Start your day with this smoothie from Dr. Blum. Bonus: the probiotics in the kefir aid digestive health. 
 
Ingredients: 
1 tsp. organic matcha 
½ c. plain kefir 
½ c. ice 
½ c. organic fresh or frozen raspberries 
1 scoop preferred protein powder 
3 mint leaves, chopped fine (or whole if using a Vitamix or other high-power blender) 
1 tsp. honey (optional) 
 
Directions: 
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and adjust to desired consistency.

From Matcha Source owner Alissa White 
 
Ingredients: 
1 tsp. matcha 
1 c. Greek yogurt 
 
Directions: 
Add matcha to Greek yogurt and mix. Top with blueberries, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of agave.

Ingredients: 
½ tsp. matcha 
1 tbs. salt (try coarse grey sea salt or Himalayan pink salt) 
 
Directions: 
Mix matcha with salt and sprinkle over fish, rice or veggies.

Rehydrate after a workout or by the pool with this drink from Matcha Source owner Alissa White. Bonus: Matcha is alkaline in the body and at least anecdotally, it helps lessen sweat odor, she says. 
 
Ingredients: 
8 ounces coconut water 
1 tsp. matcha 
ice 
lime 
 
Directions: 
Shake coconut water and matcha together in a martini shaker, pour over ice and add a squirt of lime.

Plenty of health fads go like this: flashy food gets a publicist, becomes famous overnight, disappears forever. Then there are the legit healthy heros — the less-hyped-yet-hard-working kind that go about quietly for years before finally getting their moment. For matcha (pronounced MAH-cha), in the U.S. at least, that moment is now. A centuries-old Japanese staple, matcha is whole-leaf green tea that’s been ground into fine powder and boasts absurdly impressive health benefits. Traditionally whisked with hot water, it’s Japan’s veritable cup of joe — with the potential to be yours soon too.Matcha lattes — hot or iced — are now served at mega-chain Starbucks as well as smaller coffee- and teahouses like the newly opened Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden &amp Herbal Emporium in LA, where herb master Hiroko Ogura touts the green powder for its more stable caffeine high. “It contains L-theanine, which is calming so you feel focused but more balanced,” she says. At Matcha Source in West Hollywood, a new shop devoted to all things matcha, you can find hand-thrown <a href=http://www.artoftea.com/teaware/accessories-gear/ceremonial-matcha-bowl.html target=_blank>ceremonial bowls</a> and <a href=http://www.matchasource.com/Bamboo-Whisk-100-Prong-p/xcry02.htm target=_blank>blending accessories</a> to make your own frothy lattes at home. You can also pick up a matcha cookbook because, yes, matcha has moved beyond the beverage.You'll find the the pistachio hue tingeing pastries like macaroons, cupcakes and truffles. And chefs nationwide (Michael Voltaggio, Daniel Patterson, David Myers, and Ludo Lefebvre among them) are using the verdant powder to spike dishes both savory and sweet. A home-grown how-to for a carmelized matcha-toast crunch has even surfaced on <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMZPpyuiIO4 target=_blank>Youtube</a>. Aside from its fresh, grassy taste and Easter-worthy cast, matcha’s many health benefits are a good reason to give it a try. Green tea has long been tagged for its metabolism-revving effects, which are largely attributed to its most active catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). “There’s strong evidence that EGCG has fat-burning properties,’’ says integrative health specialist Susan Blum, MD, founder of Blum Center for Health. “And the amount of EGCG in matcha is at least 3 times greater than that in other green teas, partly because you ingest the whole leaf.” This provides a greater antioxidant payoff too.Meanwhile, that aforementioned amino acid, L-theanine, is also thought to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can contribute to belly fat. But that’s not all: EGCG has anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet, and anti-thrombotic effects, says Blum. “In simple language, animal studies have shown it prevents the growth of tumors and prevents both atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease by making blood platelets and cholesterol less sticky,” she explains. All good reasons to get a little matcha in your life. A few delicious ways:

Matcha matcha man

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