Onnit Whole Spice Matcha Chai Latte Tea

Whole Spice Matcha Chai Latte Tea

Whole Spice Matcha Chai Latte Tea from Onnit is an amazing combination of wonderful flavour, clinically-proven health benefits and natural mental stimulation. Matcha tea was a staple of 12th century Japanese tea ceremonies, and has been discovered recently in the West as a particularly potent form of green tea, the anti-oxidant packed superfood.

In a brilliant move, by using chai, the combination of tea and spices widely drank in India, a practice with roots in ayurvedic medicine, Onnit have combined all the benefits of matcha with that of the spices turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and peppercorn. Unlike many other commercial chai preparations, Onnit use real whole spices in their Matcha Chai Latte Tea, not processed flavourings. The spices, especially turmeric, bring their own proven health benefits to the party.

Matcha is prospered from tea grown in shade, a practice that slows down growth and increases the levels of chlorophyll and amino acids. The hand-picked leaves are then stone ground into a vibrant green powder, which is whisked into hot water. Since you are not throwing away the leaves when preparing matcha it is far more potent than a brewed cup of green tea. In fact it is estimated that one cup of matcha is the equivalent of ten cups of normally prepared green tea, in terms of antioxidant and polyphenol content.

The health benefits and performance improvement that you get from matcha are truly remarkable. Just think about these points!

High Anti-Oxidant Content

Plant anti-oxidants are one of the most important nutrients we get from fruits, vegetables and from green tea. Whenever you hear something described as a superfood it is highly likely that it is high in antioxidants. This is because free radicals, which are quenched by anti-oxidants pose such a huge problem to our bodies. Free radicals are highly reactive species that are a product of normal metabolism, as well as being caused by pollution or sun exposure. Since they are very unstable, the damage tissues by reacting with DNA, lipids or proteins. They are involved many disease processes, including cancer and heart disease. They are also one of the major causes of the aging process. Antioxidants, which remove free radicals can offer you protection from a variety of nasty diseases, as well as slowing down the ageing process.

High Levels of EGCG for Weight Loss and Metabolic Health

Matcha is naturally packed with bioactive phytochemicals, and the catechin EGCG is probably one of the most significant of those. EGCG is a natural inhibitor of many metabolic enzymes with a wide range of health benefits. Although its anti-cancer properties were the first to be studied, a number of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals is now establishing its role in improved metabolism. EGCG from green tea has clearly been shown to increase fat burning through beta-oxidation, and increase thermogenesis, the conversion of calories to energy.

Green tea is increasingly being recognised as a very useful aid to weight loss. Since Matcha is in effect a particularly potent form of green tea, its fat burning and thermogenic properties are appropriately amplified.

Chlorophyll as a Powerful Detoxification Agent

Because of the special way Matcha green tea is grown, in shaded areas, and processed, the powder contains a particularly high concentration of chlorophyll, which gives it its particularly vibrant green colour. Chlorophyll is the chemical in leaves that allows plants to convert sun energy into sugars. In the human body it functions as a powerful detox agent, helping the body to get rid of various toxins, including harmful metabolic byproducts or environmental substances such as mycotoxins from mould.

Drinking Onnit’s Whole Spice Matcha Latte Tea is not only a pleasure for the tastebuds, but also an excellent detox procedure for your whole body.

L-Theanine for Calm Alertness

Matcha is not just good for your body, it is also a great stimulant for your mind. Like all teas it contains caffeine, but it produces a much better mental state than coffee, due to a high concentration of another stimulant L-theanine. L-theanine is an amino acid, found almost exclusively in tea, and found in particularly high levels in matcha green tea. Unlike other amino acids, L-theanine is not used to build the proteins in the body, instead it is an analogue of glutamic acid, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and long term potentiation, and interacts with glutamate receptors, causing the release of dopamine.

EGG studies have shown that taking L-theanine causes alpha-wave activity in the brain, which is associated with states of calm mental alertness. What is more studies have shown that theanine and caffeine work synergistically to enhance wakefulness and cognitive performance in a way that neither of the substances working alone achieves. Due to the high levels of L-theanine found in Onnit’s Whole Spice Matcha Latte the mental stimulation you achieve is infinitly superior to that obtained from drinking coffee.

With all the above going for it, it is no wonder that matcha is considered the hottest superfood around. However, all the benefits above are only half of what you get with Onnit’s Whole Spice Matcha Latte, because spices have long been known to bring in there own amazing health advantages. As well as making food and drink delicious of course.

Turmeric, the King of Spice

Turmeric might well be the healthiest spice around. This rhizome which has been used for centuries in Indian curries to give them their bright yellow colour, contains a very special compound called curcumin, Curcumin is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. When you consider that many of the modern diseases that reach epidemic proportions in the developed countries are caused by free radical damage and associated with chronic inflammation you can appreciate the how turmeric can help you maintain a healthy body.

But curcumin also has a major benefit for the mind. Scientific studies have shown that it elevates the levels of an incredibly important hormone known as the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) which can stimulate new neurone growth and protects against neurodegenerative disease.

The protective actions of curcumin are incredibly varied. From improving endothelial function, and therefore cardiovascular health, to preventing cancer, there is hardly a modern condition that does not benefit from the inclusion of turmeric in the diet.

The Benefits of Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves and Pepper

As well as turmeric the other spices you will find in Whole Spice Matcha Chai are ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. As well as making the chai taste amazing each one of these spices comes with its own benefits. For example ginger. Ginger belongs to the same plant family as turmeric. It is traditionally used to treat various stomach upsets and nausea. However its benefits go much beyond digestive system health. For example one study showed that daily consumption of ginger reduced the perception of exercise pain by 25% compared to a control group.

The main phytonutrient of cloves, on the other hand, eugenol, is a powerful anti-inflammatory as well as blocking pain. Normal inflammation is a very important mechanism of fighting infections. However, when not properly controlled it can turn into chronic inflammation, which is associated with many modern diseases. Controlling inflammation is therefore an important factor in looking after your health.

Finally we might all take peppercorns for granted, since it is probably the most commonly used spice. However, did you know that its main active phytochemical, piperine, has been shown in numerous scientific studies to prevent memory loss and cognitive impairment? Not only that but it is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and increases the amount of hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach, therefore aiding in digestion.

The Whole Spice Matcha Chai latte from Onnit might possibly be the ultimate way to get your caffeine buzz. The Chai combines a particularly potent form of green tea, the superfood matcha, with highly beneficial spices. Matcha powder is particularly rich in anti-oxidants, detoxifying chlorophyll, and L-theanine which interacts with caffeine to produce a state of calm alertness and to enhance cognitive function. The brilliant combination of Matcha with Indian spices, such as turmeric, ginger and black pepper, not only tastes great but is also a nutritional powerhouse.

Further Reading:

EGCG from green tea enhances fat oxidation and improves metabolism:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16470636

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19390166

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15735368

L-theanine stimulates alpha waves in the brain:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17272967

The calming effect of L-theonine

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930802

The synergistic effects of L-theonine and caffeine on cognition:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18006208

Curcumin from Turmeric Protects against Heart Disease:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22481014

Curcumin’s Effects on Depression and BDNF Levels:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006899306027144