Sunday, August 31, 2014

Matcha De Mark Green Tea Matcha: Reviewed

I have been making protein smoothies for about 4 1/2 months now. Since having my son in April, I have been making smoothies from cacao powder, vanilla protein powder, greens, green matcha, milk, and frozen bananas. I drink a shake in the morning and one in the afternoon. I love the sustained, non jittery energy it gives me. Sometimes I add frozen blueberries to give even more superfood kick. I was able to try a brand that is new to me.

Matcha is supremely healthy and provides a nice flavor to my smoothie. Matcha tea has about 3 times as much EGCG antioxidant than other green teas. Other teas are brewed with hot water and a tea bag. Matcha is done differently, the whole tea leaf is ingested, as opposed to just the steeped water from a tea bag. Matcha contains a higher concentration of catechins, chlorophyll, and antioxidants. Matcha tea contains an amino acid derivative called L-Theanine, which is said to relieve stress and give mental clarity/alertness.

I was sent a sample from the company, Matcha De Mark Green Tea. It arrived well packaged in a resealable bag and included an emailed copy of Matcha Tea recipe ebook. This can be helpful to anyone new to Matcha or those who need more ideas. If you join the Matcha club, they send a new recipe to you each month.

This is a very rich, fragrant matcha. When I opened the bag I was drawn to the beautiful earthy aroma. I made the matcha as a hot drink to compare it to my other hot macha lattes I have made in the paste and it fared well, I just do not drink a lot of hot tea in the summer. I made my hot matcha with 1 teaspoon powder matcha, hot water from my Keurig, and used a metal whisk. I unfortunately do not have a wooden, bamboo whisk, which is the traditional way to make matcha. Also, the Keurig is not the most traditional experience, but is a quick way for me to have hot water on hand. I added milk and local pure raw honey.



As mentioned above, I use this in my daily green smoothies. The cacao (raw chocolate) powder that I add changes the color to more of a milky brownish green, and the 2 flavors pair well with each other in my opinion. I usually add 2 frozen bananas, milk, and my favorite green superfood based vanilla protein powder. I feel a natural energy each day. I prefer this over caffeinated coffee.


I compared this matcha to my current brand. They both taste wonderful, and are high quality, but I do notice a more fragrance aroma from this bag. I like both a lot, however the only thing that gives the other a few more points is the bag. The other matcha tea bag has a flat bottom so it stands well when I am scooping powder out and using it in smoothies or baking. I would love if this company could change the packaging to have a flat bottom (like the green colored bag). However, it is not too big of a problem because I keep my cacao powder and my vanilla flavored protein greens powder in Vintage Mason jars with lids and scoops. I will probably transfer the Matcha De Mark Green Matcha in a Mason jar as well.


A tip I have for all those who like making homemade spa like face masks: Wash your face as you normally do, (but be gentle and do not scrub). Rinse and pat dry. Mix about 1 tablespoon of green matcha, 2 tablespoons of raw pure honey, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened, plain yogurt, a dropper full of pure argan oil, a dropper full of vegetable glycerin, and mix. Apply to your face for 10 minutes, then rinse off. Optional ingredients if you have on hand: 2 drops of either peppermint essential oil, tea tree, or lavender, for aromatherapy and extra healing. Be careful not to get the mask in eyes or too close to eyes. If you have sensitive skin, leave out the essential oils. Do not apply this mask it you have open wounds or irritated skin. Don't have these ingredients on hand? Try just honey, matcha, and milk for a simple recipe. The ingredients need to be a thick paste or creamy consistency.

For more information on this Matcha or to purchase: It is available on Amazon

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If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.



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