A lot of friends like to ask me about the latest “it” foods, and matcha green tea is definitely one of them. But while matcha is a relatively new trend in healthy eating today, it’s actually been around for hundreds of years – and for good reason. It was used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and praised for centuries for its health benefits including clearer skin, stronger immune system, higher energy and increased focus.
So, where can you find matcha and how do you know if it’s the real deal? Welcome Matcha Maiden to the scene. The Australia-based company makes their concentrated matcha powder from 100% pure green tea leaves that have been stone ground, with no additives. With normal green tea bags, you brew water with the tea leaves and throw them away after. With matcha powder, you’re able to consume the entire tea leaf with all the original health benefits.
The powder is packed full of nutrients – think chlorophyll, amino acids and 137 times the antioxidants in normal green tea bags! In fact, one cup of Matcha Maiden’s green tea has nutritional value of up to 10 cups of regular green tea. One gram of matcha has the equivalent antioxidant levels as 500 grams of spinach! And while it does contain caffeine, it’s got less than coffee; it’s actually a unique type of caffeine that helps you focus and clam the body rather than giving you jitters!
While the tea is lovely to drink, my new obsession is green tea face masks. I mix a small amount of Matcha Maiden’s powder with a spoonful of honey and gently rub it over my face. You’ll look a bit like a green monster but – trust me – wait 15 minutes and you’ll be amazed by the results. My skin was radiant and smooth like never before!
More Matcha? Read this.