It's no secret matcha is packing some incredible health benefits, which besides the great taste, is probably why it's skyrocketed in popularity lately.
From matcha shots, to lattes, and even desserts - matcha is everywhere, if not, coming to a cafe near you!
It is green tea yes, however it's different and here's how:
Firstly, it's grown different - I'll control myself here, and spare you the nitty-gritty, details of the very lengthly growth + harvesting process matcha goes through, but trust me when I say, it's very in depth. 😋
Secondly, it tastes SO much better than regular green tea!
And lastly, it has way more benefits due to its unique nutrient profile - Let's talk about them!
1. It's SUPER High in Antioxidants
When I say super high in antioxidants, I mean SUPER high - like your body would thank you so much from just drinking one cup.
It's actually got 137x more antioxidants than a regular cup of green tea, and let's be real for a second... no body drinks regular, steeped green tea for the taste... and here matcha is, with more benefits than regular green tea AND it tastes incredible!
Let's get back to these antioxidants...
Matcha is rich in catechins, a class of plant compounds that act as natural antioxidants.
Why are antioxidants so special?
Well, antioxidants help stabilize harmful free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease. So, when you have a cup of matcha, which is prepared by whisking the matcha powder into hot water, you're getting ALL of the nutrients instead of only some as with regular, steeped green tea.
2. May Help Protect The Liver
Your liver is absolutely vital to your health, and it plays a central role in flushing out toxins, metabolizing drugs, and processing nutrients.
If I can indulge in a great tasting drink while helping my liver function better - SIGN ME UP!
There have been many studies that have found drinking matcha may help protect the health of your liver.
One study gave 80 people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease either a placebo or 500mg of green tea extract for 90 days. After 12 weeks, green tea extract significantly reduced liver enzyme levels that when elevated, these enzymes are a marker of liver damage.
3. Boosts Brain Function
This is actually some pretty cool stuff.
Matcha contains caffeine, a much more concentrated amount than regular green tea. Many studies have linked caffeine consumption to improvements in brain function, citing faster reaction times, increased attention, and enhanced memory.
Here's where it gets cooler...
Matcha also contains a compound call L-theanine, which alters the effects of caffeine, promoting alertness, a more focused energy, no jitters, all while decreasing stress/anxiety. It also helps in avoiding the crash in energy levels that can follow caffeine consumption.
4. May Promote Heart Health
There have been some studies that show, drinking green tea, which has a similar (but less) nutrient profile to matcha, may help protect against heart disease.
It has been shown to reduce levels of total and "bad" LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides. It also may prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
However, drinking matcha to help keep your heart healthy and protect it against disease, it must be combined with a well-rounded diet and healthy lifestyle!
5. Helps You Lose Weight
Although we do not recommend any weight loss supplements, if you look on the labels, you'll likely see "green tea extract" listed in the ingredients.
This is because green tea is well known for its ability to enhance weight loss. Studies have shown that it speeds up metabolism, and increases energy expenditure and boosts fat burning.
Although this is known for green tea, matcha comes from the same plant and will have the same, if not greater effect.
In Conclusion...
Matcha comes from the same plant as green tea, but because it's made from the entire life, among other things, it packs a more concentrated amount of beneficial compounds.
More importantly, and our favorite part is, it's easy to prepare, you can incorporate it effortlessly into your diet, and it tastes GREAT!
Want to get your hands on some incredible matcha?
SHOP HERE: www.thematchalab.com/shop
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