Matcha green tea leaves are grown in the same way as those used for regular green tea, only with matcha, the leaves are grown under a protective cover for the final two weeks.
This extra love and care gives them that extra ‘green-ness’ and is the secret to their exceptional health benefits.
Once they are powered up and good to go, the tea leaves are dried and slowly ground to a very fine powder, which can be turned into a delicious tea, or mixed with fruit juice.
Matcha has been said to boost your metabolism by some 40 percent, with weight loss being a common effect of regular matcha drinking.
A serving of ‘feel-good’ matcha green tea can keep you going for up to 6 hours! This is thanks to the unique way it slowly releases caffeine.
Matcha's antioxidant power is based on catechins which hunt down and destroy the free radicals that can trigger various diseases.
A 2011 study showed that green tea had a significant effect on lowering the LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels in research subjects.
L-theanine is an amino acid that encourages alpha-wave activity in the brain.
Alpha waves reduce stress and lower blood pressure so we feel less tense and can access higher-level brain functions like memory more easily.
Japan's longest-lived citizens regularly reach 100 plus, and they were regular matcha green tea drinkers.