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This ceremonial green tea comes from the careful harvesting methods of the finest leaves grown in Uji, Japan. Our Awaken Matcha is green tea, MAGNIFIED!

With 200 times the antioxidant levels of normal green tea, this is a greener than green superfood. Prepare as a ceremonial tea or mix with other beverages-we even like to cook with it! Awaken Matcha boosts energy levels without the crazy over - stimulating effects of coffee. It is also gentle on your tummy and gastrointestinal system.

Awaken Matcha provides trace minerals, vitamins, and theanine. Theanine increases the alpha wave activities in the brain, creating a feeling of relaxation, ease, and sustained ability to focus.

Awaken your connection to the rhythm of life with our special Matcha tea.

                                           Background

How can something that tastes so good be so good for you? Green tea is a wonder beverage. It has been consumed in Japan for over 800 years, and science is now just beginning to discover the remarkable benefits of this comforting and satisfying drink. “Traditionally, tea was drunk to improve blood flow, eliminate toxins, and to improve resistance to diseases” (Dufresne and Farnworth, 404). Green tea specifically is known for its role in “antimicrobial, immunostimulatory, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory capacities and for its protective effect against cardiovascular diseases” (Sato and Miyata, 315).

Typically, this refers to tea ingested as an infusion-that is, hot water is filtered through the dried leaves (in a tea bag or in loose form) and consumed. Awaken Matcha is a type of green tea prepared in such a way that the whole leaf is consumed, resulting in greater benefits to your body than traditional teas.

Matcha, or rubbed tea, was first used by Buddhist monks for religious rituals in the 12th century. This ceremonial green tea comes from the careful harvesting methods of the finest tea leaves grown in Uji, Japan. It is one of a variety of green teas made from young Gyokuro (Jade Dew) leaves.

For this particular type, the leaves are covered three weeks prior to harvest and left laying flat to dry, leading to darker leaves with an increased amount of amino acids and a sweeter taste. Harvested only from plants that are over 30 years of age, the shading causes the plant to rush chlorophyll to the leaves in an effort to capture the energy of the sun. The leaves are then harvested and dried, ground to a very fine, jewel-green, talcum-like powder.

          Antioxidant Powerhouse as Cancer Preventative

As more is learned about its benefits, green tea’s popularity has been thriving in other countries for hundreds of years. U.S. Scientific information continues to demonstrate that it is a rich, natural source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that can safely interact with cell-damaging free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged (as in Vitamin C), or seek out and scavenge free radicals (as in Vitamin E). Green tea contains 70 times the antioxidants of a similarly sized serving of orange juice. The principle polyphenol in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. This is the “main bioactive component of green tea after caffeine” (Weiss and Anderton, 174). This blend is key to green tea’s advantages.

For years, studies have indicated that the antioxidants in green tea offer protection against diseases, including cancer, and even fight dental cavities. “Green tea was shown to inhibit the causative bacteria, which contributed to the formation of dental plaque and cavities. Green tea can also clear up bad breath by suppression of the growth of odor producing bacteria. Green tea has been found to be a potential chemopreventative agent for the treatment of oral leukoplakia, a precursor lesion to oral cancer” (Koo and Cho, 180).

It is a combination of these antioxidant properties and the polyphenol content in the tea that potentially lowers the incidence of certain types of cancers, including that of the prostate, lung, colon, esophagus, and breast. “Green tea is…an acknowledged cancer preventative in Japan” (Fujiki, 120). “It is possible that the catechins, particularly EGCG, inhibit the initiation and promotion phases of cancer development by preventing free radical damage to DNA. The metastasis of cancer has also been demonstrated to be suppressed by green tea, which reduced the expression of adhesion molecules and metalloproteinases. Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship of green tea consumption with risk of gastric cancers” (Koo and Cho, 180). “The important features of EGCG and green tea extract as cancer preventatives should be briefly summarized. 1. EGCG and green tea extract are non-toxic… 2. They have a wide range of target organs, such as the digestive tract including esophagus, stomach, duodunem, and colon, plus liver, lung, pancreas, and skin. Recently, breast, bladder, and prostate have been added to the list. This wide range of target organs makes green tea significantly different from standard cancer preventative drugs. 3. They have inhibitory effects on growth of cancer cells” (Fujiki, 128). “The first stage of cancer prevention with green tea leads to delay of cancer onset” (Fujiki, 129). The tea has also been shown effective in helping prevent recurrence.

Other Benefits: Cholesterol, Inflammation and Weight Loss

Information from studies suggest antioxidants in green tea may lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of death from heart disease, and control blood pressure. In a 25-year study, tea drinkers consuming more than 8.5 oz. of tea each day had much less risk of dying and a lower rate of first heart attacks than those who drank less tea. “Green tea reduces significantly serum and liver cholesterol, atherogenic index, and liver weight by lowering lipid deposition in hypercholesterolemic diet-induced [subjects]” (Dufresne and Farnworth, 413). Recent findings show the tea also helps combat toxins in the liver. Newer studies report possible anti-inflammatory and arthritis-preventing effects of green tea. Case Western University scientists suggest green tea antioxidants postpone the beginning of and decrease in the severity of one type of arthritis (Haqqi). EGCG is an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), which is responsible for inflammation in many types of conditions, including Crohn’s disease. Additionally, findings from a study in Europe show decreased movement of blood cells that cause inflammation across blood vessel walls when green tea antioxidants were included (Hofbauer). These results could create future research that may lead to new arthritis treatments.

It has also been shown effective in speeding the metabolism in order to aid in weight loss. This benefit is due not only to its caffeine content, but also to the EGCG, which increases thermogenesis in humans. Evidence also suggests it can help problem skin recover.

                            Why do I feel so energized?

So, why is Awaken Matcha better than traditional green teas? “The concentration of EGCG available from drinking matcha is at least 137 times greater than the amount of EGCG available”(Weiss and Anderton, 173) from leading, nationally available green teas. “In addition, the concentration of EGCG was dramatically increased compared with even the highest concentrations of this catechin reported in green teas” (Weiss and Anderton, 179).

What this means to you is that Matcha brings greater benefits in terms of health. This is truly a medicinal tea, rich in phytonutrients to help your body fight free radicals. Matcha provides trace minerals, vitamins (A, B-complex, C, E, and K), and, like all green teas, does contain a small amount of caffeine, but also contains L-theanine.

L-theanine increases the alpha wave activities in the brain, creating a feeling of relaxation and ease. L-theanine is associated with increased ability to focus, but does not create nervousness or agitation in the consumer (Chu, Okubu, Nagato, and Yokogoshi). Due to the consumption method, the caffeine is more slowly absorbed through the digestive system. The doctors at Earth Healers have found that this means you have no “jittery” feelings often associated with coffee and suffer no “drop off” effect as it leaves your system. Awaken Matcha is also alkaline as compared to acidic, e.g., like coffee, and therefore, does not have the negative effect of coffee on the stomach and gastrointestinal system. As with all Earth Healers products, the intention is to balance and enhance the body-not to shock it. Consuming Matcha as part of your morning routine will give you the mental boost you desire while treating your body to a powerful health and wellness tonic.

                           Do-it-Yourself Tea Ceremony

We welcome you to include this ceremonial grade Awaken Matcha to your personal celebration of life and health. At Earth Healers, we view every day as a ceremony, and with Awaken ritual-caliber beverage, we enjoy a respite from stress while we care for our bodies.

To consume at home, it is combined with water in a simple ritual using a type of bamboo whisk-an enjoyable and meditative way to prepare tea. The resultant beverage, somewhat thicker and frothier than most other teas, provides you with stronger benefits since the whole leaf is taken into the body. This exquisite tea is among the finest green teas. Matchas are trusted for use in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.

So, with all of these great benefits, how does it taste? Awaken Matcha is delicious. Visit our Awaken Matcha café to find and share recipes.

MATCHA RESOURCES:

Dufresne, C. & Farnworth, E. (2001). A review of latest findings on the health promotion properties of tea. Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 12, 404-421.

Juneja, Lekh Raj, Chu, Djong-Chi, Okubo, Tsutomu, Nagato, Yukiko, Yokogoshi, Hidehiko. L-Theanine: A unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect on humans. Trends in food and science technology,10,199-204.

Fujiki, H. (2005). Green tea: health benefits as cancer preventative for humans. The chemical record. 5, 119-132.

Haqqi, T., Anthony, D., Gupa, S., et al. (1999). Prevention of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by a polyphenolic fraction found in green tea. Immunology, 6, 4524-4529.

Hofbauer, R., Frass, M., Gmenier, B., et al. (1999). The green tea extract epigallocatechin gallate is able to reduce neutrophil transmigration through monolayers of endothelial cells. Wien klin wochenschr, 111, 278-282. [In German]

Koo, M. & Cho, C. (2004). Pharmocological effects of green tea on the gastrointestinal system. European journal of pharmacology, 500, 177-185.

Sato, T., & Miyata, G. (2000). The neutraceutical benefit, part 1: green tea. Nutritional pharmaceuticals, 16, 315-317.

Weiss, D. & Anderton, C. (2003). Determination of cathechins in matcha green tea by micellar eletrokinetic chromatography. Journal of chromatography A, 1011, 173-180.

All materials provided by Earth Healers is for informational purposes only.

None of these statements have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness.