In doing a show for CBC this morning on juices and other summer drinks, I noticed the green tea trend has extended to the manufacture of green tea carbonated drinks – of course they are capitalizing on the marketability of green tea, but be warned: they aren't always as healthy as they sound.
For example, Steaz green tea soda has green tea listed second to last on the ingredient list, after sodium citrate. That means there's more sodium citrate in the drink than there is actual green tea - same with a bunch of other stuff I could hardly pronounce.
So I was thinking… if green tea is so intensely nutritious, and obviously its nutritive properties aren’t damaged by heat, why not add it to recipes? Of course it has been a trend on restaurant menus for years – green tea ice cream, green tea crème brulee - but people don’t think to cook with it, or add it to things like smoothies like they might add a sprinkle of flaxseed.
I consulted my tea expert friend about the properties of matcha powdered green tea, and this is what just ¼ tsp. (2 g) contains:
• polyphenols and antioxidants 1.212 g
• protein 0.612 g
• plant lipids 0.106 g
• fibre 0.77 g
• calcium 8.4 mg
• magnesium 4.6 mg
• iron 0.34 mg
• zinc 0.126 mg
• potassium 54 mg
• copper 0.012 mg
• phosphorus 7 mg
• vitamin a beta carotene 580
• vitamin a retinol equivalents 96
• vitamin b6 0.0192 mg
• vitamin c 1.2 mg
• vitamin e 0.56 mg
• vitamin k 58
• thamin 0.012 mg
• riboflavin 0.027 mg
• niacin 0.08 mg
• folate 24
Regular green tea has approximately twice the antioxidants of red wine, 7 times that of orange juice, and 20 times that of apple juice. Gram for gram, matcha has approximately 10 times the polyphenols and antioxidants of regular teas, 9 times the beta carotene of spinach, and 4 times that of carrots.
I mean I knew it was good for you, but wow! So if you’d rather eat your tea than drink it – and I should point out that green tea needs to be steeped three times in order to reap its full nutritional benefits – try adding a bit to your baking, smoothies, salad dressing… anywhere you think you can get away with it. Even cookies. For more nutritional info about teas, check out Tnik.
Green Tea Cookies
Matcha is a powdered, brilliant emerald green tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies and to dye and flavor foods such as mochi and soba noodles. It also contains the highest concentration of antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals of any beverage; twice the antioxidants of red wine and approximately 9 times the beta carotene of spinach. The best part is, you don’t have to steep and drink it to reap its benefits; adding it to a soft sugar cookie gives them a mild green tea flavor as well as a nutritional boost.
¼ cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp dry matcha green tea powder
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
sliced almonds, for decorating (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar and green tea powder until well blended. The mixture will have the consistency of wet sand. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for a minute, until smooth and light.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir by hand just until you have a soft dough.
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place about two inches apart on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Press an almond slice, or a few, arranging them to resemble a flower, onto the top of each cookie.
Bake for 13–15 minutes, until just set and the almonds are slightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 1½ dozen cookies.
Per cookie: 105 calories, 3.7 g fat (1.7 g saturated fat, 1.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0.4 g polyunsaturated fat), 16.4 g carbohydrates, 19 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g protein, 0.3 g fiber. 32% calories from fat.
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