Miracle Matcha Tea

I’ve tried and tried again to get into green tea.  I made a comment on Facebook, and friends came flooding to make recommendations.  People wouldn’t just let me get away with not liking green tea (I’m sorry, but it tastes like pond water!)

Green Tea has many health benefits, so as ever, I am persevering – I WILL like it!!!

• Green tea is high in flavanols (catechins) which are thought to be the anti-cancer compound in green tea.
• It is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial
• It is lower in caffeine than regular black tea

As Angela at Oh She Glows explains, Japanese Green Tea is generally higher in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate – !!!!).  EGCG has the highest anti-cancer activity of all.

Green Tea Powder

First I tried Sencha Green Tea from Asda – not bad, but I read good things about Matcha Tea.  Heralded as a superfood, it’s a Green Tea made using the whole tea leaves which are ground down to make a a fine powder. The tea plants are grown under cover to produce lots of amino acids and chlorophyll.  The benefits of Matcha green tea include:

• 1 serving = 15 cups of normal green tea
• can boost metabolism
• high in antioxidants – matcha contains 70x the antioxidants of orange juice, 9x the betacarotene – converts to vitamin A – and vitamin C and B vitamins
• raises energy

Tea Pigs Matcha Tea

Tea Pigs Matcha Tea is an award winning Matcha Tea, which you add to, well, whatever you like.  Matcha is traditionally drunk whisked into hot water as a green tea.  But Tea Pigs also recommend adding it to your favourite drink such as milk, fruit juice, smoothies etc.

Matcha, almond milk shot

I’ve tried a couple of Matcha shots, adding half a teaspoon to orange juice or almond milk.  I think I made a mistake by adding the matcha on top of the juice and so it didn’t blend well, but it’s still really strong.  It rather reminds me of the taste of seaweed, sort of like nori.

Matcha, orange juice shot

The best way I’ve tried it is to blend it into a green smoothie – one I’ve tried which I like lately:

• 1/2 teaspoon of matcha tea powder ‘dissolved’ into half a mug of freshly boiled water
• 1 heaped teaspoon of protein powder, I used a chocolate version
• 1 small banana about 75g
• 1 handful of baby spinach, about 50g
• toppings and garnishes

stick it all in a blender and whizz to a consistency you prefer.  I make it the night before and leave it to cool in the fridge overnight.

Green Tea Smoothie

Do you like green tea?  How do you drink yours?  How can I make myself actually enjoy the taste?  Tips gratefully received…

Tagged: boost metabolism, green monster, green smoothie, Green Tea, health benefits of green tea, japanese green tea, Matcha, superfoods, tea pigs