Energizing Matcha Latte

Matcha harvested from the camellia sinensis plant is one of my all time favourite foods. It is an ancient medicinal superfood, which has popularly been used to heal a myriad of health challenges and support a healthy body. The abundant uses of matcha has been well researched. In recent years, we have seen a variety of creative takes for green tea from drinks to baked goods. While the popularity of culinary grade matcha has been prominently seen in many contemporary recipes, we forget that this is a one of the most ancient cherished foods in East Asian cultures. Historically in Japan, matcha leaves were ceremonially used  amongst the royalty, which indicates two very distinct types of matcha. As it appears, the culinary use of green tea in South Eastern China dates back to 3,000 years ago. However, it was primarily used as a luxury culinary ingredient by the royalty until it became popularized amongst people during the Song Dynasty (AD 960–1279) in China. The powdered form was later perfected by the Japanese. The history of green tea use is rich and you can learn about it here: https://www.hibiki-an.com/contents.php/cnID/17

Moreover, we typically see the culinary grade, and the least expensive powdered form in everyday baking and as seen in a range of inventive beverages and pastries at cafes and restaurants. The kind I’m interested in and highlighting here is ceremonial grade A matcha that is first harvested in Japan and imported, for its purity and quality.

Let’s quickly review the different kinds. The information I’m sharing here is referenced from Encha’s website, which I will share below.

First harvest ceremonial: 

“It is ground from premium 1st-harvest leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, the most tender leaves, in each spring harvest. It is best suited for the ceremonial style of drinking matcha with just water. The taste is very smooth, rich with a full body, delicately grassy and not bitter.”

Colour: bright, grassy green

Premium matcha: Taken from the young top leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. They are fantastic for everyday consumption and have a slightly lower price point compared to Ceremonial matcha. 

Colour: bright green – slightly lighter than ceremonial grade 

Culinary grade matcha: 

“It is ground from standard high-quality 1st-harvest leaves… When prepared just with hot water, it tastes a bit stronger (astringent or bitter) than Ceremonial grade. But that extra taste strength makes it more suitable to balance with the creamy taste of milk for matcha latte.”

Culinary grade matcha is taken from the lower parts of the green tea plant, harvested later that their youngest counterpart used in ceremonies, and therefore they have a bitter, grassy taste as well.

Colour: opaque green

I’d also like to add that not all matcha is created equal and it’s best to buy from organic, sustainably sourced, first harvest Japanese farms to ensure the highest quality and safety with no added chemicals or pesticides, and checked for heavy metal contamination or radiation. There’s many top quality companies that guarantee high quality matcha that you could find in your local health food store. Please do your research as what we put in our bodies determines our wellness and overall homeostasis. 

Reference: https://encha.com/pages/matcha-grade-taste

What you will gain for adding matcha green tea in your diet include:

• Heart health and longevity due to its anti-inflammatory flavan-3-ols and anthocyanidin antioxidants
• Green tea catechins reduced the level of damaging free radicals and oxidative stress, as well as protecting against memory loss and degenerative brain disorders like alzheimer’s
• Protection of the brain against free radical damage due to its impressive flavonoid content known as epicatechin, which is also found in cacaos and blueberries, my two other favourites
• Normalizing blood sugar and body’s glycemic index
• Enhanced bone health as a result of its ECG content
• Protective of the eyes by reducing oxidative stress
• Promoting weight loss due to antioxidants catechins and EGCGs
• Anti-aging and connective tissue health, as it supports the body’s collagen production and natural detoxification process
• Balancing due to its hight L-Theanine content which has a powerful calming effect
• Impressive cancer prevention properties

The many incredible benefits of matcha can be found here, in depth, as I would not be able to do it justice. https://draxe.com/nutrition/benefits-of-green-tea/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/matcha-green-tea/

I personally use matcha for improving my skin health and creating a state of relaxation. I don’t well with coffee and found matcha to be a better alternative. This is a super delicious and quick way of making yourself a delicious and nourishing latte right at home. I love to serve this on its own.

Here are the ingredients:

• 2 cups Nut milk of your choice – I like to mix pure and unsweetened almond and coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon grass-fed collagen powder
• 2 teaspoon grade A, organic matcha powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon monk fruit extract (depending on your preference)
• 2 teaspoon MCT oil – or 1 full if tolerated well

Instructions:

• Heat up the milk to a boiling point on the stove and turn off.
• In your cup mix the dry ingredients, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of your heated nut milk. If you have a bamboo matcha whisk or else an electronic frother, mix the ingredients until you have a velvety and frothy matcha blend.
• And finally add the remaining of your milk to the blend, whisk well, and serve.