Our Organic wild Maine Blueberry Tea is made with the fruit and the leaves of the wild Maine blueberry plant. Our fields have been growing organically since 2002 on our farm in Stockton Springs, ME.
The Matcha we use comes from a small farm in Thailand. This farm is woman owned and operated. They have been certified organic by Thailand and are working on an international certificate. We are enjoying the amazing health benefits of both wild Maine blueberries and green tea Matcha. This tea is our only caffeinated tea available.
Information Source: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/beverage/matcha-tea.html
Health benefits of drinking matcha tea include improved mental alertness and clarity, stronger immune defense and detoxification. Polyphenols and catechin-rich matcha promotes relaxation and contributes beneficially in prevention and treatment of various medical conditions including bacterial, fungal and viral infections, cancer and type-2 diabetes. It also assists in maintaining cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal health and works as a superb energy booster.
So what Is Matcha?
Matcha or maccha is a finely ground, bright emerald-green tea powder. It is a natural, organic green tea which has been the heart of the famous Japanese tea ceremony for over 900 years. The Buddhist monks honored matcha tea as the ‘health elixir’ for its potential to heighten the concentration and enhance the metabolism.
Originating in China in 9th century, matcha was used as drug for curing various ailments. However, its word somehow got elapsed in China. It was only after the Zen Buddhist monks from Japan realized its true potential at the end of twelfth century, the perfection in the cultivation of matcha picked up. Matcha is still scarcely grown accounting for just 0.6% of total tea yield.
Matcha is prepared from a high-quality shade-grown leaf known as tencha. The tea bushes are sheltered to avoid the exposure of direct sunlight which reduces the pace of photosynthesis and slows down the growth of the plants. This provides the leaves with a darker shade of green and stimulates the production of chlorophyll and amino acids.
Harvesting of matcha is done by hand to ensure selection of youngest and smallest leaves for the finest quality tea. Unlike other green teas, leaves used for matcha are briefly steamed to protect them from oxidation and preserve its flavor and nutritional content. This is followed by ultra-fine milling of the tencha leaves by using granite stone mills resulting in a beautiful green powder which is the raw material for matcha tea. After being prized in Japan for scores of years, recently matcha has been gaining recognition in the western world attributing to its unique flavor and remarkable therapeutic qualities.
Nutritional Value Of Matcha Tea
Matcha is a time-honored beverage which is source of vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, Vitamin E, vitamin K and trace minerals. Matcha is rich in components with super antioxidant activity including polyphenols, catechins and chlorophyll. Presence of amino acids such as L-theanine and theophylline in the matcha tea makes it a multi nutrient-packed drink.
Culinary usage: Apart from healthy gains, matcha is widely popular as an ingredient in a range of food items. Matcha is used to add flavor to a variety of western-style confectionery items including chocolates, cakes, candies, cookies and green tea ice-creams. Recently, a number of famous cafes in North America and around have introduced matcha based drinks such as smoothies, milk shakes, lattes and alcoholic beverages.. EGCG exerts inhibitory activities and works against the progression of human breast and prostate tumors as well.
Matcha: A Word Of Caution
Matcha is a healthy green tea with multi-dimensional benefits. However, it contains some amount of caffeine which may trigger allergic reactions in some susceptible individuals. Allergic reactions may include diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmia and irritable bowel syndrome. Caffeine can also cause drug interactions basis the amount consumed. If you are new to matcha and are unaware of its sensitivities, then it is always advisable to ensure natural vigilance while trying it for the first time. Prior considering matcha tea for therapeutic purposes, an expert medical opinion would always help to better understand its effects especially during special conditions such as pregnancy and lactation or for those on blood pressure medicines.
Matcha Summary
Matcha has superior potential health benefits as compared to other green teas. According to a popular adage, there is special etiquette which is followed in Japan while drinking this tea .i.e. ‘if you drink matcha with your back straight, the pleasure of the experience would double’. Matcha is the only tea in which the entire tea leaf is dissolved in the water providing the maximum benefits of natural components present in the matcha tea. Chlorophyll present in matcha assists in wound-healing and also exerts anti-inflammatory actions. Apart from these, matcha possesses anti-aging properties, helps in keeping the blood pressure low, provides relief from constipation, stimulates the mood and helps create a feeling of overall wellbeing.
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