Dr Oz: Matcha Japanese Tradition
Dr Oz was with the gorgeous Candace Kumai discussing the latest health trend, matcha. It’s an ancient tea that is now being used for its anti-aging benefits to help you look and feel younger from the inside-out. It turns out matcha is a family tradition for Candace. She explained that it’s originally from the monks in Asia, used as a calming way to help everyone relax and enjoy company together.
The Samurais would take a break by leaving their swords at the door to sit down and have a cup of matcha. It would help keep them focused, alert, and really “chill” at the same time. Because Candace is half Japanese and half American, her family enjoys westernization. Her mom often says “we welcome new culture all the time, but we like tradition too.” She loves sharing Japanese tradition with people.
Dr Oz: Blue Zones & Matcha Tea
Candace Kumai brought authentic Japanese dishes with her to show Dr Oz how to make matcha tea the traditional way. (mshades / Flickr)
Dr Oz added that the southern-most island of Japan, Okinawa is one of the blue zones. People say that in blue zones, people live to the age of 100 four times more commonly than other areas. Experts then look at those areas to see what they do differently. One of the traditions in Okinawa is matcha tea. Dr Oz and his partners at ShareCare are hoping to bring blue zone areas to parts of the United States. That’s why he encourages people to try things like matcha tea and then share the trend with their friends and family.
Dr Oz: Make Your Own Matcha Tea
To show how you can make your own matcha tea at home with the matcha powder, Candace brought her grandmother’s cups with her from Japanese. She also brought a Chasen, or a bamboo whisk in order to make matcha tea the traditional way. You first want to pour the matcha into a cup or bowl, and break it up with the whisk. Then whisk 1-2 tsp of the matcha vigorously in 2 ounces of hot water measuring about 175 to 180 degrees. To be sure you have the right temperature water, boil water and then take it off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The more vigorously you stir, the more frothy the tea, which is what you want. To sweeten it, you can add just a dash of milk or honey. Then hold both sides of the bowl, take a deep breath in through the nose to smell it, then take a sip and savor it.
Dr Oz: Matcha Face Mask & Matcha Bath Bomb
Another great way to use matcha is in homemade beauty products. You can make a great face mask out of matcha, honey, and 2% Greek yogurt. You can also make a great bath bomb by combining the following ingredients:
- coconut oil
- matcha
- cornstarch
- lavender oil
- baking soda
- water
- lemon
- epsom salt.
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