Matcha: its origins, its benefits...
We tell you all about it !
Matcha: the famous powdered green tea that’s so fashionable these days.💚
We’ve decided to reveal a little more about the benefits and characteristics of this Japanese green tea. 🫖
What is matcha ?
THE BASICS
If you’ve never made it at home, you need to know that matcha comes in the form of a green powder which, once diluted in hot water, reveals its flavors and prepares itself for consumption.
This tea is quite bitter, and should be drunk in very small quantities. It is often combined with milk to soften the taste: this results in a matcha latte (which makes sense, but we want to make sure you’re following what’s being said).
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Matcha is produced from green tea leaves. Yes, the same leaves that are brewed to make ordinary green tea. However, the harvesting and processing of the leaves are very different for the two types of beverage.
Indeed, the leaves of matcha bushes are harvested later. Japanese tradition dictates that the leaves should rest in the shade just after the first shoots appear on the tea bushes. The fields must be covered, protecting the matcha bushes from every ray of sunlight.
The aim of this type of production is to promote the production of chlorophyll and nutritional values. L-theanine also plays an important role, being the amino acid responsible for the umami taste in tea.
(The umami taste is one of the so-called five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. The latter means “essence of delight” in Japanese, and is found in most foods. It is salty and taste-enhancing).
So, after harvesting, the matcha leaves undergo a steam bath and are immediately dried to prevent oxidation. The leaves are then meticulously sorted and finally ground in a grain mill. After all these stages, the matcha is reduced to a very, very fine pistachio-green powder, which is used to make great drinks at L’Occasion Café! 😄
The benefits of matcha
Matcha for energy and concentration
Like coffee, matcha contains energizing molecules that help fight fatigue and improve concentration (including theine, of course). But unlike coffee, matcha’s effects last longer. Where coffee is an “energy shot” for the human body, matcha has a much slower, more stable effect on the body. It can have a stimulating effect that lasts up to 6 hours!
We have to admit that this characteristic is quite effective on the toughest of days. For example, when used intelligently, matcha tea helps to avoid the early afternoon slump. Drinking a cup of matcha at the end of the morning will limit or even eliminate that feeling of tiredness. Don’t we agree? 🥳
Earlier we mentioned the high concentration of L-theanine in matcha green tea.
This acid is responsible for the (good) taste of this green beverage, but it also plays an important role in concentration. It improves and stimulates concentration. A bowl of matcha tea contains 40mg of L-theanine, compared with 9mg for “classic” green tea. It’s also worth noting that coffee contains none.
(Coffee shouldn’t be eliminated from your daily routine, though, as it also has a number of benefits we’ve shared with you in this article).
Therefore, drinking matcha also avoids the risk of feeling the restlessness and/or nervousness that comes with drinking too much coffee. In other words, matcha is a natural stimulant rather than a stress-reliever.
Matcha, extremely rich in antioxidants
Matcha is far richer in antioxidants than any green tea. It’s a good dose of vitamins and benefits for the body and health. A great way to start the day!
To tell you all about its benefits, let’s start with a quick reminder of what antioxidants are. 🥸
Antioxidants protect the body and are present in many foods and cosmetics, for example. It preserves the elasticity of your skin and keeps it healthy, it protects your heart by acting on your arteries, it brings a positive effect on your cholesterol levels and many other things.
So not only does matcha have anti-aging properties, it also helps to combat many illnesses (thanks to theine, so it’s the same for caffeine) such as memory loss, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and helps to reduce the risk of stroke.
But how does it do all this? Among other things, it’s thanks to L-theanine (there it is again), which helps the body fight and disrupt the formation of neurotoxic species.
Studies have shown that taking a bowl of matcha tea every day reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by 34%, and by 58% if you take two bowls!
In terms of stroke risk, L-theanine encourages the production of nitric oxide, which are indicators of good blood pressure and communication between cells and blood flow.
Of all the benefits of matcha, which one has resonated with you the most? (It’s hard to choose…😅)
Different preparations
Matcha can be consumed in many different ways. Since it’s a powder that can be diluted with water, it’s easy to incorporate into many drinks or even cooking recipes!
Matcha drinks
The possibilities are endless. With a little imagination, you can use it in a smoothie, a detox drink or even a cocktail! (To convince yourself that drinking alcohol can be good for your health).
However, we’re going to tell you about the different forms in which we serve matcha at L’Occasion Café. Feel free to come and taste this tea and make up your own mind. But also to all matcha lovers, let’s share the love of taste together! 😋
➡️ MATCHA LATTE & ICED MATCHA LATTE
Combined with hot (steamed) or cold milk, matcha latte is smooth and creamy. You can enjoy it with or without sugar – either way, we promise it’s delicious!
We also offer a vegan alternative with oat milk or coconut milk. 🌿
Matcha in the kitchen too
To your great surprise (or not), matcha green tea also finds its way into pastries, blending perfectly with the sweet notes of white chocolate, almonds or red fruit.
If you haven’t tried it yet, but would like to try it (we assure you, it’s very good), we offer matcha/white chocolate cookies at L’Occasion Café !
All in all, it’s enough to make a healthy but delicious snack.
We hope you’ve been able to learn more about this wonderful green tea called matcha!
See you soon at Occasion Café! ✅
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