First and foremost, matcha is somewhat different from your regular green tea. Matcha’s tea leaves are grown in the shade to amp up its chlorophyll content; it’s also processed differently from regular green tea. While the usual green tea is also packed with a number of beneficial elements, everything is amplified tenfold in matcha. Thanks to its numerous health benefits, matcha is arguably the most researched type of tea in the last decade. What began as a classic beverage of Japanese chanoyu ritual has become a staple of hip cafés and in many health enthusiasts’ home cabinet.
- Antioxidants
Matcha is packed with loads of antioxidants called catechins, particularly the poweful EGCg (epigallocatechin gallate) that is believed to be able to combat cancer. - It Keeps You Awake
Coffee has finally found its match. Owing to its caffeine and Ltheanine amino acid content, matcha can keep you awake without the jitters. Matcha also has significantly less acidity compared to coffee. Good bye jitters, hello clarity! - Weight Loss
A research published on the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that matcha can help to increase the body’s rate of burning calories. Matcha boosts metabolism, burns fat, and is almost calorie free. - Detox
Matcha and its high chlorophyll content ensure the elimination of toxins and other potentially harmful chemicals from the body. - Anti-Aging
Aside from the obvious fact that high level of antioxidants leads to prevention of chronic diseases, and inadvertently to antiaging, we can also talk about statistics. Japan is the number one consumer of matcha, and look where it gets them: the country with the highest life expectancy in the world. Considering all of the above, it’s no wonder the matcha trend has swept all over the globe.
Text by Alexandra Karman
Photo by Alexander Chen
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