Green Tea Effects

Learn More About Matcha Green Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Green Tea Effects) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 22:19:00 +0000

Some green tea in Nanzenji's lovely tea room. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyone is talking about matcha green tea and with more reviews indicating it offers numerous benefits, it is little wonder that the demand is at an all time high. While this is the case, what is it made up of and what are the aspects that make it so popular? What are some of the things you need to know before proceeding to buy the same?

What is it?

Matcha powder is finely ground high quality powdered green tea grown in misty Japan Mountains and it is widely used in tea ceremonies. If you want high quality of this product, then you need to settle with one that is certified by the appropriate bodies.

Why drink it?

Matcha is believed to have high antioxidant levels and in addition to this, it is also nutritious. It has an ORAC score of more than 1380 which is high than that found in acai berries and blueberries. According to research, it contains high amino acids, catechins and vitamin C levels. Some of the health benefits that have been associated with this include the following.

Aids inn fats oxidation
Reduces cases of strokes by 21%
Improves your metabolism rate.
Aids in insulin stabilization.
Reduces cases of bad breath.

How it is Grown and Harvested?

Matcha green tea is manufactured using tea leaves that are shade grown. A couple of weeks before they get harvested, tea bushes get covered for the purpose of prevention direct sunlight. Due to the lack of sunlight, growth comes to a halt and the leaves assume a darker green shade. This step is designed to aid in promotion of amino acid production. The quality of the leaves is checked while harvesting and the selected ones remain shaded for a while.

They can be spread out indoors or laid out to dry. These leaves dry out and crumble to form what is known as tencha. This is bright green and when it is grounded, it delivers fine talk like powder which becomes known as matcha powder. The highest quality is supposed to be bright green and any that tends to have beige, yellow or brown color is deemed to be of poor quality and without the health benefits associated with the product.

Where to Buy?

If you are interested in buying this, you will be pleased to note that there are several online vendors known to sell it. While this is the case, you have to consider a couple of factors in order to make an informed choice. For starters, these come in different brands and you have to make your choice wisely by settling with the well known and most reputed brand. Also, consider the quality, color and taste before making a choice. More importantly, it does not come in the form of a tea bag and if you get such, you should not make a purchase.

Matcha green tea is rich is essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc and manganese which are known to deliver numerous benefits. It is for these reasons that buying matcha powder is seen as a wise move.

Source: Dmitry_Fedosev

Keywords: green tea, Matcha, matcha powder benefits, Tea, what is matcha.

Amazing Facts About Matcha Powder You Need To Know

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 16:51:00 +0000

Uniquely produced in Japan, Matcha powder has been drunk as tea or used as an ingredient in a variety of recipes, for along time now.

Production of the Japanese Matcha tea

The local farmers in Japan cultivate the tea using traditional methods starting with the growing to the grinding. It is known to be cultivated on the banks of Yahagi River, with a misty fog and a micro-climate conducive for it to grow. A few weeks before the harvest during the spring season, the tree plants are covered by use of bamboo mats. This reduces the sunlight that gets to the plants and at the same time increases the content of chlorophyll in the leaves thus offering the matcha green tea its distinctive green color.

Once it has been harvested, the tea is steamed before being air dried. The next step involves the sorting for grade before they are stems and veins are removed. In this stage, the leaves are known as tencha, and once it is ground, it is called matcha.

The stone mill grinds the tea grade version and this is finer as compared to the industrial version.

Contents in Matcha powder

Matcha green tea comes with a number of ingredients including:

Amino Acids- It is known to content L-theanine amino acid which is useful in relaxing the mind. It is also what gives the tea its distinctive taste.
Caffeine- Just like other green teas, Japanese matcha tea comes with caffeine which offers the drinkers a mild steady energy.
Antioxidants- It is believed that the amount of oxidants in this powder is higher than in other foods.

Matcha powder benefits

This type of tea comes with a wide variety of benefits to the users some of them include the following:

Delayed Aging- With the antioxidants in the powder, the users will be able to enjoy a number of benefits. One of them is delayed aging as the antioxidants fight against the free radicals occurring in the body and this protects the body from the adverse effects of elements such as external toxins.

Protection against chronic diseases- The antioxidants found in this product is also helpful in protecting the body against diseases such as cancer. One of the main antioxidants is catechins which are known for its cancer-fighting properties. It is also known to reduce the risk of heart diseases, thanks to catechins. The beverage also has the ability to inhibit a number of enzymes responsible for arthritic inflammation. It also comes with a number of compounds known to protect the users against ulcers that are caused by NSAIDS.

Cleansing the body- The chlorophyll in the leaves has a number of roles. One of the main is getting rid of the heavy metals as well as the chemical toxins in the body. This is facilitated by the fact that the powder is completely ingested when it is consumed.

Enhances the Mood- This product comes with an amino acid known as L-theanine which is responsible for relaxing the mind. Over the years, the monks have been taking matcha to help in their meditation. When combined with caffeine, it L-theanine provides the drinkers a calm alertness sustainable over time.

Weight Loss- It is noted that the powder comes with the ability to increase the energy expenditure as well as fat oxidation in many people. The consumption of this beverage will increase the thermogenesis and this will work in helping the users reduce weight. The other advantage is that the use of this powder does not come with any side effects as compared to the weight loss products available in the market today.

How to make matcha tea

Before preparing this beverage, the users need to determine the version they want as it is available in the thin style and the thick style. The basic steps to take include:

Heating water
Rinsing the tea bowl with heated water before drying it up with a cloth
Rinsing the bamboo whisk
Once the tools have been prepared, the users need to sift or scoop-sift the powder directly to into the bowl.
They should then add water after it has boiled between 165 degrees F and 180 degrees F.
Using the bamboo whisk, they should whisk quickly back and forth for sometime and the Matcha is ready to drink.

When preparing the thin style version, they need to get 2 bamboo sticks of the powder to 3 Ounces of water and for the thick style; they should between 2 and 4 tea scoops to 1.5 ounces of water.

The Japanese matcha tea has been a favorite for many people who are now looking for the matcha powder that will fit their needs. The best things about consuming the matcha green tea is the fact that it is easy to prepare and offers the drinkers a wide variety of benefits starting with improved health to enhanced moods.

Source: Dmitry_Fedosev

Keywords: green tea, how to make matcha tea, matcha green tea powder recipes, matcha powder benefits.

What Is Matcha Tea And What Are Matcha Green Tea Health Benefits?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Matcha tea is a natural tea from Japan green tea leaves. The leaves are dried through a special procedure and then the leaves are grinded to make a fine powder of it. It is a very rich source of essential nutrients and antioxidants, fibers and amino acids. Apart from drinking it as tea, it is widely used for flavoring various kinds of food items such as cakes, candies, noodles, smoothies, ice-creams and lattes. Some people also like to consume it by mixing it with other kinds of teas and even with alcohol.

Tencha is the name of the leaf that is utilized for preparing Matcha. In order to make tencha, the harvesters put mats over the tea bushes so that it is completely covered so that direct sunlight does not come in contact with the tea bushes. The growth of tea bushes takes place at a slow pace under the covering. It first produces amino acids. Production of amino acids brings about two changes. First, the tea becomes sweet and second, the leaves become dark. It attains dark green color. The leaves are then harvested by drying it flat indoors. All the stems and veins are removed from tencha. The best quality ones are ground by using stone and the ones that are of low quality are ground by using a machine. The resultant powder is nothing Matcha green tea powder.

When you compare Matcha tea with any other type of tea, you will realize that former is blessed with numerous health matcha powder benefits. One of the reasons is that while making Matcha tea powder, not just the buds but the entire tea leaf is used. Also, it contains a very low quantity of caffeine. Here are the some of the matcha tea powder benefits:

Cholorphyll

When matcha tea is prepared for grinding, the harvesters cover it securely so that sunrays do not reach the leaves. This procedure helps in maintaining the cholorphyll content of the tea. Since the presence of cholorphyll is present in good levels in Matcha, it helps in eliminating the toxins from your body.

Improves your concentration

When you are having a tough time concentrating on your studies or work, have a cup of Matcha tea and see how it helps you in staying focused. It helps in improving your reflexes and makes more alert. Also, it does well in soothing your mind. This helps in staying calm.

Weight loss

People do a lot of things to shed weight. One of the most effective ways of shedding off oodles of weight is to drink Matcha green tea regularly. The three vital elements of it namely catechin, caffeine and theanine greatly help in losing weight. Also, it will prevent your body from accumulating fats. It has the ability to heat inside our body which in turn helps in elevating the metabolic activity of our body.
Immunity

Do you often suffer from fever and cold? The reason behind this is that you do not have a strong immune system. In other words, the defense system of your body is not that strong it stops any disease from occurring. Drinking Matcha tea greatly boosts your immune system and you will not become victim to viral attacks and cold frequently.

Antioxidants

For the preparation of Matcha tea the entire leaf is used which makes it possible to utilize all the essential nutrients of the tea leaves. Lime juice and blueberries are considered to be rich source of antioxidants. However, Matcha tea is known to have even more higher content of antioxidants.

Source: Dmitry_Fedosev

Keywords: green tea, Matcha, matcha powder benefits, Tea, what is matcha.