Expect best quality teas and excellent customer service from Matcha Source LLC.  Contact Matcha Source for more information or to place an order. 

8036 West 3^rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048.  You can order by phone or visit the boutique.