Extraordinary Matcha - An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Author: OmgTea

Real Matcha comes from Japan and is made from the finest shade-grown leaves stone-ground to a fine powder.⁠ It comes from the same plant as all tea, the Camelia Sinensis but it is the cultivation process that boosts the nutrients in the plants to extraordinary levels and makes matcha so special.
⁠
Translated from Japanese, Matcha means “powdered tea”. With regular green tea, which is infused in hot water, 85-90% of the nutrients are discarded with the leaves. However, with Matcha, you’re drinking the entire leaf, so your body benefits from all the soluble and non-soluble elements of the tea first-hand.⁠
⁠

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Quality matcha like OMGTea contains 137 times more of the antioxidant known as EGCG vs. regular green tea. EGCG is a part of the antioxidant family known as catechins, which have been linked to better heart health, a healthy metabolism, and improved aging.⁠

Matcha is also five times higher in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants that can help give you clear skin, protect your blood and heart, and help prevent joint inflammation.⁠
⁠
To put it into even more context, quality matcha contains six times the antioxidants found in goji berries, seven times the antioxidants in dark chocolate, 17 times more antioxidants than blueberries, and 60 times the antioxidants found in spinach. ⁠

Matcha Provides Sustained Energy

Did you know that matcha gives an energy release 4-6 times longer than coffee?  It also regulates blood sugar, meaning that you will feel both energised and content. This is because matcha is rich in the amino acid L-theanine. The L-theanine effect relaxes and calms the nervous system, rather than over- stimulating it and neutralises negative side effects of caffeine consumption such as energy crashes, restlessness/jitters or even heart palpitations. It also boosts alpha brain waves to promote a more alert state of relaxation, which keeps you calm, focused, and energised for hours.

Recent research carried out with participants in the OMGTea Matcha Challenge demonstrated these benefits with amazing results. When drinking matcha daily, 92% experienced an increase in energy and 87% experienced an increase in focus and concentration (OMGTea Matcha Challenge 2022).

The benefits of quality matcha really are extraordinary!

Making the Perfect Cup of Matcha

For those who haven’t made matcha before, it may seem intimidating but it’s easy once you know what to do. The ritual of making matcha can also form part of the overall experience and can support mindfulness. For example, quietly and intentionally preparing it can help signal your mind and body that it’s time to relax.

Whether you want to practice mindfulness when preparing your matcha or you simply want to make it as quickly as possible to fit in with a busy schedule, here are a few key tips for making it as smooth and tasty as possible.

Step 1

Boil the water then allow it to cool to around 80°C. If you can, set the temperature on your kettle or lift the kettle lid and wait for 10 minutes for it to cool a little after boiling.

Step 2

Using a fine tea strainer sift 1g (1/2 a level teaspoon) of OMGTea matcha into a cup/bowl. Quality matcha is an ultra-fine powder and easily becomes electrostatic forming lumps, this is why the strainer is such an important tool in the preparation of matcha.

Step 3

Pour in approx. 10 ml of the water and using a bamboo whisk, whisk the matcha quickly in an M shape motion back and forth so that it froths. This way air is forced into the mix and bubbles start to form and after around 15 seconds a lovely full froth emerges.

Step 4

Add more water to taste.

Alternate Step 3 & 4

A battery operated matcha tea/milk frother is a very good alternative to the bamboo whisk. To use, pour in approx. 10 ml of the water then simply submerge the frother into your matcha and hold the power button until you get a rich, creamy foam, then add more water to taste.

Matcha Latte

If you would like to make a matcha latte, follow the instructions up to Step 3 and then add milk instead of water for Step 4. We always recommend plant-based milks for matcha lattes such as oat, nut, or soy milk.

Try OMGTea Organic Matcha AAA+

Try OMG Tea Matcha Organic AA Grade

Try OMG Tea Organic AA Grade Tea

Enjoy!

OMGTea is a specialist organic matcha green tea company with Great Taste Awards across their entire range. You can purchase their products in Revital stores and online.