Cape Times

WHY YOU NEED TO INCLUDE GREEN TEA MATCHA IN YOUR DIET

- VUYILE MADWANTSI vuyile.madwantsi@inl.co.za

EVERY day, especially in South Africa, our bodies are put under stress by a multitude of factors, including rolling blackouts, exorbitant inflation, and unconsciou­sly harbouring fears of a devastatin­g pandemic that could strike anywhere in the world.

All these factors actively harm healthy cells by robbing them of oxygen and reducing their collagen levels, which are crucial for maintainin­g skin's suppleness and youthful appearance.

As a result, the market is saturated with what you should be consuming to relieve stress or even something as extreme as going under the knife to achieve your desired appearance.

Whether you're trying to treat a vitamin deficiency, lower your risk of contractin­g specific diseases, or you simply feel you should be more proactive about your health, eating foods that help your body from the inside out with little,or no chemicals, is what we should be doing.

Scientific studies on matcha and its components have uncovered several advantages, including the ability to preserve the liver, promote heart health, and even help with weight loss.

Matcha, like green tea, is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. The main difference between the two, despite the fact that they are both nutritiona­l powerhouse­s, is how matcha is farmed to preserve its nutrient profile.

In order to protect the tea plants from direct sunshine, they are grown and covered a month before harvest. This stimulates the production of chlorophyl­l, raises the amount of amino acids present, and gives the plant a darker shade of green.

Matcha green tea is an antioxidan­t, vitamin, and mineral powerhouse that benefits the body's overall health.

Because of the farming technique used to produce matcha, the leaves of the shade-grown green tea plant are ground into a fine powder (resulting in matcha), preserving all of the plant's health benefits and enhancing the benefits of green tea.

A few matcha tea health advantages to think about:

Matcha contains a lot of polyphenol­s, which are plant compounds found in tea that act as antioxidan­ts.

Antioxidan­ts are also known to

help with acne and skin elasticity.

Studies even suggest that matcha may help to prevent liver damage and lower the risk of liver disease.

It has been demonstrat­ed that matcha improves attention, memory, and reaction time.

It also contains caffeine and L-theanine, both of which have been shown to improve various aspects of brain function.

Matcha is high in a catechin called EGCG (epigalloca­techin gallate), which is believed to have cancer-fighting effects on the body.

According to one study, when ingested, the EGCG in matcha may help to reduce the effects of hormonal imbalance by binding

with androgen receptors. Androgens are hormones that, when produced in excess, cause the skin to produce more sebum. This helps to reduce inflammati­on and even out skin tone.

Besides using it in smoothies, as tea you can alternativ­ely use matcha as a mask:

INGREDIENT­S:

1 Tsp Green Tea matcha 1 Tablespoon Greek yoghurt METHOD:

Mix together thoroughly to form a bright green paste.

Apply to the face and neck and leave for 10 minutes.

Wash off to reveal brighter, tighter and glowing skin!

 ?? ?? SCIENTIFIC Studies on matcha and its components have uncovered a number of advantages, including the ability to preserve the liver, promote heart health, and even help with weight loss. | Unsplash
SCIENTIFIC Studies on matcha and its components have uncovered a number of advantages, including the ability to preserve the liver, promote heart health, and even help with weight loss. | Unsplash

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa