Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

Is green tea the healthiest beverage on the planet?

Research shows that it supports the immune system, it’s proven to be extremely high in antioxidants which protect cells from damage, revs up the metabolism and stimulates fat burning which curbs your appetite.  The high level of the compound polyphenol protects from UV light and defends against effects of aging and the breakdown of collagen in skin.

In short, green tea will help you look younger, lose weight, aid your digestion and keep you healthy.

You decide but it sounds to me as if  the answer is a resounding Yes.

Green tea is a national beverage of Japan and is taken very seriously in Japanese culture. In fact, the tea ceremony is truly an art form.

There is a precise and practiced ritual to the preparation and drinking of tea for the venerated tea ceremony  and only a learned practitioner may perform the tea ceremony.

The tea bushes that produce both black and green tea are all the same in the various countries where tea is grown, however, the processing is different. In Japan, once the leaves are picked they are immediately steamed, making them the only country that utilizes this method.  If leaves are not steamed then an enzyme in the tea ferments and causes the tea to turn black. Black tea is most commonly consumed in the U.S., England, and most other tea drinking countries.

Powdered green tea, or matcha, is more expensive than both black leaf tea and green leaf tea, and requires whisking and frothing before drinking.  Matcha flavored sweets and beverages are becoming more popular in the U.S thanks to Starbucks and other trendy coffee shops serving matcha lattes.

When our family visited Japan a few summers ago it was one of the hottest summers on record.  My mother-in-law could not wait to introduce her grandchildren to her all time favorite summer dessert: Matcha Ice.  This is not ice cream but a shaved ice concoction doused in green tea flavored syrup.   I gotta tell you there is nothing better on a super steamy day than this icy sweet treat.

I know I will not be able to get that uniquely Japanese specialty until our next trip to Japan, but luckily there is always matcha ice cream.  This actually may be my all-time favorite dessert and thankfully I can make it at home anytime I want.

Green Tea is a Superfood and Matcha is the Powerhouse

Foods that are rich in compounds that are highly beneficial to good health are designated as superfoods.  Foods such as salmon, blueberries and cruciferous veggies are among those that carry the label.  Green tea falls into this category due to the numerous reasons mentioned above, but matcha packs an even more powerful punch.  Providing mega doses of the antioxidants your body needs to prevent aging and chronic disease gives as much as 10 times more of the benefit.

If you have not yet tried anything flavored with matcha, give this quick easy dessert a try and let your tastebuds have a party. The smooth sweet cream blended with the boldly “green” flavor of the powdered tea is unique and absolutely sensational.  The flavor of matcha is hard to describe, although if you have had green tea you can imagine a stronger, bolder version of that.  There is so much chloryphyl in the tea powder that makes it taste healthy; exactly what you would expect something so vividly green to taste like.

There are different grades of matcha for cooking and the price corresponds accordingly so if you are planning to purchase for baking, lattes and ice cream I would suggest going middle of the road on price.  Don’t buy the cheapest because you get what you pay for and there is no need to buy the most expensive ceremonial grade either.  I have seen this on the shelf at Harris Teeter so you may find it at your local grocery store in the Asian food section  or the baking aisle.  If you are shopping online, a well reviewed brand of quality organic tea  Kagoshima Imperial is a good choice for first timers but if you are worried about not using the very often and don’t want to spend too much, try Matcha Wellness .

In my opinion Matcha Ice Cream is the very best way to include matcha, the superfood in  your life!

Be sure to leave me a comment below and tell me what you think of matcha ice cream.