It’s no secret that superfoods are super for you – today’s focus is on Matcha. Superfoods pack an exceptionally healthy and healing punch to your nutrition.

Wrapping up our series on superfoods and why we love them so much is Matcha.

Matcha is a Japanese ceremonial tea made from super high-quality tea leaves that are shade-grown and harvested without stems and veins. These chlorophyll rich green leaves are then stone-ground into a fine powder.

What makes matcha so special? You consume the whole tea leaf, not just water infused with tea leaves, which means you consume all of the antioxidants and rich chlorophyll in the leaf. Matcha contains about half the caffeine of coffee, yet tends to cause a more even, long-term energy rise. It’s a cool fact because Matcha contains an amino acid that allows your body to process the caffeine differently—without the jitters and the crash. It’s a CALM ENERGY! MATCHA makes us:      

• YOUNG & PRETTY: Anti-aging free radical fighter. Absorbs free radicals (the ORAC value) is one of the highest in the super-food realm, at about 1348 units per serving. This is one bad ass antioxidant.
• HEALTHY: CANCER HATER. Especially high in an antioxidant called (EGCG). It has up to 137 times the amount of EGCG as other infused green teas. EGCG has shown promising results in helping fight against cancer and HIV.
• THINNER: Metabolism Booster. Can increase metabolism rate, which holds promise for faster fat loss.
• ENERGETIC yet ZEN: Keep calm and carry on with a spring in your step. It has a unique calming effect strangely coupled with an energy lift from caffeine and other elements from the tea leaf.

As with all teas, quality is super important. And cheaper is definitely not better. You want to purchase your Matcha tea from a reputable source. And yes, it should be Japanese and organic. We are proud of our Japanese Matcha—it’s been quite the search!!

AT HOME Application: Use matcha in smoothies, lattes and salad dressings. How to make tea? Use a teaspoon of the magic green powder with a third of a cup of hot water (not boiling!). Then mix it with a bamboo whisk (or a latte whip) and you are ready to go.

INSIDE THE GEM App: OUR chopped veggie salad is dressed with an amazing spicy matcha vinaigrette. Super umami (that’s yummy in Japanese)! Our Matcha Latte made with housemade cashew milk is SERIOUSLY THE BEST THING GOING for your morning ritual.

Now you know why we love superfoods and the benefits they provide and how easy it is to add them to your daily routine! Bring the benefits home with our GEM at HOME collection or swing by and let us whip something up for you.

Believe us, you’ll be a believer once you see and feel the difference they make!