The Benefits of Matcha ~ Kate Horsman

What is the buzz amongst all the health gurus lately? Matcha, of course!

This should come as no surprise once you learn of matcha's copious benefits, and experience them for yourself. This 'matcha-ppreciated' post is courtesy of our lovely Ambassador and Holistic Nutritionist Kate Horsman.

Kate's insight and personal experience helps answer many questions that first-time matcha drinkers often have!

Enjoy!

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I was sitting in class a few weeks ago, eyes heavy. It wasn’t boring, I was just feeling a tad… fatigued. ‘Tis the season. Then we started to talk a little bit more about matcha, and my ears perked up as if by a placebo effect. I was intrigued.

You see, let's backtrack. I don’t do well with caffeine. In fact, I really don’t like it. I went through many years of using caffeine as a way of stimulating myself, pushing past healthy limits, using it for weight loss, and any other which way you can think of. So when I became more present, more me, I decided to ditch those things behind and try to work naturally with improving my energy. I actually never realized the full effect they had on me until I had an innocent cup of coffee one day, and holy… it was like a panic attack. I felt shaky, nervous, yes maybe energized, but not in any quality of way. So that’s when I really decided that I had made a good decision. So I stuck to my sleepy time teas, my chamomile, peppermint, and ginger, I felt like a golden girl and I don’t mean Blanch.




So when I started to learn more about matcha, to be honest, I didn’t know much, I started to get intrigued. The health benefits were what really drew me in, and the possibility of feeling energized and calm all rolled into one. Yes, it is caffeinated, but with that a host of other powerhouse things that well outweigh some of those usual suspect symptoms. But perhaps those symptoms wouldn’t even be present.

So I gave it a go. I loved the flavour. It seemed more fulfilling, more special than a regular ol' tea bag, and yeah, within about 10 minutes I had my eyes wide open. Not in a bad sense. I felt ready to go, but I also, most importantly, did not feel an ounce of anxiety or irritation. I was curious as well to use it as a performance aid, it can give you that same boost that could be helpful before the gym, run, big meeting, or presentation.




The bottom line for me: The Key Ingredients…

The benefits of matcha are vast and still being studied, but these two key antioxidants are pretty much the Thelma and Lousie of this story.

One of the most beneficial ingredients in matcha is EGCG Epigallocatechin Gallate (but who really cares what it’s called). This powerful antioxidant has been known most predominantly in aid of cancer protection and prevention and for speeding up the metabolism in order to burn more body fat.

One of the things I find most interesting is that although it can create more alertness, as mentioned, in response to the caffeine content which is close to being equal to coffee, the L-Theanine in it produces a calming effect so the result is basically a stimulation, without all the jitters. L-theanine also enhances brain function. So you are basically just winning… calmly and alertly. Once step closer to Dalai Lama status.

Fun Fact- matcha has 137 x the amount of antioxidants of regular green tea. That’s a lot. Which brings me to…

Now it's important to say, not all matcha is created equal, and this is very important. These are the crucial things to look for, and although they will bring with it a weightier price tag, they also will bring you more health benefits.



Look for:

1. Sourced and grown in Japan
2. Grade A or above
3. Certified Organic
4. First Harvest

We are so lucky to be able to find good matcha locally, but by far my favourite brand and the highest quality matcha I have been able to find is by withinUs™. ***This is not a sponsored post***. I happen to love this company and believe in the quality of their goods and they happen to have yet again brought in a better product than I have seen on the market. And the taste… heavenly.

And so, I got hooked. And maybe some of that is the caffeine. I don’t know - I personally don’t think it is. But regardless, because of this addition, I’m also bringing in a host of benefits I would never normally get. Need more evidence to eat/drink more greens?… hopefully, this will do the trick.



My love for matcha continues…

Surprise surprise. But now that I’m not drinking it warm, it's a whole new world with all the same benefits.

  • fat burning
  • alert/calm
  • energy boost
  • tons of antioxidants… which is the most important part.


RECIPE


Blitz all together in the blender.

Serve over ice.

Cheers, toast, and enjoy.





Kate Horsman is a Holistic Nutritionist and Natural Foods Chef. With an education in Counselling psychology, Nutrition and Raw Plants, Kate brings a passion for wellness that encompasses a holistic perspective of health to body, mind, and soul. She specializes in Women's Health, Body Image/Eating Disorders, Plant Based Nutrition and Athletics.

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