Posts

The Benefits Of Matcha Green Tea

The Benefits Of Matcha Green Tea – Why you should ditch traditional green tea and switch to Matcha.

Through a Japanese tea ceremony, I was introduced to the benefits of matcha green tea.  “Matcha” as it is called is a special type of green tea made of the entire leaf.  Consuming the whole leaf provides 100% of the nutrients and 137 times the antioxidant power of regular green tea.  One cup of matcha = 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea in terms of nutritional content.

 

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – How It’s Made

The benefits of matcha green tea come from the use of the whole leaf. The leaves are pulverized, creating a green powder.  The green tea powder is then whisked with hot water in a bowl creating a frothy beverage.  In traditional ceremonies, Geishas serve the warm beverage in traditional style.  The preparation and enjoyment is meditative.

The resulting high levels of chlorophyll in Matcha Green Tea not only give this tea its beautiful vibrant green color; matcha is also a powerful detoxifier, capable of naturally removing heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Awaken Mental Clarity

One of the benefits of Matcha green tea is that it creates calm alertness.  l-theanine (an amino acid found in green and black tea) produces a state of relaxation without drowsiness.  With three times as much caffeine than a cup of steeped tea, matcha has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee.  Switching your morning coffee for the benefits of Matcha green tea will give you the caffeine you are accustomed to without the jitters and mid-morning crash.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Antioxidant Support

Catechins are phytochemical compounds, vital antioxidants which provide the body with metabolic support and stamina. We know that with it’s potent antioxidant properties, a bowl of matcha provides over five times as many antioxidants as any other food. The EGCg catechins, which make up 60% of matcha tea, have also shown to hold antibiotic properties which promote overall health.

 

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Promote Relaxation

The L-Theanine in matcha promotes the production of alpha waves in the brain, which induces relaxation without the inherent drowsiness caused by other “downers.” The L-Theanine also promotes the production of dopamine and serotonin.

Studies of different populations have shown that people who drink Match Green Tea on a regular basis have lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while at the same time displaying higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Become A Fat Burning Machine

Drinking Matcha Green Tea has also been shown to increase metabolism and help the body burn fat about four times faster than average.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Prolonged Energy

While all green tea naturally contains caffeine, the energy boost received from Matcha is largely due to its unique combination of other nutrients. The increased endurance from a bowl of Matcha Green Tea can last up to 6 hours and because of the effects of L-Theanine, Matcha drinkers experience none of the usual side-effects of stimulants such as nervousness and hypertension. It’s good, clean energy.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Save $ By Making It At Home

If you buy matcha in a cafe, you’ll spend somewhere around $4 a cup. You can make it at home for pennies—here’s how:

1. Heat spring or filtered water

2. Add a few drops of hot water to matcha powder and mix into paste with a spoon

3. Add more hot water to paste mixture and stir. Try 1 teaspoon to 6 ounces of water. Adjust measurement to suit taste.

4. Enjoy!

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – There’s One Exception

Since the whole leaf is used in the production of matcha green tea, lead contamination could be a concern. Even organically grown green teas have been shown to contain trace amounts of lead. As long as you are not drinking the tea all day every day, you should be okay. We must weigh the benefits vs. the risks and make a decision for ourselves if we want to drink matcha.

Benefits of Matcha Green Tea – Resources:

E-How Matcha

Health

Match Source

WELL – New York Times

Benefits of Magnesium

The benefits of magnesium in the body are numerous. Consuming adequate amounts of magnesium in our diet is essential to life. Some of the benefits of magnesium include: the regulation of calcium in the body, it activates vitamin D, it regulates electrolytes, is essential for over 300 enzymatic functions in the body including our metabolism, it protects our heart, it is intricate in bone formation, the adrenal glands depend on magnesium to help ward off depression, it regulates insulin levels and it is a key component to energy production in the body.

I first began researching the benefits of magnesium years ago when I noticed my eye twitching randomly. I came to find out that I was not getting enough magnesium in my diet. Upon adding a magnesium supplement to my diet, the twitching stopped. There are many symptoms that could signify a magnesium deficiency such as muscle cramps, twitching, poor memory, confusion, calcium deficiency, anxiety, high blood pressure, fatigue and dizziness to name a few. If you have these symptoms, you may have a magnesium deficiency.

Through modern day farming practices, much of our soil has been depleted of the magnesium content that is needed to produce agriculture that is rich in magnesium. Many people are looking to supplements to put back in their diets the magnesium that has been stripped from it. I suggest adding more magnesium rich foods to your diet first. If you are still not getting the amount of magnesium you need daily, then look to supplements. Some foods high in magnesium are spinach, squash, black beans and nuts like cashews, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds. If you happen to get more magnesium then you need, which is harder to do then one might think, it can have a laxative effect.

The benefits of magnesium can be acquired as the skin absorbs the mineral transdermally. Taking an Epsom salt bath on a regular basis can help reduce inflammation, aches and pains and boost your intake of magnesium. Epsom salt is a natural compound of magnesium and sulfate. Taking a relaxing Epsom salt bath before bed can help you sleep well. You can make your own Espom salt bath bags.

We reap the benefits of magnesium when we get the recommended dietary allowance. This chart will help you figure out how much magnesium your body needs daily.  Here are some facts and figures on magnesium from the National Institute of Health.

Benefits of Magnesium

Benefits of Magnesium

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benefits of Magnesium

When we eat the following foods, our body will naturally attain the benefits of magnesium.

Benefits of Magnesium

*DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the context of a total diet. The DV for magnesium is 400 mg for adults and children aged 4 and older. However, the FDA does not require food labels to list magnesium content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient.