I love sipping on a Vanilla Matcha Latte. I often make one mid-morning when I’m working on my laptop, or as an afternoon pick-me-up on busy days.
Nutritionally, Matcha packs a punch. It’s 10 x more potent than regular green tea because it’s made from the whole tea leaf, rather than just steeping the leaves in hot water and throwing them away. But don’t take my word for it – have a look at this research which details some of the incredible health benefits of Matcha, including its neuroprotective qualities, its potent antioxidant powers and its ability to enhance cognitive function, lower stress and protect against cancer.
If you love your morning coffee and can’t imagine giving it up, I hear you. I’m not ‘anti-coffee’, but I do recognise that for many people, coffee causes problems. Even a small amount can disrupt your sleep, irritate your gut (sometimes leading to acne breakouts), deplete your adrenals, and cause anxiety and jitters, particularly if you happen to metabolise caffeine slowly. If this scenario sounds all too familiar, Matcha is a great alternative.
The caffeine in Matcha is released more slowly than in coffee because of an amino acid called l-theanine. L-theanine gives you a mental energy boost – described as an alert but relaxed mental state – that balances out the over-stimulating effects of caffeine. And it’s a rare nutrient, only being found in tea and one species of mushroom.
I’ll take ‘relaxed but alert’ over ‘tired and wired’ any day of the week.
Some more health benefits of Matcha:
- Mood-Booster: ECGC and L-theanine boost serotonin and dopamine, enhancing mood and cognitive function
- Liver-Lover: Polyphenols support our natural detoxification systems
- Immune Support: Matcha provides antiviral and antifungal protection and can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
My favourite way to drink Matcha is in the form of a creamy, rich Matcha Latte. I add vanilla essence for extra flavour and I also love to add a small teaspoon of honey – currently I’m using an organic wild thyme honey that has a lovely earthy flavour. Using a blender or milk frother is a great way to make it extra creamy. One more tip: skip the sad, watery almond milk and use something like hazelnut or coconut milk – the higher fat content makes for a much more frothy and creamy concoction, a perfect pick-me-up for winter afternoons.
Pro tip: Store your Matcha in the freezer to preserve the nutrients.
Vanilla Matcha Latte
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp Matcha powder
- 200 mls Plant milk of your choice (I love Plenish Hazelnut Milk)
- 2-3 drops vanilla essence or a dab of vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp MCT oil or coconut oil optional
- 1 tsp raw honey optional
Instructions
- Add all your ingredients to a milk frother and whoosh. Alternatively, you could add all the ingredients to a small pan and heat until warm.
