Matcha Tea: The New Health Food of 2015

What is Matcha Tea?

Chances are, if you have read any health blogs or articles, you have probably heard about matcha tea. Still, you may not know exactly what it is or why it’s the next big health food. Matcha tea is the dried leaves of green tea ground into a powder.

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Unlike most forms of green tea, farmers cover the leaves with a heavy cloth for three weeks before they are harvested in May. The new shoots develop larger, thinner leaves with better texture and flavor. The leaves are then steamed briefly to stop any fermentation, dried, and then packed for cold storage. After six months, the leaves have aged perfectly and are at their optimum peak for consumption.

Why is Matcha Tea So Healthy?

You probably already know that green tea has amazing health properties, but since matcha is a concentrated form of green tea, you get even more benefits. Matcha is full of catechin polyphenols, which are rich in antioxidants.

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They offer protection against many forms of cancer, prevent cardiovascular disease, and slow the aging process. A 2009 study found that matcha tea also helped slow the progression of kidney and liver damage in rats with Type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to reduce bad cholesterol in the blood, stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce high blood pressure, and help the body resist toxins.

What You Can Do With Matcha Tea

You can buy matcha tea at most health food stores, and you can order it online. More grocery stores and supermarkets are starting to carry it as well. To make matcha tea, add a scoop of the powder to your cup or mug.

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Next, heat some spring or filtered water to just barely boling. Then, add some drops of the hot water to the matcha powder in your cup and stir with a spoon to make a paste. Add more hot water to paste mixture and stir with a spoon until you achieve your desired consistency. A good rule of thumb is to start out with one teaspoon of powder for every six ounces of water. You can also incorporate matcha tea powder into other recipes like green tea lattes, smoothies, and ice cream.

The new year is a great time to incorporate healthy habits into our lives. Drinking a cup of matcha tea every day is a small and easy way to do something for your health.

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