The Incredible Benefits of Green Tea and Matcha!

Not long ago I wrote a blog post explaining the difference between green tea and matcha. Being a question many of us didn’t know the answer to, that post received an amazing response! Since then I’ve been doing even more research into the benefits of green tea for both your inner and outer health! This delicious tea is full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that benefit your overall health and wellbeing. It’s also incredible for your skin, energy levels and even your joint movement!

How can Green Tea and Matcha benefit your inner health?

Weight Loss & Weight Management
Green tea matcha can help manage weight in four ways; it boosts fat burning and can help reduce fat absorption, hunger and stress. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition can raise the body’s fat burning rate from the normal 8-10% to 35-43%!¹

Boosting Energy
One of my favourite benefits of green tea is it’s ability to release energy into your body slowly over a 6-8 hour period.¹ This means that you won’t experience the caffeine slump like you would with a cup of coffee!

How can Green Tea and Matcha benefit your outer health?

Green tea is full of antioxidants and vitamins that have amazing skincare benefits. As green teas are not fermented when steamed, this allows the antioxidants to remain in the leaves. This increase their effectiveness, making them particularly beneficial for fighting ageing!³ Green tea is also filled with molecules called polyphenols. These molecules are well known for their ability to reduce inflammation, fight off bacteria.³ This is great news for anyone prone to blemishes, because green tea, when applied topically may help reduce irritation. As green tea is caffeinated, it’s also highly effective at reducing puffiness and dark circles around the eyes. It helps to calm inflamed blood vessels while soothing the skin.³

So what is the difference between Green Tea and Matcha?

Although made from the same plant, green tea comes in teabag form and matcha in a powder. Matcha is actually made using 100% green tea leaves, so is a much more concentrated dosage! You only need 1⁄2 a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon per cup!

Which Green Tea products do I recommend for inner health?

Zen Green Tea Matcha Powder
A new addition to the Nourished Life store is the Zen Green Tea Matcha Powder which is full of supercharged antioxidants, vitamins and minerals! It’s the ultimate way to help boost your energy. Unlike regular green tea, this matcha powder has a naturally sweet taste that is perfect for adding to your morning smoothie!

Matcha Maiden Matcha Green Tea Powder
Did you know that Matcha Maiden Matcha Green Tea Powder has the same nutritional value of ten cups of regular green tea! It’s made with stone ground powder sourced from Kyoto Japan and is certified organic. My favourite feature of this matcha powder is just how versatile it is! You can add it your desserts, smoothies, salad dressings and even your skin care! It’s truly excellent as it may increase focus, clear your complexion and improve your overall health and wellbeing! To use, put half a teaspoon into hot water for a delicious boost.

Which Green Tea products do I love for skincare?

100% Pure Organic Matcha Anti-Ageing Antioxidant Cleansing Foam
As Matcha Green Tea is so packed full of antioxidants, it does wonders for detoxifying and cleansing your skin! This 100% Pure Organic Matcha Anti-Ageing Antioxidant Cleansing Foam is a rich foam, high in caffeine which may be invigorating to the complexion yet very gentle; delivering its anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory benefits in a delicious foam which rinses away without stripping moisture.

100% Pure Organic Matcha Anti-Ageing Antioxidant Emulsion Tonique
One of the best ingredients to combat dry skin is Hyaluronic Acid which can hold 10 times its weight in water! This 100% Pure Organic Matcha Anti-Ageing Antioxidant Emulsion Tonique uses the benefits of Hyalluronic Acid alongside other antioxidant rich ingredients Matcha Green Tea, Seaweed Extract and Alpha-Lipoic Acid which may help fight free radical damage and promote cell renewal. To use, apply the tonique to a cotton pad and sweep over your skin. This will help to remove any dead skin cells and prep the skin for your moisturisers or serums.

100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream
One of my favourite Green Tea products (and products in general!) is the 100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream! It’s made with caffeinated Organic Green Coffee Beans and Green Tea which help reduce puffy eyes, wrinkles and dark circles. You’ll look more awake in an instant! To use, dot the cream around the eye area. Pat until absorbed.

Lavera Mattifying Balancing Cream with Organic Green Tea
If your skin is more on the oily side, you too can benefit from using Green Tea in your skincare routine! The Lavera Mattifying Balancing Cream with Organic Green Tea works to provide an all day mattifying effect to the skin. Formulated with Organic Green Tea and Calendula, this moisturiser hydrates your dry zones and mattifies your oily areas. It’s actually formulated to regulate the lipid levels in your skin to provide an even complexion. It’s the perfect cream for anyone with combination skin!

(sources: ¹Zen Green Tea Matcha, ²eurekalert.org, ³thedermreview.com)