four reasons to...

TRY MATCHA

WHETHER you’ve seen it sprinkled on a doughnut or on sale at your local coffee shop, matcha seems to be everywhere right now. Matcha has been around for centuries and comes from the same plant as green tea. Matcha beverages go through a different farming process though, making them stronger in flavour and caffeine, with a more appealing nutrient profile. So what else makes matcha special?

1 It’s high in antioxidants MATCHA is a rich source of catechins, natural antioxidants that are found in plants. Antioxidants can help to slow the process of ageing by stablising free radicals, compounds that cause damage to cells and can contribute to several diseases.

Unlike green tea, where the leaves are infused in hot water and then discarded, matcha drinkers consume the leaf, giving it a greater kick of antioxidants. One study found that the catechin content in matcha is around 137 times greater than in regular green tea.

2 It’ll give you a less jittery energy boost than coffee MATCHA contains caffeine, but thanks to its high L-Theanine content, the ‘buzz’ is much more long-lasting and energising. It should give you a pick-me-up without the jitters and subsequent energy slump.

3 It may enhance ‘fat oxidation’ A STUDY last year examined the effect matcha green tea drinks have on metabolic responses during brisk walking for women. The researchers found that if participants consumed three drinks the day before and one drink two hours before a 30-minute brisk walk, matcha enhanced fat burning.

4 You can try it in loads of different forms PURE Leaf’s Matcha Pure sachets (£5 for 12 sachets, ocado.com) are a fuss-free way of getting in on the trend without having to measure out messy powder. Pour 50ml of boiling water over the contents of one sachet and whisk until it’s dispersed. Then add another 150ml of water and whisk until creamy.

Matcha is a really versatile ingredient. Powdered matcha can been baked into cakes, flavour ice cream, whizzed into smoothies or spooned into pancake batter.