More over morning coffee! Once you try this delicious green tea latte, with its slow sustained energy release and endurance, you may never look back.
Providing vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium, it’s being touted as one of the most antioxidant rich superfoods around – with ten times the potency of green tea. This is because matcha green tea uses the whole young tea leaf which is picked fresh and then ground into a powder -that you consume in its entirety.
Coveted by monks for its ability to enhances mood and aid in concentration, Chinese Daoists and Japanese Zen Buddhist monks favoured it for centuries as a way to relax and meditate while remaining alert. Now we know that the amino acid L-Theanine contained in the leaves used to make Matcha promotes the production of alpha waves in the brain which induces relaxation, but without the corresponding down created by stimulants like coffee.
Matcha green tea also boosts metabolism and burns fat. According to a study featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it increases thermogenesis (the body’s own rate of burning calories) from a normal 8%-10% of daily energy expenditure, to between 35% and 43% of daily energy expediture. If all that isn’t enough its also a great detoxifier, with the catechins in matcha having antibiotic properties that can help build your immune system.
Best of all its sweet umami taste can be mixed with your favourite nut milk to make a creamy, frothy delicious morning drink that won’t leave you feeling like you’re missing out. So given that coffee isn’t always the best way to get an energy boost (see why here), why not try a delicious green tea latte for your morning cuppa.
There’s a wealth of information on how to prepare the perfect brew – here’s my favourite!
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup organic coconut milk (you can use light, or try nut or soy milk)
- 1 teaspoon matcha tea powder*
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)
- Add the matcha tea powder to a small amount of hot water in the matcha tea bowl or into your favorite mug.
- Using a special bamboo whisk, whisk briskly in a up-and-down direction, to make a thick, green paste. (You can shake in a jar or use a regular whisk if you don’t have a bamboo one!)
- Then pour hot coconut milk and remaining water to the paste and stir. If adding a sweetener, add here.
- The matcha will dissolve quickly and easily.
- Enjoy hot or warm!
*To get the real flavour and health benefits make sure you buy the ceremonial quality – its not cheap at around $20 to $30 for 30 to 50 grams – but its worth it.