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P06-07
Thursday 7 May 2015
Text: Karena Wai
Photos: Xinhua, AP, Sing Tao Daily
Vocabulary
‘Superdrink’
ONE of the major health benefits of Matcha tea is that it delivers a
mega dose of antioxidants in every sip. It contains over six times
the antioxidants of goji berries, seven times the antioxidants of dark
chocolate, 17 times more antioxidants than blueberries, and 60 times
the antioxidants found in spinach. And that is just in one teaspoon!
Matcha made in
heaven
Matcha is five times higher in chlorophyll than regular tea.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants that can help give
you clear skin, protect your blood and heart, and also help prevent
joint inflammation. A single cup of Matcha has as much nutrition as
10 cups of regular green tea. Matcha green tea increases metabolism
and helps the body burn fat about four times faster than average.
The green drink we associate with Japan
actually comes from China. Find out
its benefits and how we can enjoy it
Antioxidants
in
one teaspoon
of
Matcha
A
FINELY ground powder form of green tea called
Matcha has been drunk in Japan (日本) for
around 900 years. In fact, Matcha was invented
in China during the Tang Dynasty and was served as a
beverage for Buddhist monks to keep them alert, awake
and focused during long days of meditation.
M: Meaning
E: Example
M: has a special quality or feature which makes it
easily recognisable and different
E: The chemical has a distinctive odour.
Distinct is also an adjective, which is used to
describe something or thought that you can hear
or see clearly.
E: Now that her father was no longer present,
there was a distinct change in her attitude.
1
meditation (n) 冥想
M: the act of remaining in a silent and calm state
for a period of time so that you are more able
to deal with the problems of everyday life
E: Many busy executives have begun to practise
yoga and meditation.
2
shrub (n) 灌木
M: a plant with several woody stems
E: The shrub is covered with fruits after flowering.
goji berries
All teas originate from the same plant known as Camellia
sinensis, which is a shrub native to China. Their leaves can be made
into green tea (unfermented tea; simply steamed and dried), oolong tea
(partially fermented), or black tea (fully fermented).
Before they are harvested, Matcha tea plants are covered up for
several weeks to reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the plants.
This increases the chlorophyll content and turns the leaves dark green,
giving Matcha its distinctive green colour. After they are steamed, air
dried, de-stemmed and de-veined, the leaves become Tencha (碾茶), the
precursor to Matcha. They are then milled to finally become Matcha.
distinctive (adj) 與眾不同的
6 times
blueberries
17 times
3
unfermented (adj) 未經發酵
M: not soured or preserved
E: Unlike black tea or oolong, green tea is made
from unfermented tea leaves.
4
dark chocolate
Matcha
7 times
regular green tea
As a beverage
As a dessert
MATCHA should be served in the traditional
way, with a bamboo whisk and tea bowl. Use
a small sifter to sift 1-2 tsp of Matcha into a
tea bowl. Boil 2oz hot water and add into the
tea bowl. Use the bamboo whisk to whisk
vigorously in a zigzag motion until the tea
is frothy. Now you can enjoy your Matcha
straight from the tea bowl. You might notice
it starts to foam a bit, which is completely
natural.
MATCHA is also amazing to add to ice
cream, pudding, cookies, macarons,
soufflé and cakes ─ even chocolate
fondue if you like. Or, keep things
simple and blend it with non-dairy milk
(such as soya milk) to make a Matcha
latte. You can add ice cubes to make
an iced latte.
Get creative and see how you can
incorporate Matcha into your life.
spinach
60 times
precursor (n) 前身
M: a similar thing that happened or existed before
another thing
E: Wealth here has always come as a
consequence of survival, never as a precursor
to it.
5
inflammation (n) 炎症
M: a painful redness or swelling of a part of your
body that results from illness
E: The drug can cause inflammation of the liver.
6
vigorously (adv) 猛力地
M: using a lot of energy, usually to do short and
repeated actions
E: The bully vigorously shook the poor boy by
the shoulders.
Matcha ice cream
Matcha souffle
Matcha cake
Matcha latte