Matcha, “the king of teas” is a high-quality Japanese tea. It was discovered over 800 years ago by Buddhist monks and is used in Japanese tea ceremonies to this day. It is made with the plant’s youngest, most tender leaves.
The food industry is becoming more and more familiar with Matcha – the ideal ingredient to prepare green-tea flavored dishes. A lot of bakeries, chocolate shops, ice cream shops and renowned chefs include green tea flavored desserts among their offerings. They also make Matcha lattes and smoothies.

The leaves are ground with artisanal stone grinders in order to produce a very fine, bright green powder.
Today we would like to talk about Matcha tea, because besides loving the amazing pure tea flavor and its culinary use (which is not for everyone), it has numerous benefits for your health and your skin.

Matcha has both a stimulating effect from the caffeine and a calming effect, due to the L-theanine. Your body absorbs the tea, along with its amino acids, antioxidants (approximately 5 times more than Goji berries), vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, potassium and iron in much larger quantities than roasted green tea.
Here are two recipes: one to drink and another for a topical skin treatment.

MATCHA LATTE
– Sugar, honey or agave.
– 1/2 teaspoon of Matcha
– 50 ml boiling water
– 300 ml stirred milk (could be soy, oat or almond if you don’t drink cow’s milk)
Dilute the Matcha powder in hot water, stir well until it dissolves completely and a layer of foam appears. Add hot milk and continue stirring. Sweeten to taste. It’s delicious and a great way to start your day. It’s a perfect substitute for coffee; it contains 5 times as much caffeine.
 
MATCHA FACE MASK
– 1 tablespoon of Matcha powder
– 2 tablespoons of mineral water
Mix the water and Matcha together to form a consistent paste. Apply to your face for 30 minutes. It will leave your skin feeling incredible!
 
Here in Spain, Matcha can be found in health food stores and some cafes such as Le Pain Quotidien and even Starbucks. If you want to try green tea sorbet, you can find it at Asian restaurants. In Japan, they even have Matcha flavored chocolate!
Who ever said green tea isn’t a treat?

 
It seems obvious, but remember that "You are what you eat, you are what your skin eats, your skin is what you eat."
Some people are not satisfied with the results of the expensive creams they apply every day on their skin, but the problem is not exactly what you apply directly onto your skin, but which nutrients your skin absorbs from food. There are certain foods you should include in your "skin diet”. Below are some suggestions that are rich in antioxidants and other important elements.

AÇAÍ - A hearty bowl of Açaí with banana and granola it is one of the most powerful antioxidants. Açai fights free radicals, "superoxides" and contains fatty acids that protect cell functions. But açaí is high in calories, so eat it in moderation, unless you are very athletic. Açaí and orange juice is a great snack, a little lower in calories and high in vitamin C. Açaí can also be consumed in capsules, which won’t affect your figure.
 
BETA CAROTENE - This component is found in yellow and orange foods, like carrots, squash, beets, papaya and mango, among others, and leafy greens, and is very important for skin maintenance. It helps protect your skin from the sun, while maintaining a beautiful and long-lasting tan. In the case of supplements, you should use them only with a medical prescription, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin (vitamin A), which is stored in the body for a long time. It is better to include these colorful nutrients in your diet without resorting to supplements.
 
VITAMIN C – This is the most well-known antioxidant vitamin. Renowned for its regenerative power for aging skin, it is also responsible for the production of collagen. It also helps to repair sun-damaged skin. There is nothing like a good orange juice in the morning! We bet you think that consuming supplements containing ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) may help your skin, but we're sorry, you’re wrong! In this case, topical treatments yield better results for your skin than food supplements. It is important that you continue consuming products with vitamin C daily to help boost your immune system. Good immune system = good skin!
 
VITAMIN E - Very useful for maintaining skin, hair, nails and other tissue in general. But be careful, high doses of Vitamin E may increase the chance of developing arthritis. It is better to consume it by including it in your diet! It is present in vegetables, oleaginous oils (almond, chestnut, etc.) and leafy greens.
 
GOJI - Is the new trend, but it has been used in Eastern cultures for thousands of years, being the No. 1 food in Chinese medicine. It is a type of berry that has anti-aging properties. It is rich in Vitamin C and minerals such as zinc and iron, which help control hormones. Studies show that this fruit is 50 times more nutritious than an orange. It also tastes good! It is sweet and sour at the same time. You can eat it dried or hydrated, in juices, teas, etc. You can also add it to breakfast cereal, put it in salads or eat it as a snack (mixed with other nuts).
 
POMEGRANATE - Contains ellagic acid and anthocyanin, which fight against premature aging of subcutaneous cells. In addition, it is rich in phytoestrogens, which are structures that mimic the effect of estrogen on the metabolism, reducing those annoying symptoms of PMS and menopause. It is rich in Vitamin C. You can also add it to salads and meals, in addition to juices.
 
GRAPES and grape products - Resveratrol, a polyphenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, is found mainly in the skins of red grapes. Laboratory tests show that if you consume it frequently, resveratrol prolongs your lifespan. To avoid drinking wine every day, we recommend using a supplement!
 

BRAZIL NUT- It is rich in selenium, which in addition to being an antioxidant, strengthens the immune system and helps regulate the levels thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). To reap all the benefits of this mineral, you need just 3 Brazil nuts a day. Make a mix with Goji, almonds and other nuts. Selenium can also be found in fish and red meat.
 
Remember: the more varied and colorful your plate is, the more varied the nutrients that you consume. People who eat well usually have nice and luminous skin.
 
If you want to notice a difference in your health, and therefore, in your skin, follow a diet rich in healthy fats like fish, nuts, olive oil, and make sure you are well hydrated, drinking plenty of water daily, that's the most effective beauty remedy out there.
 
Could it be easier?