Happy Monday!!  I decided to do a little series of posts called #MatchaMonday.  Be on the look out for new posts all things matcha ranging from recipes to my favorite places to get matcha.

You might be wondering what's the deal with matcha since it is appearing all over your social media feed as of late.  Matcha is a finely ground powder derived from green tea leaves that grown in extremely shady areas which allows for more theanine and caffeine to be produced.  Due to this process, it is said that 1 cup of matcha is equivalent to 10 cups of brewed green tea and has more antioxidants than coffee.

Matcha isn't this new trendy tea to randomly show up on menus around the world.  Originally it was used in Chinese and Japanese ceremonial rituals hundreds, if not thousands of years ago.

Matcha is full of antioxidants, making it a superfood powerhouse.  It also boosts metabolism and burns calories, giving you that extra push.  Due to the ceremonial ties, matcha has calming effects and allows for relaxation of the mind and body.  Plus, it is said that matcha enhances moods and concentration.  But my favorite health benefit is that matcha gives you energy without the jitters, which is why matcha is perfect to drink in the afternoon without it affecting sleep later.  Matcha is a great caffeine substitute for those who are sensitive to caffeine.

When looking to buy matcha, you do want to read labels and check the ingredients.  If sugar is the first ingredient, it might not be best option.  Try to look for unsweetened options or matcha/ground green tea is the only ingredient so you can control the sugar levels.  Also, you want to find a food or culinary grade.

Matcha is easy to find at most grocery stores and online such as Amazon.  My favorites so far are 

Teapigs Matcha Tin

, 

Teapigs On-the-go

, and The Republic of Tea.  But the list is endless.Matcha is more than just a drink.  You can make it a latte, - either iced or hot -  bake with it such as muffins or waffles, or even ice cream.

You don't need fancy gadgets to make a bomb matcha.  All you need are some basic matcha equipment to take it up a notch.  Such as a tea bowl and a bamboo tea whisk to whip up the matcha into a foam such as this 

Matcha Whisk

.  You can also use a blender to give that foamy, latte feel.  I still need to make the leap to getting a whisk so the blender is what I've been using recently.Hope this helps gives you a better insight on all the hype about matcha!  Be on the look out for more #matchamonday posts!  Feel free to leave any additional questions you want answered regarding matcha :)

Do you have any favorite matcha recipes?