Matcha is a finely ground green powder that comes from green tea leaves. It has been used for more than 800 years in Japanese tea ceremonies and is also used to flavor many different foods including mochi and lattes.

Matcha is packed with antioxidants and has been found to have many health benefits, including:

  • Boosting metabolism
  • Detoxification
  • Calming and relaxation
  • Enhancing mood and improving concentration
  • Lowering cholesterol and blood sugar

I drink matcha tea myself and recommend it for many of my patients.  A recent study confirmed that matcha can be effective for lowering anxiety and outlined the proposed mechanism behind its anxiety-busting effects.

If you haven’t tried matcha before, I highly recommend that you do! Keep in mind, however, that the quality does vary from brand to brand. In general, I always recommend using a “ceremonial grade” to ensure you are getting a good quality product. Matcha usually comes as a green powder and you can use it in pretty much anything, including making it into a hot tea (I like to add honey and a plant-based milk like almond milk), baking it into muffins or other foods, or even adding it to your daily smoothie!