Guest Post by Jamie Anderson We all know that green tea is good for us, but matcha has taken it to a whole new level. It offers various health benefits, and even aids in weight loss.

Here is everything you should know about this green tea powerhouse: What is matcha? Traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, matcha is made from ground green tea leaves, says Louise Roberge, president and spokesperson from the Tea Association of Canada.  Rather than just steeping the green tea leaf, you consume the whole thing in a powder form. How is matcha traditionally prepared? Roberge says because it’s powdered, you prepare matcha by whisking it with warm water (80°C is the ideal temperature for green tea). Kim Watson, a consultant for Steeped Tea, a Canadian tea company, says to start out by using ¼ to ½ a tsp of matcha as to not overwhelm your body and work your way up to 1 tsp after about a week. What are the benefits of drinking matcha? Matcha is becoming best known for aiding in weight loss and speeding up your metabolism but it has other positive effects as well, says Watson. This includes fighting cancer, enhancing your mood, boosting energy, helping with headaches, raising immunity, freshening your breath and it even has anti-aging properties. Unlike coffee, matcha slowly releases caffeine over a several hour period as opposed to all at once, so you feel energized all day. Matcha is packed full of nutrients and antioxidants; in fact, when it comes to antioxidants steepedtea.com says drinking eight to 10 cups of another tea is equal to just ¼ to ½ tsp of matcha. How often do you have to drink matcha in order to see weight loss results? Watson says to drink matcha at least once per day, but two to three times per day is ideal to see the best results. “Drinking matcha first thing in the morning will curb your hunger for the day as it is a natural appetite suppressant,” she says.  And drinking matcha before a workout helps to burn more fat. If you find that you can’t drink that much tea in a day, matcha powder can be consumed in a variety of other ways. Roberge suggests adding it to smoothies, homemade salad dressings, yogurt and even lattés. Watson agrees adding matcha to smoothies is a great way to introduce the new tea to your body. Here are two of Watson’s favourite matcha smoothie recipes: Green smoothie

• ½ tsp of matcha green tea powder
• ¾ cup of milk (dairy/almond/coconut/soy)
• 1 tsp of honey
• 1 banana
• ½ avocado

Immunity smoothie

• 1 tsp of matcha green tea powder
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped or grated)
• ½ cup of ice
• Juice from half a lime
• Honey to taste

Photo courtesy of Jamie Anderson