Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I’ve always loved smoothies for getting fruits and vegetables into my family’s diet. I also like experimenting with nutritional additives. Until recently, I’d never heard of Matcha. Matcha is a green tea powder known for increasing energy, focus and metabolism. I’ve read lots of studies that have shown green tea to be helpful with decreasing appetite and boosting metabolism but I had no idea that it also had the potential to increase energy and improve skin health. If there’s one thing I can use help with, it’s energy. I typically feel almost overwhelmingly tired mid-day and could really use some sustained energy.
This afternoon I made a strawberry/orange/spinach smoothie and added a 1/2 tsp of Organic Matcha from Kiss Me Organics. The flavor of the Matcha is what one would expect. It tastes like tea. To me, it’s a fresh taste and I thought it blended well with the smoothie. I purposely left it out of my children’s smoothie as they certainly don’t need a boost of energy. I on the other hand could probably have gone for a double. The serving size is 1/2 -1 tsp but I wanted to start out on the lower end to see how it worked. I did feel energized for awhile and didn’t get that crash a few hours later that I usually do when I drink coffee. I’m definitely going to try a bigger serving at breakfast to get my day going!
You can use Matcha in lattes, smoothies and even for baking. It should provide 4-6 hours of mild, steady energy and acts as both a stimulant and a relaxant. Consuming matcha green tea can increase thermogenesis (the body’s own rate of burning calories) from a normal 8%-10% of daily energy expenditure, to between 35% and 43% of daily energy expenditure — great for loosing weight! Scientists have also discovered that Matcha Green Tea helps protect the skin from harmful UVrays, while improving blood flow and oxygen levels to improve the overall quality of the skin.
Brewed green tea is not the same as Matcha. Matcha has 137 times the antioxidants of brewed green tea which are important for boosting your body’s natural defenses against oxidation. Researchers have found that a high level of dietary antioxidants can prevent many age-related diseases.
When you purchase Kiss Me Organics Match, it comes with a 70 page Recipe Guide. Here’s one of my favorites from the book:
Berry Good Morning Smoothie
Ingredients:
½ cup cold orange juice
1 tsp. matcha
2 tsp. warm water
1/3 cup chopped strawberries
1/3 cup blueberries
½ banana, sliced
Instructions:
1. Mix matcha and warm water until blended.
2. Add all ingredients into a blender and run until smooth.
3. If needed, add more orange juice or water for a thinner smoothie.
One little 4 oz pouch of Matcha will last quite awhile since the serving sizes are so small. I love having it on hand as a smoothie additive and plan on using it some days in place of my iced coffee.
Have you tried Matcha before? What did you think of it?
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.