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Welcome
to
Mäni's
Morsels!
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MUCHO MAS…MATCHA
 Just
in case you’re one of the few people left who
still hasn’t heard about the powers of green tea,
get ready to jump on the bandwagon of this
new-millennium revival and become a believer.
From color therapy to the chakra system, in many
circles green is considered to be a healing color.
So it’s fitting that green tea would be discovered
to have many health benefits. But one green tea in
particular promises to enjoy a steady rise in
popularity. Its name is “Matcha” and it’s been
around for almost 1000 years.
This powerful finely ground, powdered green tea,
an invention of the Chinese, has quite a variety
of heath benefits associated with it. “Matcha”
literally means “powdered
tea”, and is derived from Gyokuro green tea,
which has been covered and grown under ninety
percent shade during the last few weeks prior to
harvest. Then, the tealeaves go through a process
that removes the stems and de-veins the leaves,
producing a product known as “Tencha”.
The “Tencha” is further refined, by grinding it
into powder, traditionally on a stone mill, at a
particular speed (grinding the tea too fast can
cause a burnt taste). The resulting very fine
powder is known as “Matcha”.
There are a few types of Matcha (sometimes spelled
“Maccha” or “Macha”). The differences have to do
with a number of factors, including time of
harvest, and the age of the tea plants. One very
exclusive variety is harvested from tea plants
that exceed 30 years in age, and can cost over
$100.00 an ounce. Luckily, the less expensive
Matchas still provide us with what seems to be an
ever-growing list of benefits.
The polyphenols in green tea help protect
against cancer, while reducing the risk of
heart disease, due to lowered cholesterol and
improved lipid metabolism. Green tea also has
anti-bacterial properties, and just two cups
contains almost twice the anti-oxidants of red
wine, more than seven times that of orange juice,
and twenty times that of apple juice. Green tea
also helps control high blood pressure. It has
been linked with weight loss, and Oprah Winfrey
has backed up that claim, using green tea as a
part of her well-publicized fitness plan. It even
reduces fatigue and elevates the mood…
evidenced by several Mäni's Bakery employees!
Like all green tea, Matcha contains a small amount
of caffeine, as well as L-theanine, which
increases the alpha wave activities in the brain,
that creates a feeling of relaxation. Matcha has a
slightly foamy texture and a sweet, mildly grassy
taste that goes great with everything, especially
biscotti or shortbread.
There are many ways to drink Matcha, hot or cold;
and with summer arriving, drinking an iced Matcha
Latte at Mäni's on Fairfax is a refreshing way to
add nutrients to your body while quenching your
thirst. You’re sure to say “Grassy—Ahhs”.
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Matcha Nutrition Facts
Some of the
chemical components of 100g/3.5 oz of Matcha
are:
Vitamin A: 16,000IU
VitamineB1: 0.6mg
Vitamin B2: 1.35mg
Vitamin C: 60mg
Vitamin E: 35.9mg
Proteins & Amino Acids: 30.7%
Carbohydrates: 28.6%
Fat: 5.3%
Fiber: 10%
Ash: 7.4%
Tannin: 10%
Caffeine: 3.2% |
photo by Noah York |
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WATCH YOUR EMAIL BOX FOR A SPECIAL BULLETIN THIS
WEEK
Mäni's is announcing a contest. If you are
creative, have design skills and want to win a
$100 Mäni's card, keep your eyes on your inbox
for details.
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Mäni's Bakery Café
info@manisbakery.com
519 S. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles
323-938-8800
Hours
Mon - Fri 6:30 a.m. to Midnight
Sat - 7:00 a.m. to
1:00 a.m.
Sun - 7:30 a.m. to
1:00 a.m.
Kitchen opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 11:00 p.m.
Sun - Thurs.
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