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I am a green goddess in its true form. I eat green foods like spinach, cucumbers, spirulina, and green tea in abundance. We all know green vegetables are good for the mind, body and soul but what about green tea? Green tea is one of the most delicious and glow-worthy substances I put in my body.
When I started drinking Matcha green tea, I GLOWED UP. I swear to you. I started out drinking it once in a while when I would remember but in recent months, I have been drinking Matcha green tea one to three times a day. Is it obvious? I’m obsessed! Many people don’t like the taste of Matcha. I’ve had friends tell me it tastes like “seaweed”. Which is fair, it’s a natural, green plant with lots of chlorophyll which is very abundant in seaweed. However, the magic of Matcha is very understated.
If you didn't already know, Matcha green tea is becoming a super popular tea these days. It’s originally from China and has been a prized drink for thousands of years. Back then, Matcha was used primarily for ceremonial purposes. The traditional method of working with Matcha includes using a bamboo whisk and a ceramic bowl. These days, most people use non-metal bowls and utensils to prepare this delicious beverage.
Matcha is a powerhouse of health benefits. Here are a few notable benefits.
1. Matcha is very high in antioxidants (1). As many of you may know, antioxidants help fight free-radicals which cause cancer. The way Matcha is processed is much different than regular green tea. Matcha is ground from the whole tea leaf. Which means Matcha green tea has much higher antioxidant levels than regular bagged green tea because the antioxidants are sourced through the water while the rest of the leaf is thrown away.
2. Matcha helps me maximize the amount of calories I burn during my workouts. I’m not the only one who burned some serious calories after drinking Matcha. One study showed that taking Matcha green tea extract and doing moderate exercise helped participants increase fat burning by 17% (2) . A few times a week, I enjoy a nice 30 minute jog around my neighborhood. Before I take my run, I always consume one cup of Matcha green tea. Sometimes I add plant milk and sometimes I take it straight. Either way, something magical happens. The caffeine in the Matcha helps me last longer on my run and it prolongs my fatigue. At the end of my run, I am totally exhausted but I feel that I prolonged my run and burned a few more calories in the process.
3. Green tea makes my skin glow. I enjoy using Matcha as a facial mask for my oily and acne prone skin. Matcha is excellent for skin like mine. Why you ask? Well, Matcha is very rich in Chlorophyll which is the element that gives Matcha its super green color and the main reasons why plants can grow in the sun. Chlorophyll is known to reduce inflammation and may even help folks with mild acne like myself (3). I cured my acne and reduced my scars by doing weekly facial treatments, going plant-based, balancing the PH of my face and implementing the water-only method. If you want to know more about that process, be sure to read my article, How I Cured My Acne
Now you see why I stay on the Matcha? I primarily drink it as tea and use it as a facial mask but there are a ton of ways to reap the benefits of Matcha. Below is my favorite Matcha latte recipe (I use this recipe everyday) and my GlowUP Matcha Facial Mask recipe.
Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 gram of ceremonial grade green tea from Jade Leaf Matcha
- 1/8th cup of filtered water
- 1 cup of plant-based milk (I like to use Almond milk. Check out my 10 minute homemade almond milk recipe in my recipes)
- Sweetener of choice (I like agave)
Tools:
- Matcha ceremonial tea set (I get mine here)
- A small cooking pot
- Cup for drinking
Preparation:
Prepare the Matcha by whisking it with the ⅛ cup of filtered water. Whisk until all parts of the Matcha are broken down and it is smooth. Set aside.
In your kitchen pot, bring the one cup of plant milk to a boil. Wait for the milk to get foamy or frothy. Pour the Matcha green tea into the boiling milk and whisk for 30 seconds. Add the sweetener of choice. Pour the Matcha latte into a cup and let cool to desired drinking temperature.
Enjoy!
GlowUP Matcha Facial Mask
Ingredients:
1 tsp of ceremonial Matcha green tea powder from Jade Leaf Matcha
1 tablespoon of honey (optional, it’s not vegan but some vegans don’t mind)
1 tsp of water
Method
Whisk together all ingredients and apply generously to the face. Let dry, rinse with luke warm water and pat dry.
If you’re not convinced by now that Matcha is DEFINITELY the thing to be consuming on a daily basis, you should know that Matcha is easy to find in coffee shops and other popular destinations. However, you may be paying $5 for a latte when you could spend $25 for enough Matcha to make dozens of lattes and facial treatments!
I highly recommend buying your own Matcha powder and reducing your dependency on lattes at coffee shops. I love doing things myself and getting the most bang for my buck.
I’ve tried several different Matchas from various companies. I prefer premium ceremonial grade Matcha (my favorite!) but sometimes cooking grade is available and I get that. Sometimes cooking grade can be bitter so if you can, try to find ceremonial grade from Japan. After trying several different brands and types over the years, I have found a super reliable brand that brings me the best cup of Matcha everytime. My favorite brand is Jade Leaf Matcha.
Jade Leaf Matcha produces 100% organic (very important) Matcha and they sell the powder for as little as 0.83 cents an ounce! I’ve paid upwards of $2 an ounce for Matcha. $0.83 for a ceremonial grade Matcha is a steal! If you plan on making Matcha at home, I recommend ceremonial grade just because it’s a higher quality and is much less bitter than culinary grade. For your face and body, I recommend ceremonial grade. Why not get all the benefits you can, right? Your body will thank you later. Check out Jade Leaf Matcha and GLOW UP. Use the code: TEASUB10 for 10% off shipping! Enjoy, beauties.