There comes a point every year when the thought of reaching for an iced tea becomes way more appealing than reaching for a hot tea. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and even just thinking about drinking something hot makes me feel sweaty and itchy.

Granted, drinking warm (or at least room temp) liquid is much easier on our bodies when it comes to improving digestion, reducing pain + inflammation, and cleansing toxins - sometimes it just feels good to have a nice, cold, refreshing glass of something.

If you've ever been around me when I've ingested any form of caffeine you know that I essentially turn into the Tasmanian Devil - talking a mile a minute, jumping around, laughing at things that aren't necessarily funny, and clenching my jaw like a maniac. If we're not together, Kyle can tell that I've had a big cup of green tea just by the way I type things.

Since Tasmanian Devil (read: certifiably insane) isn't my ideal state of being, I was so psyched when I found matcha.

Zen monks from Japan have sipped it for centuries throughout their extensive meditation practices to keep themselves alert and calm at the same time. It contains this magical, unique little animo acid called L-Theanine which focuses the mind without causing drowsiness. Focused and calm at the SAME TIME? Sign me up! I'm also a huge fan of Zen monks in general (Thich Nhat Hanh is my spirit animal), so if they get behind something, I know it's legit.

If you like green tea, you're going to freakin' LOVE matcha. It tastes just as delish, but is WAY more powerful from a health-enhancing perspective.

Rather than steeping tea from the leaves like we typically do with bagged or loose-leaf tea, we actually end up drinking the entire leaf when enjoying a cup of matcha. With regular tea we miss out on a ton of health benefits because we throw them out with the leaves after we're done steeping, but with matcha we drink a fine powder of the entire leaf and get the whole shebang of antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Here's the rundown:

Matcha has 137 times more antioxidants than steeped green tea
The overall nutritional content of 1 cup of matcha = 10 cups of steeped green tea
Matcha is packed to the brim with EGCg - a super-powerful polyphenol with anti-cancer/antioxidant, cardiovascular strengthening, brain boosting, and weight loss benefits
Matcha boosts metabolism and burns fat without raising blood pressure
Matcha is loaded with vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium, vitamin C, selenium, and chromium
Drinking the whole leaf provides the added benefits of fiber and chlorophyl
Matcha stabilizes blood sugar and lowers cholesterol
Matcha can also be prepared warm, which is the traditional way of serving, but it requires a bit of a different process with a special whisk

Since this isn't your run-of-the-mill tea, here's a quick little tutorial for how to mix yourself up a quick glass of iced matcha at home. You'll need a small bowl, a fine mesh strainer, a small whisk, and a set of measuring spoons.Grab your fine mesh strainer, small bowl and measuring spoons. I use 1/4 teaspoon of matcha powder, but you can use up to 1 teaspoon.Measure out your desired amount of matcha powder and get ready to strain.To avoid clumping, strain the matcha through your fine mesh strainer into the bowl (you can skip this step if you like, but it makes for a much smoother tea if you do it).Heat up a small amount of water in your tea kettle until it's warm (don't let it boil - this destroys some healing properties of the tea), add warm water to the bowl, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The mixture should look smooth when you're done (this prevents a grainy texture).Pour matcha mixture into a 16 oz glass filled with ice, add cold water + a squeeze of lemon, and enjoy!

Grab your fine mesh strainer, small bowl and measuring spoons. I use 1/4 teaspoon of matcha powder, but you can use up to 1 teaspoon.

Measure out your desired amount of matcha powder and get ready to strain.

To avoid clumping, strain the matcha through your fine mesh strainer into the bowl (you can skip this step if you like, but it makes for a much smoother tea if you do it).

Heat up a small amount of water in your tea kettle until it’s warm (don’t let it boil – this destroys some healing properties of the tea), add warm water to the bowl, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The mixture should look smooth when you’re done (this prevents a grainy texture).

Pour matcha mixture into a 16 oz glass filled with ice, add cold water + a squeeze of lemon, and enjoy!

Iced Matcha