Matcha, The Benefits, and How to Use It

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Matcha green tee powder is getting a lot of buzz in the health and fitness world right now. This powder, as it's name implies, is a ground green tea powder from a special green tea growth and harvest process. Because of this special process both before and after the tea is harvested, matcha has extremely high levels of chlorophyll and amino acids. In fact, matcha green tea has over 20 times more amino acids than it's super food counterparts such as blueberries, pomegranates, spinach, dark chocolate or orange juice. And, as much as 127 times the antioxidants of green tea. This greater antioxidant level is mainly because you are ingesting the entire green tea leaf rather than the steeped form found in green tea.

5 Benefits of Matcha

• Reduces the Risks of Cancer: This high concentration of antioxidants, specifically the antioxidant EGCG, has health benefits that go beyond your usual pot of green tea. EGCG is considered an anti-carcinogen that may help reduce our risks of cancer.
• Anti-Anxiety: Matcha is also high in the amino acid L-theanine that is required for healthy brain function. L-theanine is known to help reduce anxiety in the brain by increasing alpha wave activity. Researchers have found this to help calm the mind and bring mental clarity.
• Detoxifies the Body: Matcha is high in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll increases oxygen levels and binds with toxins to help remove them from the body. It has also been found to reduce the risk of cancer and the effects of radiation.
• Anti-Aging: Like anything with extremely high levels of antioxidants, matcha helps reduce aging by fighting free radicals. Free radicals are one of the main causes of aging and high levels of antioxidants reduce them in our body.
• Helps with Weight Loss: Green tea helps increase thermogenesis, thus helping us burn more calories. A recent study has also shown that drinking matcha before a workout could burn up to 25% more fat while exercising.

How to Use It

Matcha powder can be purchased at almost any health food store, or ordered through Amazon Prime. Since I am on the steady road to becoming a hermit, Amazon Prime is my prefered method. Once you get your matcha, you can use it in quite a few ways and may be eating it already without knowing it. Although matcha was created in China, it is now commonly used in Japanese cuisine for soba noodles, green tea ice cream, and mochi. Here are a few other ways I will be using it this month.

Teas

Of course, you can make matcha into a green tea. For this, just boil some water and add it to a cup with one tablespoon of matcha green tea. Wisk, and add any other flavorings you wish. Here is a great matcha and ginger tea recipe!

Smoothies

Matcha can be added to any smoothie for an extra bit of antioxidants, amino acids, and protein. Here are five great smoothie recipes that uses matcha, along with some of delicious things!

Baked Goods

Matcha can be added to, what seems like, any baked good there is. Pancakes, yes. tiramisu, you got it. But what is really interesting me is this rice krispie matcha recipe. Yes, please!

Snapguide, Contests, and Tea

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Snapguide has recently released a new maker contest in affiliation with DAVIDsTEA. If you do not know, Snapguide is a user submitted app and website where we can create and look at guides on cooking, DIY projects, workouts (cough, cough, I'm here), and a bit more as well. DAVIDsTEAS is also a pretty fantastic site for all your tea loving needs. This has actually worked out quite splendidly for me since I am currently trying to kick the coffee and add more tea to my life.

Contest winners can win anything from $850 to $250 worth of DAVIDsTEAS products. Best part, there are going to be six winners in this contest! If you are feeling extra creative and super tea loving, enter here. All you need to do is create a guide that uses tea in a not-so-traditional way by March 19th, just in time for my birthday!

Check out How to Make Matcha Facial Mask for Sensitive Skin! by Ruth O. on Snapguide.

Check out How to Cook Whiskey Infused Pu'er Poached Pears by Karen Hoefener on Snapguide.

Although I am not quite sure what my addition will be just yet, I am loving some of the other entries. These are a few of my hands down favorites that I cannot wait to make. Really, who thought of making a green tea whiskey infused poached pear? Kuddos to anyone who has considered that before, it sounds incredible and I want to eat it now.

Check out How to Make Tea Encrusted Scallops by Lisa Marie Ritchat on Snapguide.

Check out How to Make Chocolate Chocolate Rocket Chia Seed Pudding by Sherrie Gao on Snapguide.

Pros and Cons of Omega-6 Fatty Acids

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A few short weeks ago I wrote an article outlining which was better for us, olive oil or grape seed oil. The results very much surprised me, especially since one of grape seed oil's downfalls was the high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids found per serving. A healthy oil should average a 4:1 (or lower) ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Grape seed oil has 75 times the amount of omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3. Of course, this makes not eating grape seed oil a no-brainer, but what has not made sense to me is why omega-6 fatty acids are so bad for us. It has always been my understanding that omega-6 and omega-3 acids are needed for healthy organ, brain, and joint function- turns out, this is not exactly true.

Pros

Like omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids are an unsaturated fatty acid that the body cannot create on it's own. Because of this, it is important that we get enough omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids through our diet. Most people get enough omega-6 fatty acids from their diet alone. The daily recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained through a daily supplement. When taken in the right amounts, omega-6 fatty acids can help with:

• Aids in reducing ADHD: Studies have shown that children with ADHD usually have lower amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Reduces the affects of rheumatoid arthritis
• Reducing allergies: Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a form of omega-6 fatty acids is found in fewer quantities among those that suffer from allergies. Taking addition omega-6 fatty acids, particularly plant based, can help reduce the effects of allergies.
• Lower blood pressure

Cons

Like most things in life, too much of a good thing can turn bad. On a healthy diet containing a 4:1 ration of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, the pro's of omega-6 can far outweigh the cons. But, anything higher and you could be looking at some not-so-great side effects of too much omega-6.

• Inflammation: Arachidonic acid, a form of polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids, can increase inflammation in joints when taken in high quantities. This can also lead to higher levels of pain for those with rhuematoid arthritis.
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
• Depression
• Increased risk of cancer: This is especially true for post menopausal women who have higher than normal levels of polyunsaturaded fatty acids.
• High cholesterol

Foods with a Good Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

Although we should all be taking a supplement that gives us more omega-3 fatty acids, it is also important to know which foods are good and which to steer clear of. These foods have a ratio of 4:1 or lower:

• Flaxseed oil (1:4)
• Grass fed beef (3:1). Corn fed beef averages 10:1
• Seafood such as tuna (1:20)
• Egg whites (0:0)
• Black beans (1:1)
• Fruits and veggies

5 Tips for Getting Over a Sickness Fast

Well folks, there is definitely some sickness going around and it seems that our whole family went to Disney in time to get every bit of it. The hubs is doing better, but now it is my turn to meds and vitamins shoved at me like candy at Halloween. No one likes being sick, that is just a fact. Here are five super easy and super quick ways to get over an illness and get back to being your awesome self!

Take Loads of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the best natural healers. This stuff gives our body the extra strength it needs to fight off infections and illness. When sick, our family takes about three times the vitamin C we would usually take in a day. Our bodies cannot store or create vitamin C, so taking it daily is important and taking it when ill gives us another way to fight that yucky, yucky, sickness.

Use Lotion, Often

This may seem odd, but when we are sick, we tend to blow our nose a lot. Blowing our nose is great, except when it starts getting red and swollen and achy. This is never a nice feeling when a fever sets in and your nose is running but using a tissue sounds like torture. Avoid this by continuing your to apply facial lotion around the nose. I have started this tradition and have made it though a cold or two without any red-nose syndrome.

Do Not Give Up Working Out

We get sick. Our muscles ache, our joints throb, and our head feels like someone is continuing to hit it with a baseball bat. Working out is usually the last thing we want to do at this point, but it will help... Just not the usual workout. Quick and easy yoga flows or Pilates workouts are just what the doctor ordered when sick. Even simple stretches will help reduce pain and inflammation in the joints and help release toxins from the body.

Water, Water, Water

Drinking water is vital when sick. This is probably one of the hardest things for me to do when a fever sets in, but oh is it important! When we are sick, we get dehydrated. To make it worse, we have way too many toxins and impurities in our bodies. Drinking more water than usual will keep us hydrated and help clear toxins out of the body so we can recover faster.

Relax

It is hard to miss work or to spend a day in bed when there is simply no time for it. Sure, we may not be able to sleep all day until our illness is gone, but take it easy. Our bodies are doing a lot when we are sick and working them as hard as usual will not make it any better. Little things that always help me are wearing comfy and cozy clothes, walking slower (not that we can help it when are joints are like stone), always having chapstick, and going to bed earlier. It is also a good idea to rest as often during the day as possible.