A Review: Organic Matcha Powder

When I started writing this blog, I did not expect anyone (other than my mom) to actually read it. Now, three-and-a-half years later, I have made so many virtual friends, have connected with people across the country, and have apparently come across the desks of marketing gurus: Kiss Me Organics, a company based out of Ohio, offered to send me a bag of Organic Matcha Powder to review.

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I'm not going to lie: when they first contacted me about this product, I totally thought it was spam, a hoax. First, I had never heard of Organic Matcha Powder, and second, why would they want me to review it?!

To answer the first question, I went to the guru of all things natural and organic: Mags. Immediately, she responded, "Oh yeah. Matcha is awesome. I love it." I also did a bit more research myself and realized that it was a product that was right up my alley, something I would love to try and share with you.

When I thought about the second question a while longer, the answer came to me quite clearly: because I'm awesome. Duh.

As I previously mentioned, Kiss Me Organics is a company based out of Columbus, Ohio, but their product is sold solely via Amazon. For $25, you will receive a four-ounce bag of matcha powder in addition to a cookbook with more than 50 recipes -- ranging from smoothies to brownies to pizzas to marinades -- inside.

Before we get into whether or not I like matcha green tea (spoiler alert: I do), let's talk about what exactly matcha powder is:

• Matcha is a green tea, but it is a powder version of the popular drink
• Unlike other teas, matcha has not been fermented
• Matcha is derived from tea leaves grown in the shade, so the leaves are a darker green color and contain loads of amino acids

And, let's talk about why it's so good for you (this is what really sold me):

• Nutritional Value: one glass of matcha green tea is equal to 10 glasses of regular green tea and has 137 times the amount of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant that fights numerous illnesses and diseases
• Calorie Burning: adding matcha green tea to your diet can help burn up to four times the amount of calories each day, simply due to its thermogenic properties
• Energy: like coffee and black tea, matcha green tea provides a significant energy boost with less caffeine and no jitters, nausea, or caffeine crash
• Relaxation: matcha contains a hefty dose of L-Theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation and well-being within the brain, so much so that it was originally used to help Buddhist monks during periods of meditation

Finally, Kiss Me Organics Green Tea Matcha is certified organic and lab-tested to ensure the highest quality, the purest tea.

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After reading all of the above information, I knew that I just had to try it.

I placed my order on Amazon, and I received the product only two days later. Talk about fast turnaround! I immediately opened up the bag -- and caught a huge whiff of clean-cut grass.

The powder is dark green and a little chalky -- and yes, it definitely smelled like grass clippings. I'm not going to lie: the scent made me a little leery to try it.

The first recipe I tried was for Sparkling Matcha: 1 tsp matcha, 4 ice cubes, 2 tsp warm water, 3/4 cup sparkling water, and lime for garnish. After dissolving the matcha in warm water, I added a can of lime La Croix and four ice cubes.

At first, my sparkling beverage totally tasted like the grass clippings I feared. However, the more I drank it, the more refreshing it became (kind of like the Mean Green juice I ordered from The Juice Company the other day).

It was so good, that in a matter of about ten minutes, I had sucked the whole thing down.

The second recipe that I tried was my own creation: a Coconut Matcha Shot. (Granted, I basically just made a variation of the Almond Matcha Shot from the cookbook.) I mixed a teaspoon of matcha with two teaspoons of warm water, and once the matcha was dissolved, I mixed it with half a juice glass of coconut juice -- you know how much I love my coconut juice. :) I liked this drink, too, as the sweetness of the coconut juice kind of "cut" the grassy taste of the matcha.

Finally, I made my most favorite of the three recipes: an Organic Green Tea Latte.

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Just kidding: it totally didn't look like that. But, I swear I made it:

I mixed 1/3 cup of warm water with 1 teaspoon of matcha and about a half a teaspoon of raw honey, and then mixed that with about half a coffee cup of hot coconut milk. It was so soothing and really, really good. I know there will be a lot more of those bad boys as my afternoon "treat."

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There are so many recipes that I look forward to trying in the very near future, most notably the Matcha-Mole (guacamole with an added matcha-kick), Matcha Madras Curry (possibly definitely over cauliflower "rice"), Pan-Fried Matcha Chicken (with almond flour, yum), and Pepper Steak & Matcha-Mushroom Gravy. Seriously, check out the recipe book for a number of other ideas.

So, long story short, I like this product. I'm excited about the number of health benefits from such a tiny "dose" of product, and due to the definite advantages, I can pretty much ignore the one small negative (the grassy taste). I look forward to incorporating it into different items daily -- and will be sure to let you know if I find anything super deliciously share-worthy. :)

Have you ever tried matcha powder? What are your favorite ways to incorporate it in your diet? What other "nutritional boosts" do you love?

I received the product in this post for purposes of a review, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. The links are not affiliate links, nor will I receive any commission for orders of this product.