4 Ways to Start Using Matcha Today

Here are a few ways to use Matcha:
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

If you head to a coffee shop, or even smoothie shop, you are bound to run into some form of matcha latte, tea or even smoothie. Matcha is a powder made from green tea with a slightly earthy taste. It is high in anti-oxidants and in caffeine. The caffeine in matcha is more balanced than caffeine from coffee or soda, so it causes less jitters, crashes, and irritability. The super high antioxidants help fight free radical cells that cause cancer and diseases, making it a superfood.

Matcha Benefits:
- Less caffeine than coffee
- More caffeine than black tea
- High in anti-oxidants
- Energizing
- Detoxifying

Because it is not as irritating to your digestion as coffee, but is still high in caffeine, many people are starting to use more and more of this as their daily caffeine boost. As with most tea, the caffeine boost doesn't cause as much of a crash, so you don't feel the drop when it wears off. It is also quite versatile in how it can be used and incorporated into your daily drinks and food.

Here are a few ways to use Matcha:
1) Make it a latte:
It works well in creamy lattes, with a touch of vanilla or natural sweetener. This creaminess or the milk (dairy or non) and the slight sweetness form the vanilla or natural sugar help to balance out the bitter, earthy flavor of the tea. This makes for a rich and decadent alternative to the usual coffee latte, and give a steadier, more mellow caffeine boost.

2) Drink it straight:
In it's purest form, Matcha is mixed with hot water and nothing else. This makes a deep, rich green drink with a strong tea flavor. It is also the most potent way to use it, since you aren't adding in any other ingredients that may lessen the anti-oxidants in the tea.

3) Mix it in:
Matcha can also be used in baked goods, granola bars or even raw foods, like energy bites. It will add a fun green color to the food, as well as a bit of an anti-oxidant boost to your dish.

4) Blend it in:
Smoothies are also a prefect place to add Matcha. The slightly earthy, mellow taste of Matcha pairs well with a vegetable-based green smoothie. It is also green in color, so it adds to the natural green coloring of the blended vegetables. Adding it to your smoothie is the perfect way to start the day. It will save time, since the caffeine and breakfast are all in one drink.

To get started, try this recipe from the book, The Smoothie Life.

Matcha Buzz Smoothie:
1 cup kale
1 small cucumber
1 celery stalk
¼ cup sweet peas, raw
1 frozen banana
1 tsp matcha green tea powder
1 handful ice

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.

For this and other green, fruity and, make sure to check out The Smoothie Life Book and Bonus Bundle, as well as download your free 25+ page sample.

*Excerpt and recipe from The Smoothie Life used with permission from author and publisher, Jessi Andricks.

Jessi Andricks, author of Detox 101 and The Smoothie Life, is an emerging leader in the field of modern healthy, whole living. Through her training in Health Coaching, Yoga, and mind-body fitness, she's able to blend together the best of all worlds to create innovative online wellness and private coaching programs. Jessi fuses together clean eating basics, empowering fitness techniques, and expert wellness tips to help clients live the happier, healthier lives. Get in touch with Jessi at thehouseofhealthy.com.

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE