Ancient Japanese Tea Fights Cancer and Increases Brainpower

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

“What the heck is that? A swamp latte?”

Last week, I started drinking a new morning beverage.

If you’re a longtime reader of Living Well Daily, then you probably know I’m an avid coffee drinker. But for the last few days, I’ve been reconsidering my morning ritual.

You see, since trying out this new nutrient-packed and tasty tea, I’ve been feeling focused, energized and productive, though I must say its odd appearance does make for lots of office commentary — mainly folks referring to it as a swamp latte.

However, this drink is so rich in flavor and offers so many health benefits that I will continue to drink at least one cup a day a no matter what my co-workers call it. Plus, it’s absolutely delicious!

--From Ancient Ceremonies to Your Cup

It’s called matcha.

And it’s not your typical tea.

Matcha is a special kind of tea that originates from Japan and has been served during ceremonies for thousands of years. Unlike typical teas that are made of steeped leaves, matcha is made from finely ground green tea leaves and is more like a thick latte than a watery tea.

To prepare matcha, you simply pour hot water over the powder and blend. You can do this with either a traditional bamboo whisk or an electric milk frother (I prefer the frother). Once fully blended and frothed, the tea looks like a bright-green latte and has the consistency of high-end espresso. It tastes a lot like blended green veggies with just a hint of sweetness and is very satisfying.

Creating a perfectly blended cup of Breakaway Blend 98.

But its appearance and taste, while both are interesting, aren’t what make matcha so remarkable. Instead, matcha’s incredible health benefits are what really set it apart.

--Curb Cancer and Boost Your Brain

Since matcha powder is much more concentrated than regular tea leaves, its health powers are amplified. In fact, matcha has roughly 20 times the amount of naturally occurring antioxidants and amino acids of regular green tea.

Not to mention it contains huge amounts of EGCG. This flavonoid is a powerful antioxidant and can protect you from free radicals that can wreak havoc on your body and even cause cancer. EGCG has been the focus of many cancer studies that have shown it to be a powerful anti-cancer agent. Some of these studies prove that EGCG may also help protect you from certain radiations that can ignite cancer development.

But EGCG isn’t the only health-boosting compound in matcha — it’s also rich in caffeine and L-theanine. L-theanine is an amino acid that’s naturally found in matcha and can help stimulate chemicals in your brain that block stress messages, increase feelings of calm and boost your alertness and overall well-being.

When L-theanine is combined with caffeine, it can extend caffeine’s productive effects and almost erase the jittery and anxious feelings that coffee can sometimes cause. And I can testify to this nutrient combo’s amazing concentration powers.

After just a few days a drinking matcha, I’ve felt more productive, my thinking seems clearer and I’ve been able to remember details that would otherwise slip my mind. Not to mention my energy and productivity are off the charts!

I’m not saying I’m quitting coffee forever, but adding a cup of health-boosting, tasty matcha to my daily routine is a no-brainer!

One brand I really like is Breakaway Matcha. They offer both hot and cold brew matcha powders. I’ve tried both and found them to be delicious, though my favorite is their Blend 98. It’s rich, grassy and slightly sweet. This special blend comes from an exclusive matcha co-op in Ujitawara, Kyoto.

You can discover more about Breakaway Matcha and the amazing benefits of their products by clicking here.

As a Living Well Daily reader, you’re entitled to an exclusive discount of 15 percent off your entire order by entering discount code LIVINGWELLMATCHA at checkout.

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook


Sources

[1] Tea and Cancer Prevention

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

ODD Solution Relieves Alzheimer's Linked Agitation

When someone you love is battling Alzheimer’s, it’s heartbreaking. You want to do everything possible to ensure they live the happiest and most fulfilled life possible. And yet, all too often, you’re left feeling helpless in the face of overwhelming symptoms that threaten to destroy their quality of life. One of the MOST disturbing for...

Read This

Mailbag: The TRUTH About Cell-Killing Chemo

“Why does chemo also destroy good cells?” Martha from Kansas City, MO Hi Martha, We tend to think of “chemotherapy” as a single treatment. But the truth is, there are various types of chemotherapies. And they work in different ways. In general, chemotherapy destroys healthy cells, not just the cancerous ones, because it’s a non-specific or...

Read This

POWERFUL Herbal "Antidote" DEFIES Aging

Ginseng is the very definition of an “ancient cure.” In fact, you can find the potent herb mentioned in 2,000-year-old Chinese books as a treatment for a wide range of illnesses. But what’s made ginseng stand the test of time… remaining nearly as popular TODAY as it was hundreds of years ago… is its apparent...

Read This

Alarming Heartburn Side Effect REVEALED

After every meal, millions of Americans pop a pill. Folks are convinced that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Prilosec or Nexium are necessary to head off heartburn. But what these drugs REALLY do is liable to shock you. To begin with, they block your body from properly digesting your food. But that’s just the...

Read This

Do this TODAY for Less Pain TOMORROW

Once you pass a certain age, the medical ads start haunting you. You find them shoved into your mailbox. Then they show up in your email. And you even start spotting them hovering in the corner of every website you visit. It seems EVERYONE is trying to sell you a drug to relieve your arthritis...

Read This

10 Minute Memory Trick [IMMEDIATE Results!]

Our healthcare system has a fatal flaw. It’s set up to react to illness, NOT prevent it. So, doctors are stuck in a losing game of whack-a-mole. They spend all their energy and time scrambling to knock down symptoms. That means prescriptions for preventative care are virtually nonexistent. And that’s certainly the case with memory...

Read This

Unexpected Bone Broth Benefits

I was in a small grocery store in the mountains recently, and noticed that they had bone broth for sale. I thought, “Wow, we’ve come a long way!” And that’s a good thing. Here’s why… Bone broth used to be nearly impossible to find in modern-day grocery stores. But to eke out as much nutritional...

Read This

Garden Hack Boosts Cognitive Function

You can’t turn on the T.V. or flip through a newspaper anymore without seeing a new drug breakthrough they claim will FINALLY rid humanity of our aging brain issues. These medicines hit the market promising miracles. But it typically isn’t long before we start seeing their dark side. Meanwhile, a safe, natural remedy to boost...

Read This

Mailbag: STAY Healthy in a Senior Home

“We’ve unfortunately had to put my 90-year-old mother in a home. I’m so worried she’s going to get sick (especially with COVID still around). Is there anything I can do to help protect her?” Sam from Prattville, AL Hi Sam, Your situation sounds familiar. My father is in a senior living center with about 300...

Read This

Better Memory with this "Nose" Trick (226% BOOST!?)

You have five primary senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. (The sixth one doesn’t count. Only your Aunt Mable claims that one.) But you’ve likely noticed that only your sight and hearing get tested when you visit the doctor. Your senses of taste, touch, and smell are almost entirely ignored. And ignoring one of...

Read This