Calm Energy & Bright Mind: Is Matcha Your New Ritual? Healing Ancient Brew to Modern Concern

Beware: This episode has audio conditions that are not perfect to some listeners, left on my background flute player from YT.  My words are clear & written(link below) to read Substack post.  

->Is matcha a trendy, time-tested tonic, coffee alternative, delicious hot & cold brew loved all over the world? Well, I’d say most definitely!! 💚🍵

What is happening with the supply chain?  Learn what's happening with this amazing green elixir.  Is it sustainable? 🌿

It’s up there with sushi when it comes to Japan’s most loved foods! 

Thank You All so very much for listening today!  I genuinely hope you learned something & I invite you to join me each week, so you never miss a conscious wellness beat!  This podcast holds a special place in my heart, dedicated to my evolution here, my passionate mission to spread more consciousness for the much needed wellness on Earth.  Come join me as a guest as well, let’s collaborate making change for future generations.. 

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Transcript

1:03

Hello and welcome to today's episode. Happy June. Happy going into summer finding the joy in this warmer season, which is my favorite season. I've always loved summer so much, not just because my birthday's in the summer, but I just love being warm wherever I'm so, I'm happy for summer coming and actually being here already now in many places in the world, it's summer and we're enjoying the delights that it brings. So today we're not talking about summer, and I am going to be, as you have read in the title already, talking about the calm energy and the bright mind that matcha brings us. Matcha is an ancient, ancient ritual that goes back centuries in Japan, and it's also a new ritual in the west, and I'm glad that I did not release this information or episode prior to this month because there have been some modern concerns that have happened. And so I'm talking about the ancient healing and also the modern concerns that has transpired just really in the last five years. So in the background today, I have my YouTube playing Morning Peace, super relaxing, healing music from Native American flutes, and I just love the Native American flute music. So I have this on low in the background. Hopefully it's not too high. Let's get started talking about matcha. If you're listening, maybe you love matcha. Maybe you're curious. I love matcha and I first drank it probably close to 15 years ago was the first time I tried matcha, and it was not a matcha latte. It was made in a traditional sense of just taking a little bit of the matcha powder and making it into almost like a liquidy paste with a little hot water. You have to be very careful with delicate herbs, flowers, leaves that you do not the water that you heat the water to 180 5 to 1 95, and then you pour that over your plant to steep, usually green teas including matcha. Well, matcha is like an instant because it's a powder, so pretty much just instantly makes the brew, but other leaves and flowers you want to steep for anywhere from three to five minutes should be sufficient. And I loved matcha from the very beginning because it is really delicious, savory, slightly sweet and nourishing right from the beginning of tasting it. Unless you're just really somebody that doesn't like anything green, then I'm sorry for that and I hope you can open your mind more because green things are lovely and they're good for you. They're here to help purify your blood and cleanse your bodily systems. And we all need to be consuming green foods. Matcha is just a form of the tea plant, the green tea plant that we get all the varieties of green teas, all the different varieties from. So let's talk here about if matcha is a trendy, time tested coffee alternative, delicious, hot and cold brew, loved all over the world. Well, definitely it's, and it's up there with sushi when it comes to Japan's most loved foods. Food, yes, herbs are essentially foods and tea leaves are essentially an herb. So matcha is literally a powdered version of green tea made from specially grown and processed. Yu Tea leaves the camelia san plant. It's like a bush, like a hardy bush. If you want to think of it like that, I would relate it in my mind to the Manzanita bush, just because Manzanita is a bush. It's beautiful, it's hardy in the west, and it has these hardy green leaves. It also has berries. This plant, the cha has hardy green leaves that are very vibrant and medicinal, and unlike regular green tea where you steep the leaves and discard them the in powder form, this means you get a more concentrated dose of antioxidants, nutrients, and the caffeine that it contains, that these leaves contain. So to produce the matcha version, the tea plants are shade grown for about three to four weeks before harvest, and this boosts their chlorophyll content and gives the leaves that vibrant green color. It brings out more of the chlorophyll when you do this, thus making it essentially healthier. Leaves are then steamed, dried, and then stone ground into the fine powder. Ceremonial grade matcha is the highest quality and traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, hence it's more expensive. This is the more expensive option of matcha. More importantly is to choose organically grown and certified organic. More on this later. In this episode, we sip into the world of matcha and the ancient roots, modern culture, and of course, the truth about its underlying superpowers. As with everything good, there is a catch of some kind, especially now with matcha. I was curious to do my research and found a few discoveries that made sense and were worth sharing. I love a good matcha latte, but beware, not all matcha is created equal and scarcity is now a concern. So let's explore the full truth, perks, cautionary principles and how to drink consciously and traditionally for the greatest of holistic health benefits. Today I'm pouring a cup of something both ancient and also very precious. In the present of now or current time, this powdered green tea has earned a loyal following among biohackers monks, mothers conscious creatives, team, girls, and anyone else not mentioned here all over this world. What is it really doing for our bodies? Is there such a thing as too much Maa? Love? Let's sip into the truth about this amazing viral brew. Matcha brings a calm energy. Matcha contains caffeine, yes, but don't expect the jittery buzz from coffee thanks to a unique amino acid called ine. Matcha delivers a focused calm alertness. This duo sharpens your attention and helps you stay grounded, also perfect for meditation, mindful work or a creative flow session. This is balanced nature when nature brings you something that a stimulating effect on the brain, but also a calming effect on the body and the neurotransmitters making you feel good and alert at the same time, and you don't get that caffeine crash either. Now, I'm sure there's people that abuse matcha like coffee and maybe drink too much of it, and then they maybe are getting too much of the caffeine part of it, and then they may end up getting an imbalance and their adrenals and getting that crash. It's something you do very sparingly and you respect it because it's not abundant all over the world. It comes from one part of the world in Japan, and now Japan is having a crisis of not being able to keep up with supply, in demand, demand. So I guess from what I've learned since the pandemic, it has become very, very popular due to social media and people exploiting it. And pretty much every cafe you go into, including Starbucks is offering it. Although I also found out, and I'm not surprised that the matcha that Starbucks carries is not real matcha and is not a good quality. It is cut and not pure. So back to the benefits, matcha is very antioxidant rich. Matcha is a powerhouse of EGCG, which is one of the most potent antioxidants we know This catagen fights free radicals, supports immune resilience and has been well studied for its cancer protective potential. Matcha is a brain booster and helps mood support the L-theanine and caffeine combo enhances brain function while improving memory, reaction, time and mood. This explains why Buddhist monks used it before long meditations. It brings clarity without chaos in the brain. L-theanine is an amino acid, widely researched and studied for its benefits, which can trigger the release of gaba. A neurotransmitter associated with reduced stress and anxiety achieves this by influencing the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood, sleep and emotions. Its unique ability to increase alpha brain waves leads to a state of relaxed alertness ideal for those who need to de-stress without losing focus. Remember, higher quality matcha will have more of the L-theanine. Matcha offers metabolic support. Matcha may help boost thermogenesis in the body, which is the body's fat burning process. It's not a magic pill, but it can support your metabolism and energy regulation, especially when paired with movement and nourishing meals. Detoxification and liver love. Yes, matcha does this as well thanks to its high chlorophyll content. MAA may assist the body in binding and flushing out toxins. Early Japanese research shows it can support liver function too. Loving our liver is a vital part of whole body wellness. Matcha is also a heart helper. Some studies even have shown matcha can help lower the LDL, which is our bad cholesterol and support healthy blood pressure, making it a gentle ally and long-term cardiovascular health. And then there's the flip side, as with most things, there's imperfection or there's just something to be mindful about, right? So what is it with matcha that deserves mindful attention? Heavy metals. Well, matcha is made from whole tea leaves ground into powder, and you're consuming the entire leaf, right? So if those leaves come from poor soil or are sprayed with chemicals, you're ingesting everything including lead aluminum and anything else that is toxic in that soil. A conscious tip to keep in mind is stick with organic ceremonial grade matcha, ideally from Japan where standards are higher, but choose especially organically grown always for safety. The ceremonial grade, I'm not going to completely advocate here anymore because when I started writing this, I didn't know the shortage that was happening. And that is due to people all over the world, not just in the West, but all over the world in Europe and Australia that are wanting the ceremonial grade matcha for maybe their own ceremonies they're trying to have or just basically hoarding it in. Greed is happening. People are literally going to Japan since the pandemic, the tourism in Japan has risen and I mean risen a lot. And evidently there are people from many countries going there and are buying a lot of matcha, like literally like 30 tins at a time, which is ridiculous, maybe even more. That was just one article that I read. And yeah, I mean that's just not okay, that's not sustainable and that's making it so that everybody can't use this wonderful tea. And the ceremonial grade is what was really being sought after the most. And that takes a lot of time and effort for the Japanese to make, it's very precious, it's a precious commodity and it shouldn't be bought up by one person. Not that I'm saying one person bought all of it, but for somebody to go and buy 30 containers of it at one shop and then another person and it sells out, another person can't even buy one. Obviously that's not a sustainable practice, so let's And then there's the caffeine caution. Matcha does contain 60 to 80 milligrams of caffeine per teaspoon. And if you're caffeine sensitive, it may cause jitters, irritability, or insomnia, especially in the late afternoon. Now, this also can cause your adrenals to get out of whack, and that is part of your nervous system and your hormonal system and too much caffeine is not healthy for you and it can go on to cause stress on your kidneys and other organs I'm sure as well. So just being aware of that, treating it with respect, not overdoing it. A cautious tip here would be to start with a quarter to a half of a teaspoon. And this is per day. You don't a lot, it's not like coffee, you don't need to use a tablespoon or more to make your cup of coffee. It's very little amount. It's very concentrated and see how your body feels. It is high and oxalates. A lot of y'all don't know about oxalates. Some of you may have heard of it. Oxalates are naturally found in many plants, especially in spinach and charred and leafy greens and they can interfere. This is a compound oxalates. It's part of the plant and I believe that I learned that it was a protective mechanism for the plant that protects it against something in the environment, but it can interfere with calcium absorption unfortunately. And if consumed in large amounts may contribute to kidney stones or insoluble crystals, which is basically what kidney stones are, they're insoluble crystals which are essentially calcium deposits or calcium out of solution in the body. So even if you consume iron rich foods and you think you're getting iron maybe from leafy greens, excessive oxalates can inhibit your body's ability to absorb this essential mineral potentially leading to iron deficiency anemia. So just keep that in mind that there are oxalates in certain leafy greens and unfortunately they are found in this plant and they probably come out more in the matcha because you're consuming the whole leaf, right? So conscious tip is hydration, remember to hydrate. That will help you to maybe break down and release the oxalates. If you're not hydrated enough, your body is going to absorb them more. And mindful moderation matters as well. Taking your iron separately for proper absorption, not thinking that you're getting your iron from these leafy greens. Okay, that's not the source you want to be getting your iron from stomach sensitivity matcha on an empty stomach can increase stomach acid causing nausea or heartburn for some sensitives for some more sensitive folks, A tip is to pair it with food if you're prone to digestive issues. Also, just keeping in mind if you're overly sensitive, if you're a Pitta dosha individual, if you have high acid in your stomach, maybe you just want to avoid this tooth discoloration. Yes, matta's vibrant green hue is beautiful, but it can also stain the teeth over time, just like coffee, turmeric beets or red wine can, A conscious tip is rinse with water or brush after drinking. Good old baking soda does whitening wonders. And then there's the outstripping production shortage. Yes, this is real and we're in the midst of it right now. The last couple months there have been, I guess many shops. I just heard about this recently from a friend who drinks matcha. And I wasn't drinking matcha daily, but I was wanting to switch and that's why I was putting this out because it, summertime, it's a great time to drink green tea instead of coffee in the spring. In the summer, I believe green tea and matcha is a healthy alternative. Although this is happening, the shortage is real. So it is due to the global boom of the powdered green tea, especially since 2020. Demand is booming worldwide thanks to wellness trends, TikTok virality and the aesthetic cafe culture, as I mentioned before. So supply is limited and you will find that this is true. Only about 6% of Japan's tea becomes matcha and harvest happen only once a year, just once per year. Matcha is harvested. Okay? Labor crisis. Japan's tea farmers are aging and younger generations aren't stepping in to replace them. Okay, well that's real. The top producers have become rationing, ceremonial grade matcha due to stock limits, so that ceremonial grade will be even harder to find. Global exports are up, but Japanese domestic demand is shrinking, forcing suppliers to choose between loyal locals and hire the high paying international buyers. So what are they going to do? We'll find out, and a conscious tip would be, please stop buying ceremonial grade matcha for now until this crisis can be remedied remedi. And from what I can tell, this happened from too many greedy consumers and resellers. There are resellers out there that have bought up the matcha kind of reminds me of. One I will mention is Amazon. I was in the wellness industry for many years on the retail side of it. And when Amazon took over foods, this really became a problem where they were buying up a lot of the wellness products and making it harder for the smaller shops to get these products. So also we have gone too far with culinary matcha making. Even matcha candy for instance. There has just been a craze because it's yummy, it's savory, slightly sweet, it's good for you, it makes you feel good. So there's definitely, definitely gone a little too far. And matcha is more than a drink. It's a wellbeing practice. It invites us to slow down, connect with the present moment and savor something alive with nature's intelligence. So here's some sustainable sipping tips. Buy from trusted ethical brands. Organic plus Japanese sourced. Avoid mega discounted matcha powders. They're often oxidized or bulked with fillers, and I believe that's what places like Starbucks use. I'm sure you can find some of these crappy matcha also on Amazon. So beware. Consider rotating with other calming herbs like tulsi, lemon balm, ashwagandha and Rei. There are many other calming herbs out there, passion flour, skull cap, chamomile. I make a great calming herbal tea called relaxed tea. Hit me up if you want me to send you some and know that true matcha isn't mass produced. Respect the ritual. Remember this fruit dates back centuries ago, and I'm going to put my favorite recipe on how I prepare my matcha drink latte. I do make it into a yummy latte these days. When I do, I will put that in the show notes. And I wanted to end with a breathing exercise. I came across some notes from my yoga teacher training, which was about 10 years ago, and I wrote on day five breathing. I'm very happy to be learning how to get my breath back. This is great to focus on and I'm feeling a shift already. Thank you, Amanda. So important. Amanda is my teacher. This control of proper breathing can help me with my aim by keeping me healthy whole to be at my best each moment making most of my time here. Reconditioning natural breath will be my direct guide to clarity, divine consciousness, aim in mind. How often do I indulge in anger? Regularly, but not extremely. It's out of frustration. Do I get angry easily? Yes. At times when I feel unheard, unappreciated, or when I'm not using my outlets, do I repress my anger or am I able to find constructive outlets? I wrote, get a punching bag. I think I've come through some of that since that was a decade ago. But there is ahimsa exercise. So how does anger get in the way of your aim? How does it hinder your aim? Is your goal, right? Your purpose in life? Ah, this is a practice, and I wrote, when I get angry, I really am taking two steps backwards. It really feels like I have to get angry at the time, but it always progresses. My aims lower by creating a different reality which can be extreme and put me in a place of not being as close to my aim or my vision. So having a healthy outlet is very important. And reflecting on what are you angry about? Is it stemming from another emotion like fear? A lot of times fear is at the base of other emotions. Breathing practice is very, very important for regulating our nervous system, for helping us not to react with emotions like anger. We all have them. They're natural, they will come up. So if we can just take a moment to pause, to come into our body and try to release anything that is left in the mind right now. So we can step into calm, a slow deep breath in through our nose all the way down through our core, down into our vis, into our base. Hold for a, and then slowly release through our mouth longer on the exhale, releasing slowly all the way out until there is no air left. Can do this a few more times in slowly, all just concentrating on your. Feel inside your body. Feel what's coming up. Any sensations, hold your breath. A seconds all the way down at the base is your chakra, below your pelvis. And then exhale slowly, longer. On the exhale, slowly and consciously loving yourself. Thank you so much for being here with me on this episode. This I love to write about healthy options, healthy alternatives, ways that we can be stronger in these times. And there are always so many ways. So I will be continuing every week with something that can bring you wellness, and I hope you'll join me next week. Have a beautiful week wherever you are, and I would really appreciate it if you could take a minute and give me a little shout out, a comment, a five story review, or just even sharing this with someone else that you think could benefit and learn something. Thank you. Peace and blessings, love. Bye for now. Until next time.