The Green Tea I Grew Up With: Matcha

Early Morning Caffeine is a Must

There are plenty of you out there who have observed my need for Caffeine to Kickstart my Brain mostly in the morning; you also know that I’m on a path to share new Content with you that supports concepts of Optimizing your Mind, Body and Spirit to help allow you to Perform at your Optimal Level.

Well, I’ve been noticing a lot of articles about Green Tea lately and not the Green Tea served in Japanese Restaurants. This Green Tea is what my Japanese Grandmother used to Serve or “Perform” for me often especially when I was upset or not feeling well; it is called Matcha. What I discovered years later was that my Japanese Grandmother was performing Chado (the Way of Tea), Japanese Tea Ceremony for me.

I remember my Grandmother’s careful movements and her instructions for me to clear my mind and look forward to the pleasant moments after I enjoy my Tea and that it was important for me to accept and turn my Tea Bowl in my small hands in a certain way, that at that time I never completely understood. But now, I realize it was an important demonstration of a culturally significant Art Form. I was so lucky to have been touched.

The Japanese Tea Ceremony, also called Chado (the Way of Tea), is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of Matcha (抹茶), Powdered Green Tea. In Japanese, it is called chanoyu (茶の湯?) or sadō, Chadō (茶道?). The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called (o)temae ([お]手前; [お]点前?). 1

I’ll write more about Tea if I hear from you, but I wanted to share these little known tidbits about the “Real” Green Tea I grew up with. = Cheers!

5 Things About Matcha (Green Tea)
You Probably Should Know

It’s a Special Form of Green Tea
- “Matcha” means “Powdered Tea.” When you order traditional green tea, components from the leaves get infused into the hot water, then the leaves are discarded. With Matcha, you drink the actual leaves that have been finely powdered and made into a solution by mixing matcha-powder with hot water that is then whisked with a bamboo brush until it froths.
Health Benefits
- Because Matcha is made from high-quality tea, and the whole leaves are ingested, it is a more potent source of nutrients than steeped green tea. In addition to providing small amounts of vitamins and minerals, Matcha is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been tied to protection against heart disease and cancer, as well as better blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction and anti-aging. Another polyphenol in Matcha called EGCG has been shown in research to boost metabolism and slow or halt the growth of cancer cells.
It Contains Caffeine
- Because you’re consuming whole leaves in Matcha, you may get 3-times as much caffeine than a cup of steeped tea, about the amount in a cup of brewed coffee. Matcha aficionados say that compared to the caffeine buzz from coffee, Matcha creates an “Alert Calm” due to a natural substance it contains called L-Theanine, which induces relaxation without drowsiness.
Traditionally Meditation is Practiced
- The preparation of Matcha is the focus of Japanese Tea Ceremonies, and it has long been associated with Zen Buddhism. As meditation is becoming more mainstream, often so do other forms of this practice with very positive outcomes.
Incorporate it Into Your Meals
- Matcha is not just as a beverage, but an ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. If you Google Matcha recipes, you’ll find everything from Matcha Muffins, Brownies and Puddings, to my favorite = Ice Cream. Caution: Even with Superfoods, you can get too much of a good thing, look for pure, organic, quality Matcha, and enjoy it in moderation. 2 3