WHAT'S THE CRAZE ALL ABOUT?

To start, what is Matcha? It's Japanese green tea. Shade grown. Stone ground.

That's the quick simple answer, but since Matcha is a hot topic these days, it's worth a deep-dive considering there are almost too many health benefits to keep track of.

Well, let's dig into a few. For instance, Matcha:

• Is LOADED with Antioxidants: Why are antioxidants so good for you? Because they help protect your cells from free radical damage. If you compare the antioxidant power of Matcha with some other heavyweights like blueberries, Matcha comes out on top by a factor of 20x
• Contains High Amounts of EGCG:  Instead of trying to pronounce "Epigallocatechin gallate," let's just go with EGCG, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants known today.  Extensive scientific studies prove that EGCG helps fight inflammation, lowers your risk of heart attack & stroke, speeds up cellular repair, and improves physical performance
• Promotes the Production Alpha Waves in the Brain: Matcha contains L-Theanine, an amino acid contained inside the leaves used to make Matcha. This amino acid causes a state of "alert calmness" without feeling drowsy. It also helps improve memory and enhance concentration (which is helping me write this article as I hammer the key board & sip my Matcha)

• Lowers Bad Cholesterol: Regular Matcha drinkers have been shown to have lower levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad one,) and higher levels of HDL cholestrol (the good one.) This naturally leads to a lower likelihood of developing heart disease
• Increases Endurance & Energy Levels: There is more caffeine in Matcha when compared to its loose-leaf tea-bag cousins. The boost you get from Matcha is not only from caffeine alone,  but also from the loads of other nutrients found in the powder. Matcha also speeds up post workout recovery. On a side note, back in the day, Samurai would slam some Matcha before going into battle, as it gave them the battle-boost they needed 
• Helps Fight Cancer: According to the National Cancer Institute, the catechins found in Matcha are so powerful they can actually help prevent cancer. Not only that, these powerful disease-fighting flavonoids make Matcha an effective natural cancer treatment.

• Increases Metabolism & Helps You Lean Out: Numerous studies have shown that Matcha increases your metabolic rate, increasing the body's calorie burning potential by as much as 17%. It's Matcha's rich polyphenol content that helps you blast fat cells... And summer is just around the corner, just saying
• Helps Detoxify the Body: Matcha gets its insane green color from being grown in the shade. This causes the plant to produce more chlorophyll in order to survive on limited sunlight. Chlorophyll helps the remove heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body
• Is Anti-Aging: Chlorophyll found in Matcha also helps combat the effects of aging by stimulating the production of anti-aging enzymes which promote healthy, youthful looking skin. Getting punched in the face a lot can speed up the aging process, so best to drink Matcha on the regular to help balance things out :)