Many people who like green tea are finding they also like a tea made from matcha powder, being it has a stronger flavor than typical green tea. Learn more about it and its health benefits below.
What is Matcha Powder?
Matcha powder in Los Angeles, CA and elsewhere is a type of powder that is made from finely ground green tea leaves. These leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Matcha is grown differently from green tea in that it is shade-grown for a period of three to four weeks before harvest, resulting in more theanine and caffeine being produced. This leads to a stronger flavor than is provided in regular green tea; matcha can be used in smoothies, lattes, teas, and baked goods.
Its Health Benefits
Matcha has high levels of amino acids and caffeine. It also has high levels of antioxidants, including specific ones known as catechins. Catechins are believed to help prevent cell damage, which can help to reduce the chances of you developing chronic illnesses. It is also believed that the high levels of caffeine and catechins can also provide some benefit in the management of weight loss.
Other health benefits of matcha include the promotion of heart health, particularly in reducing oxidative stress, which is the imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in the body. It also can reduce inflammation.
Matcha has also been shown to reduce the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL), which is considered the “bad” version of cholesterol, and as a result, your total levels of cholesterol. Matcha is also believed to help temporarily boost cognitive function, possibly due to its high levels of caffeine.
