Feel good with match
Feel good with match
Unlock Elixir's health secrets
A bowl of Matcha is full of antioxidants and is equivalent to 10 cups of Japanese green tea.
Why is Matcha better than regular loose-leaf teas? While regular loose-leaf teas all contain a certain amount of antioxidants, particularly green teas, only a limited amount can be extracted into hot water. The remaining beneficial compounds stay in the leaves and are then discarded. With Matcha, we can retain all of its nutrients and compounds without wasting any.
Immune Support – According to the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) antioxidant scale, Matcha scores 1,300 units per gram (compared to pomegranates: 105 units per gram and blueberries: 91 units per gram)! Antioxidants can help strengthen the immune system and combat free radicals in the body that may contribute to inflammation, tissue damage and ageing.
Metabolism – Matcha contains a specific group of antioxidants called catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is known to boost metabolism. Matcha can have up to 137 times more EGCG than regular green tea!
Energy & Focus – Matcha is also rich in useful amino acids, particularly L-theanine, which is unique to tea. This amino acid stimulates the production of alpha waves in the brain, creating relaxation and concentration simultaneously, giving alertness without the jitters and shakes that coffee can cause. It also helps provide a steady release of energy over hours, which explains Matcha’s meditative origins.
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Detoxification - Matcha is packed with chlorophyll, which gives matcha its vibrant, deep green color. Unlike regular green tea leaves, matcha bushes are grown in the shade and protected from the sun for 20-30 days before harvest to increase chlorophyll production and give the leaves a darker green color. Chlorophyll is packed with vitamins and nutrients and can help remove toxins from the body. Research suggests that chlorophyll binds to heavy metals and harmful chemicals and helps start a flushing process that can not only help detoxify the body from toxins ingested through food during the digestive process, but also help get rid of existing body impurities.
Versatile - The best thing about matcha is how easy it is to integrate into your daily routine! Thanks to its powder form, it can be prepared in its traditional format as a beverage - either a regular tea or a latte. But it can also be added as an additive to other drinks or foods, t.ex. smoothies or protein shakes as a powerhouse or as an ingredient in cooking, salad dressings, dips and condiments. Matcha also has top skin benefits and can be whipped into a homemade face mask, body scrub or other beauty products that will give your skin cells its high antioxidant content. The possibilities are endless and we LOVE experimenting with this vibrant green superfood! Some of our favorite new additions to the kitchen are the Bulletproof Matcha Latte or a Matcha Protein Bliss Ball for an easy snack on the go! If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even mix up a Matcha Mojito – it’s all about balance, after all, right? It can be incorporated into your life in pretty much any way you can think of. There’s so much more to life if you’re ready for it!
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES: Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacities of Common Foods in the United States, Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 2004, 52, 4026-4037 // ORAC Analysis on Matcha Green Tea: Brunswick Laboratories Cardoso, G., Salgado, J., Cesar, M. and Donado-Pestana, C. (2013). The effects of green tea consumption and resistance training on body composition and resting metabolic rate in overweight or obese women. Journal of medicinal food, 16(2), pp.120–127. Weiss, David J.; Anderton, Christopher R. (2003). "Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography". Journal of Chromatography A 1011 (1–2): 173–80 Mukhtar H1, Ahmad N (1999). Green tea in chemoprevention of cancer. Toxicology Sciences 52:111 Suganuma M, Okabe S, Sueoka N, Sueoka E, Matsuyama S, Imai K, Nakachi K, Fujiki H (1999). Green tea and cancer chemoprevention. Mutation Research 428(1-2):339-44. Juneja, L (1999). "L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans". Trends in Food Science & Technology 10 (6–7): 199. Yang GY, Liao J, Kim K, Yurkow EJ, Yang CS. (1998). Inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cell lines by tea polyphenols. Carcinogenesis 19(4):611-6. Yang F, de Villiers WJ, McClain CJ, Varilek GW. (1998). Green tea polyphenols block endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor-production and lethality in a murine model. Journal of Nutrition 128(12):2334-40