Right now around the globe, many of us are bunkering down, staying at home and staying safe.
More time at home means more time to make delicious new creations to eat and drink, right?
It's also the perfect time to review your diet and ensure you are keeping healthy so your immune system is in tip top condition.
So...what makes Matcha Green Tea an excellent choice to help boost your immunity?
There are two key components to consider...let's dive in and find out what they are shall we?
1) The way it's grown
In the weeks leading up to harvest time (in Spring), the tea plants are covered with a light shade cloth to block some (not all) sunlight.
The shade cloths vastly inhibit photosynthesis, causing the plants to concentrate large amounts of chlorophyll and other nutrients (such as antioxidants) in the leaves. The leaves also become a lovely bright green colour as a result of this growing method.
At harvest time, the shade cloths are removed and the freshest and youngest tea leaves are picked (known as first flush), sent to a processing factory to be deveined, steam, dried and then finally stone-ground down into Matcha Green Tea Powder.
2) The way it's consumed
As you’re consuming the entire tea leaf when you drink Matcha, you are reaping all the nutritional benefits of the leaves, as opposed to brewing and discarding regular green tea leaves.
You are consuming a HUGE amount of antioxidants, in fact 137 times of that found in regular green tea.
The tea contains a special plant based compound called Epigallocatechin Gallate (or EGCG for short) which helps build strong immunity against pathogens (i.e. virus or bacteria)
Matcha helps with production of T cells in your body that reduce inflammation and also fight pathogens.
Matcha is very detoxifying, helping with eradication of chemicals, toxins and heavy metals. This means you’re (once again) better equipped to fight off pathogens.
Matcha also has many Vitamins including A, B, C, E and K.
For some easy ways to incorporate Matcha into your day, see 5 of our favourite immune boosting, antioxidant rich recipes below:
MATCHA SMOOTHIE BOWL
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 frozen Banana
- 1 teaspoon of Everyday Matcha
- Dash of maple syrup
METHOD:
- Blend together in a blender
TOPPING:
- Granola
- Watermelon
- Banana
- Kiwi fruit
- Sunflower Seeds
- Roasted Cashews
- Cacao nibs
MATCHA KALE SMOOTHIE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tsp of Everyday Matcha
- 1 cup of chopped Kale
- 1 peach
- Few cubes of Mango
- Coconut Water
- Frozen Pineapple
METHOD:
- Blend all together and enjoy
Recipe shared thanks to @brunchbabeaus
MATCHA PANCAKES
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 banana
- 3 tbsp Oat Flour
- 2 tbsp Coconut Flour
- 3/4 cup of Almond Milk
- 1.5 tsp Everyday Matcha Powder
- 1 tsp sweetener of your choice (Maple is a good option!)
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
METHOD:
- Mix above ingredients together in one large bowl.
- Scoop mixture onto frying pan and flip when bubbles pop and form holes
TOPPINGS:
- Yogurt
- Chocolate Sauce
- Strawberries
- Shredded Coconut
Recipe shared thanks to @pursuitofhealth
MATCHA LATTE & GRANOLA BAR
GRANOLA BAR
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups rolled oats (or gluten-free substitute if required)
- 1 cup pepitas
- 1 ½ cups puffed rice cereal unsweetened (quinoa, rice or millet)
- ½ cup dried fruits, roughly chopped (i.e. raisins, figs, dates or prunes)
- ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
- 1/3 cup brown rice malt syrup
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
METHOD:
-
Preheat oven to 160°C.
-
Spread the oats and pepitas on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until the oats are golden and have a nutty aroma. Stir them twice during baking to ensure even colouring.
-
While baking the oats and pepitas, combine the brown rice malt syrup, maple syrup, tahini, coconut oil and vanilla in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine the ingredients, being careful not to overheat the mixture.
-
In a large bowl, add the cooled oats and pepitas to the dried fruit, puffed rice, almonds, salt and matcha powder. Pour the wet ingredients in and mix quickly to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a lined brownie pan, pressing it firmly (especially in the corners). Refrigerate for a few hours to let it firm up, then remove and slice it into bars. These granola bars can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Recipe shared from Seniors Online
MATCHA LATTE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tsp of Everyday or Premium Matcha
- 1 tsp of Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup hot water (no more than 70c)
- 1 cup of Milk of your choice
METHOD:
- Place Matcha through sieve into cup or shaker to make extra fine
- Add water and blend with whisk or tea shaker to combine
- Heat milk on stove
- Add Maple Syrup
- Whisk or use tea shaker to combine once more
For some self-care that’s going to also help your body stay healthy, Matcha is there to keep you fighting fit.