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Smoothies are always a good idea. Even a simple smoothie is a great alternative to a regular breakfast, but a little bit of matcha powder will make it even better. How to make a simple but tasty matcha smoothie? Keep reading.  

Why matcha?

If the best thing about matcha is flavor and the way it makes you feel, then the second best is versatility. You can drink it, eat it, and even use it in DIY skin care. This unique tea is one of the most amazing ingredients you could have in your kitchen cupboard (away from heat, sunlight, moisture, and strong scents, of course).  

Matcha can offer so much more than just a pretty color and energy boost. It contains vitamins, minerals, caffeine, catechins, amino acids (L-theanine, arginine, glutamine, and GABA, among others) and chlorophyll. The most important and abundant amino acid in matcha, L-theanine, together with arginine, may provide a calming, stress-reducing effect [1]. In fact, one Japanese study concluded that even matcha cookies may help reduce stress. [2] Making cookies may require extra time investment, but making a smoothie literally takes a few minutes of work.

Simple Matcha Recipe

If you are new to smoothies, always start simple. You will need:

• ½ frozen banana, peeled, sliced and frozen
• 1/2 cup of cold cashew milk
• A handful of baby kale (washed, frozen)
• 1 teaspoon or 2 chashaku of matcha powder (up to a tablespoon if you are using cooking grade matcha)
• Honey (optional)

There are many types of matcha out there, and each will have a slightly different flavor. No matter which one you choose, make sure it’s a genuine Japanese matcha. How to know? Real matcha will always be green, more or less vibrant, but never yellow or brown.

Steps:

1. Add frozen banana into a blender.
2. Add kale.
3. If you are adding honey, add it now.
4. Add cashew milk. You can choose an alternative if you wish.
5. Add sifted matcha powder. Sifting is important for preventing lumps.
6. Blend for 20-30 seconds.
7. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Although you may add ingredients in any order, if you are using frozen ingredients, adding them in the described way will make the whole process easier.

You don’t need to use frozen ingredients, but your smoothie will taste better when made with cold ingredients.

Tips for making a better smoothie

1.      Always use fresh matcha and fresh ingredients

Smoothies are all about fresh taste, so don’t use old or stale ingredients. Not only will old matcha lose nutritional value, but it will taste bad as well. Same goes for vegetables and fruits. If you want to enjoy fresh seasonal ingredients all year round, freeze them and save for later.

2.      Ingredients matter

By adding 3 tablespoons of matcha tea powder, you won’t achieve that gorgeous green color. You will get a smoothie that’s potentially bitter and could make you nauseous. 1 gram of matcha tea powder contains around 30 mg of caffeine (+-10 mg). 1 rounded teaspoon of matcha weighs approximately 2 grams depending on the spoon size, and one tablespoon will be around 4-5 grams. Three spoons might give you as much as 450 milligrams of caffeine. That’s over a recommended daily dose. If you want the most vibrant color, choose your ingredients carefully and always use a high quality Japanese matcha powder. Start with one teaspoon and add more if needed. 2-4 grams of a high-quality powder per serving should be enough.

3.      Choose the right grade of tea

There are several grades of matcha tea powder. If you are using latte/cooking grade, add about ½ to 1 tablespoon of tea powder. Cooking matcha may have a stronger flavor, might contain less caffeine and is usually more affordable. If quality is important to you, choose ceremonial grade matcha. Studies showed that levels of catechins and amino acids can vary greatly, and those that are abundant in catechins are also abundant in amino acids as well.

4.      Less is more

Although you may feel tempted to add every possible fruit or vegetable from the fridge (we all have), don’t use more than 3-5 ingredients. To get the best flavor, it’s better to match ingredients carefully.

5.      Match carefully

A good smoothie can be made with almost any type of fruit or vegetable (well, except potatoes). But not all of them will go well with matcha. The best vegetables? Kale instead of spinach because it has a lighter flavor, cucumber, or celery sticks. Banana, kiwi, pineapple, avocado, mango, nuts, mint, white chocolate and vanilla flavor may all be a good choice. Avoid blue or purple fruits and vegetables if you want to keep the green color.

6.      Go sugar-free

When choosing ingredients such as yogurt or milk, always check if they are sugar free. Raw honey or sweet fruits are a much better alternative to refined sugar.

7.      Freeze it

Smoothies made from frozen ingredients are a great (and healthier) substitute for ice cream. OK, maybe not quite the same as no super healthy smoothie will ever taste like a cookie dough ice cream, but it can still be incredibly delicious. Use only frozen ingredients and add less liquid.

Have you tried a matcha smoothie before? Share your favorite ingredients in the comments below.

Sources:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213777/

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019303482

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