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If I could bottle up my own magic pill for youthful skin and an ageless body, matcha green tea would be my main ingredient. This is because matcha green tea is brimming with powerful antioxidants and anti-ageing properties – even more than pomegranates and blueberries - the Chinese have coined it “the elixir of immortality”.
What is matcha tea?
Ceremonial Grade Matcha Tea is the finest grade of green tea available. It's a potent superfood powder obtained by gently milling green tea leaves into a pure fine powder. Healthy Chef Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea is essentially a more potent and concentrated form of green tea as it provides all the nutrients from the entire leaf rather than loose leaf green tea. One serve of Matcha is equivalent to about 10 cups of steeped green tea.
Ceremonial grade matcha vs food grade matcha
Like different types of chocolate, the difference between ceremonial grade and food grade Matcha green tea lies in how they’ve been processed and sourced.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha is difficult to source. It is the highest quality Matcha tea you can get in the world, as it uses the young leaves of the green tea plant. Unlike food grade matcha tea, ceremonial grade is higher in antioxidants and provides a much smoother and richer taste than food grade matcha tea.
Food grade matcha tea is made from more mature green tea leaves and is often combined with other ingredients to make matcha-flavoured foods and drinks you see in cafes.
Matcha and anti-ageing
There’s a reason why people in the Japanese and Korean culture have beautiful ageless skin. Matcha has been used in Southeast Asia and Korea for centuries because it was believed to be a precious medicine and provided long life. Today, it’s gone beyond just a cup of tea – it’s infused in many beauty and anti-ageing products.
Here are four amazing ways matcha green tea is your miracle food to keep you more youthful and vibrant, for longer:
1. Matcha detoxifies the blood
Chlorophyll, the element that gives green tea and other plants their signature vibrant colour, is a powerful detoxifier, helping to eliminate both chemicals and heavy metals from the body. As there are rich concentrations of chlorophyll found in Matcha green tea, it may help alkalise and detoxify the blood.
2. Matcha burns fat
Matcha is an excellent source of EGCG, a molecule that naturally has metabolism boosting and thermogenic affects in the body, which can gently support weight loss.
3. Matcha de-stresses the body
Matcha contains l-theanine, a rare amino acid that promotes a state of relaxation, and the way your body reacts to stress.
4. Matcha slows down the ageing process
High antioxidant rich foods such as Matcha green tea are believed to slow down the ageing process by preventing oxidation, inhibiting mutation of DNA and helping to restore damaged DNA.
How do you drink it?
I love a hot cup of Matcha green tea to start my day - it invigorates and makes me feel energised. Just take 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of matcha powder and add hot water. In the warmer months, I love mixing Matcha with coconut water, a squeeze of lime for a delicious energising and refreshing coooler or pre workout formula to help with endurance and energy. There are also endless ways to use Matcha in smoothies, raw desserts and as flavouring for icing and cakes. Think raw key lime pie made with cashew nuts, lime juice and matcha then topped with pomegranate jewels. I also love making my matcha bliss balls packed with protein from coconut, cashew, matcha, Healthy Chef Protein and a little lemon.
Ceremonial Grade – Certified Organic Matcha is available from The Healthy Chef eStore HERE.