{"id":3059,"date":"2018-04-10T12:28:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-10T17:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=3059"},"modified":"2018-05-24T12:18:43","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T17:18:43","slug":"ways-to-use-matcha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/ways-to-use-matcha","title":{"rendered":"10 Healthy Ways to Use Matcha"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Got matcha? If you\u2019re into healthy beverages, you may have tried this Japanese delicacy. Matcha tea has been the focal point<\/a> of Japanese tea ceremonies for more than 800 years, and lately it\u2019s showing up everywhere, from Starbucks\u2019 menus to the ice-cream aisle.<\/p>\n

Matcha is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis<\/em> plant, the same plant used to make all green and black teas. To create matcha, farmers grow tea plants in special shaded conditions, pick the finest young buds, and use a slow-turning granite grinder to rub them into an ultra-fine, vivid jade-hued powder. Matcha powder is whisked into warm water to make traditional matcha tea, frothed with milk to make green-tea lattes, and used to flavor and color various foods.<\/p>\n

Green tea is sometimes called the healthiest beverage on the planet<\/a>. Matcha tea boasts even more nutrients than brewed green tea because it contains the actual tea leaves (rather than just liquid flavored by steeping leaves). In fact, tea made from matcha powder has 137 times more of the potent antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG<\/a>) than brewed green tea, according to one study<\/a>. Intrigued? Let\u2019s dig into more of the health benefits of matcha and discover 10 delicious and healthy recipes with matcha in the starring role.<\/p>\n

Health Benefits<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Antioxidants are important because they prevent and repair oxidative damage<\/a> to cells, and EGCG is only one of the polyphenol antioxidants in green tea. Green tea contains eight to 10 times more polyphenol antioxidants than most fruit and vegetables, according to one assessment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Drinking green tea is associated with lower heart disease risk. In a review of studies<\/a>, people who drank the most green tea had a 28 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease. Moreover, in a number of studies green tea significantly lowered LDL cholesterol levels when compared to a placebo.<\/p>\n

Tea may also help protect against diabetes<\/a>. In a study of Japanese adults, those who drank 6 cups per day of green tea had a 33 percent lower risk of diabetes.<\/p>\n

Other studies<\/a> suggest drinking green tea may help protect against developing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Parkinson\u2019s disease, and it may also lower your likelihood of getting the flu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cognitive Benefits<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Matcha not only contains more antioxidants than brewed green tea; it contains more caffeine, too. Matcha boasts about 70 milligram<\/a> of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, compared to 25 milligram<\/a> per 8-ounce cup of brewed green tea and 50 to 200 milligram<\/a> per 8-ounce cup of drip coffee.<\/p>\n

Unlike coffee, matcha doesn\u2019t usually make people feel anxious or jittery because it also contains a soothing amino acid called L-theanine, which relaxes the mind<\/a> without inducing drowsiness. When taken together<\/a> in combinations such as those found in matcha, caffeine and L-theanine have been shown to improve performance<\/a> on cognitively demanding tasks.<\/p>\n

Eat Your Matcha<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not ready to trade in your morning cup of coffee for a frothy green beverage just yet? Use antioxidant-rich matcha powder to make these delicious dishes. Bonus: Research<\/a> suggests foods containing matcha may slightly enhance cognitive performance, although not as much as drinking matcha tea.<\/p>\n