You may have seen Matcha floating around on social media lately, from Matcha lattes to Matcha teas to Matcha smoothies. But you may be thinking, what actually is Matcha? Well, Matcha is actually a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed tea leaves which can be made into an edible solution by mixing about a teaspoon of matcha powder with a third cup of hot water and whisking them together with a bamboo brush until it froths. From here, you can add the matcha solution to lattes, smoothies, porridge, tea, soups or alternatively, you can make your own matcha ice cream, energy balls or even matcha bread! It is so easy to incorporate matcha into your diet. But, you may be thinking, what benefits are there of matcha and why should I incorporate it into my diet? Here we will explain the top 6 health benefits of matcha and why it is amazing for your body.
As matcha is rich in antioxidants, it helps to protect the body against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. This is important because antioxidants are the body’s defence agents and will better equip your body to fight off infections and diseases. Matcha specifically contains a unique selection of antioxidants called catechins which have cancer-fighting properties, especially the catechin EGCG. EGCGs and other catechins also help the body to counteract the effects of pollution, UV rays, radiation and chemicals, which can lead to DNA and cell damage, so matcha is amazing at helping maintain the body’s internal well-being and repairing call damage.
Another amazing health benefits of matcha is that it helps to boost your metabolism which in turn will help to burn calories. This is because EGCGs have been proven to increase the body’s metabolic rate and help reduce the rate of growth of fat calls. Matcha has also been proven to increase a process called thermogenesis which is the production of heat in your body caused by burning calories.
Matcha contains 3 times as much caffeine as a cup of seeped tea because you are consuming whole leaves, which is about the same amount of caffeine as in a cup of brewed coffee. However, while coffee triggers a caffeine buzz and can make you jittery if you drink too much of it, matcha provokes a more relaxed ‘alert calm’ because it contains a natural substance called L-theanine which provokes relaxation without the drowsiness. So, if you are looking for an alternative to your morning coffee that won’t leave you shaking, try switching to matcha lattes.
If you have struggled with detoxing in the past, struggle no more! The health benefits of matcha is an amazing detoxing superfood as it contains an amazing cocktail of amino acids, nutrients and antioxidants. However, it is specifically the chlorophyll in matcha powder which is the star in this show. When consumed, the bonds in the chlorophyll are able to bond with heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium in the colon and remove them from the body as it is digested. So every time you drink a matcha tea or matca smoothie, you are giving your body a mini-cleanse.
Homeostasis (the regulation of internal conditions in the body) is extremely important for our health and well being. One thing that needs to be regulated in the body is our blood sugar level as large spikes in our blood sugar aren’t good for our health. Matcha has been proven to help regulate blood sugar levels because it contains high levels of polyphenols which can increase the body’s insulin sensitivity, meaning that the body absorbs sugar more slowly.
Studies have also shown that consuming matcha regularly can lower your blood pressure because it naturally thins your blood and opens up your artery walls, meaning that more blood can pass through more easily which, in turn, reduces your blood pressure. So if you suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease, matcha is a pretty good bet.
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