Have you noticed the world going crazy for #matcha lately? Or better – the world portrayed through the eyes of Instagram. Surely, you must have noticed how wellness bloggers and celebrities use #matcha for their stories as often as bikini models use #puppyface filters. Personally, I feel like it’s the only thing I see on Instagram. It’s all about beautiful people drinking matcha teas, lattes and smoothies before going to yoga, then adding it to foods and drinks after their workouts. Basically this #superfood has become an essential part of human survival, at least virtually speaking. Because for those of us who don’t live in the US, and are not as fabulous Instagram-wise, matcha seems like a foreign concept. I live in Europe. Specifically – in France, and here we drink normal teas, and we eat baguette with cheese while watching #matcha stories, and wondering: “What the F is this magic green potion all about? Does it really save lives?”

Is it a newcomer on the french scene? 

France is probably one of the most untrustworthy countries out of all of Europe. Especially when it comes to following overseas trends and allowing foreign products to enter the home market. We usually wait until such products get tested, used and abused overseas, and only if nobody dies out of poisoning, we will cautiously introduce them, one store, one city, at a time. You think I’m joking, but I swear that I have never seen matcha tea in any menu in any French café I’ve ever been to. Unless I hang out in the wrong places of course. I’ve even tried to buy a pack at a local Parisian tea store, but the sales guy was puzzled – he didn’t know what I was talking about. So when Kiss Me Organics contacted me asking for my postal address, because they enjoyed my blog and wanted to send me a free Matcha Kit to try out, first of all, I was flattered, and second of all, I was a little too excited. For a moment I felt like I was one of those cool Californian bloggers with +50K followers, who lives in a fabulous crib on the beach, and who obviously films her matcha ceremony every morning.

What is it exactly ?

Matcha is a powdered green tea used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It is said to be the ultimate mental and medical remedy. Well, if it helps my health in any way – sounds good to me!

How to make it ?

You’re supposed to put one spoon of matcha in a bowl, then add 70°C water, and mix it with a special bamboo whisk (chasen). You have to whisk it until you get a creamy consistency and bubbles. And I must admit, that I have whisked and whisked again, until my arm was hurting, but I couldn’t get any froth out of it. I repeated the process a few times, until I finally produced a foamy-looking Instagram-worthy cup of matcha. Indeed, this process does take more practice and patience than I’ve expected, but once you’re good at it, you can’t help but whisk your matcha every morning.

What are its Health Benefits?

1. Matcha provides 5 times as many antioxidants as any other food. Antioxidants are the body’s defence agents, helping to fight against infections and disease, such as cancer.
2. Matcha has been used for centuries by Buddhist monks during mediation because it contains the amino acid L-Theanine, which relaxes the body while maintaining the alertness of the mind.
3. Consuming matcha daily gives you an energy boost without any side-effects, such as nervousness and hypertension.
4. It has shown to increase metabolism; helps to burn calories four times faster than average.
5. It  fortifies the immune system.
6. Has a positive effect on cholesterol.

If you want good quality you should pick ‘Ceremonial Grade’, as it is the highest quality matcha. You can also identify the quality of your matcha by its colour – the greener and more vibrant the colour, the higher the quality. Of course by picking ‘organic’ you can’t go wrong, as it will be chemical-free and natural.

I am truly becoming a matcha enthusiast after trying out Kiss Me Organics – Ceremonial Grade matcha. Although, all good things should be consumed in moderation. I consume one cup a day – early in the morning. It gives me a healthy boost. I am also very curious about the Matcha Nespresso Capsules, as I’m often in a rush in the morning, and using capsules could be quick and handy.

To research in-depth information about matcha I’ve used various websites, such as naturallivingideas.com and the telegraph.com, in order to give you a better overview about the properties and health benefits of this product. This post is meant for educational purposes only, and one must consult a doctor, especially if pregnant, nursing or having a medical condition, before taking up a daily habit of tea consumption.