Why You Should Be Drinking Matcha

A friend of mine introduced me to Matcha at the beginning of this month, and since then, I've had one (sometimes two) every single day. Not to mention it's delicious, but the health benefits are out of this world! I've struggled with digestive issues for almost three years now and recently diagnosed with lots of food intolerances. That being said, it's difficult to find yummy things that also have beneficial ingredients for me. But matcha, man oh man matcha, i love it and it has SO many benefits. Let me tell you about 'em!

1. Supports Your Immune System

Matcha is packed FULL of vitamins that help with your immune system. In today's world, we are obsessd with immune system supplements to help our bodies fight against the spread of Covid-19 and its variants. Matcha consists of Zinc, Vitamin C(!!!), Vitamin E, B-Complex Vitamins, and Vitamin A. All vitamins that you'll find on the back of a daily multi-vitamin. Now, matcha is not a replacement for your daily vitamins, but is a great way to get extra supplements in!

2. Aids in Digestion

From someone like me, who has major digestive problems, this benefits of matcha is a life saver. I have food sensitivities to all meats, dairy, soy, sesame, and most nuts...so most food upsets my gut. I take a probiotic every day, but matcha has an abundance of neutral prebiotics that help make your gut a safe place for the good bacterias we need to digest our favorite foods! The polyphenols that are very present in matcha are broken down by your small intestine and colon. From that point on, they act as a prebiotic, encouraging the growth of good bacteria. While they are busy supporting the good bacteria, these polyphenols also discourage the certain strains of harmful gut bacteria. I know that's science-y, but hear me out: you need a healthy gut in the long run. Having the right bacteria in your gut means a healthy gut and proper digestion!

3. High in Antioxidants

If antioxidants were a kind of money, Matcha would be the equivalent to Oprah...RICH rich. Matcha has the highest antioxidant rating of all superfoods! It's rich in catechins, a class of plant compounds that are natural antioxidants. Here's where this is helpful, antioxidants stabilize free radicals which are compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease. Matcha measures 1384 units of antioxidants per gram. That's 125x that of Spinach!

4. Matcha Burns Calories

Here's an incredible fact: in matcha, EGCg and caffeine work together to boost your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn on a daily basis. Matcha utilizes fat as an energy source. While this isn't a proper replacement for your daily exercise or a food replacement, matcha is a great additive to your already active lifestyle. When paired with the proper diet and exercise routine, matcha can help to burn that stubborn fat and also keep your metabolism is tip-top shape!

5. Heart Health

All of the above benefits are contributors to why matcha is good for your heart! But there's more. Matcha also keeps stress levels down due to the presence of an amino acid called L-Theanine. L-T elevates levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, and dopamine. L-T combined with the caffeine in Matcha creates a pleasant awakeness that is more effective than coffee - and doesn't come with a side of energy crash. It also helps to regulate your blood pressure. Matcha contains a significant amount of EGCG which is a natural anti-inflammatory substance. EGCG helps to reduce swelling, pressure, and pain in the circulatory system.

Matcha can be made in many ways to cater to your taste preferences. My favorite is a Chai-Honey-Matcha Lattee, and you can check out the recipe on my Tik-Tok and Instagram! Drink your matcha, get your vitamins, and improve your health!

TTYL gals,

Carrie