Magical Matcha

Whew the last two weeks have been insane! The weeks leading up to the holidays are hectic for everyone it seems, but when you are a college student facing final exams this time of year is extra stressful! So I have a confession to make; this is my first semester making it through final exam week without a single cup of coffee! I used to loooove coffee. I'm not talking about an innocent cup here and there, I'm talking upwards of three cups a day. Obviously as I became more health conscious I knew this little habit had to go. Immediately after quitting coffee I noticed improvements in my overall health. I had higher energy levels (and didn't crash at 4:00 pm), slept more soundly, and found that I didn't get stressed out as easily. I was amazed by how much my overall moods improved when I stopped drinking coffee. I don't miss it a bit.

So how did I survive an incredibly stressful week of finals without coffee? Matcha.

Matcha is a high quality green tea native to Japan. The tea leaves are finely ground into a powder which is added to hot (not boiling) water, the powder is then whisked into the water to attain the correct consistency. Because you consume the entire tea leaf, as opposed to the steeped extract of the leaves, matcha contains 137 times more antioxidants than regular green tea! This is nothing short of amazing considering the fact that antioxidants counteract the effects of free radicals as a result of pollution, UV rays, and chemicals, which can lead to cell and DNA damage. Matcha also boosts the metabolism and fires up the body's ability to burn fat. It increases energy levels and alertness, but doesn't cause a crash later on in the day.

Matcha has been used in Buddhist Zen meditation and tea ceremonies for over a millennium. Matcha has been revered since ancient times for it's ability to make the drinker feel simultaneously calm and alert. Modern science proves these ancient beliefs; Matcha contains  the unique amino acid L-Theanine. L-Theanine promotes a state of relaxation and combats stress. It also stimulates the brain and enhances concentration, it is believed to improve memory and learning ability.

Amazing health benefits? Alert relaxation? Ummm yes please! That's exactly what we all need when things get a little crazy.