We all want to take care of our health while increasing our energy and maintaining a healthy weight, right? Well, did you know that this one simple ingredient can help you achieve all these things? Say hello to matcha green tea.

All over the world, more and more people are switching their daily cup of tea for a matcha tea. Matcha tea is made from the whole green tea leaves which have been stone ground into a fine powder and are then dissolved in hot water. It has a delicious non-bitter green tea taste, and a vibrant green color too.

And it's not just the taste that people are falling in love with: it's the incredible health benefits, too. Just one cup of matcha is said to be packed with as much as ten times the antioxidants found in a cup of standard loose leaf green tea. There's no throwing away of the tea bag here - with matcha, you drink all the wonderful goodness.

Read on to discover the top five reasons why the world is going crazy for matcha green tea.

1. Matcha reduces memory-loss and boosts energy

Nothing beats a warm cup of matcha in the morning

How many mornings have you woken up craving the caffeine kick from your morning coffee? Did you know that you can get that same caffeine boost from matcha but without the jitters and the energy slump that often comes from coffee?

Matcha contains caffeine, but it's only a small amount. One serving contains around a fifth of the caffeine found in coffee. However, it also contains amino acids which release it slowly over 4-6 hours to give you a more consistent energy boost.

L-theanine, the amino acid found in matcha, is known to help improve your mood, aid concentration and boost your memory, too; which is ideal if you have a busy and stressful day ahead of you.

2. Matcha is packed with disease-preventing antioxidants

Matcha is known for being an excellent source of antioxidants: in fact, just one serving of matcha contains 137 X the antioxidants found in regular green tea.

Matcha is also a source of EGCG, which is a disease-busting antioxidant proven to fight against free radicals. Free radicals are created by our bodies on a daily basis as a defense mechanism against things we are exposed to: from food and drink to pollutants in the air. They are known to damage our DNA, and this damage can lead to cancer and other serious conditions. So, by consuming EGCG, your body is better protected against life-threatening diseases.

And as matcha is a high source of EGCG, drinking just one matcha a day can dramatically help protect your body and fight it against diseases.

3. Matcha is great for maintaining a healthy weight

Powdered matcha can be easily mixed up with a whisk

Not only is matcha delicious, it's also low-calorie and sugar-free! It's therefore not just guilt-free, but it's also been proven to boost metabolism and help burn fat. And as if that wasn't enough, matcha also helps keep fat-absorption in line, can actually reduce appetite and keep hunger cravings at bay. If you tend to comfort eat, you'll be pleased to know that matcha also reduces the stress hormone cortisol, making it much easier to watch that waistline.

So, matcha not only helps boost metabolism but it can curb hunger cravings, which makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight.

4. Matcha boosts immunity and is anti-inflammatory

Matcha's anti-inflammatory properties are amazing for sufferers of arthritis, and for healing injuries. If you're feeling run down, matcha has been proven to be able to fend off common colds, too.

What's more, matcha contains flavonoids, which are antibacterial antioxidants that are known to prevent sore throats, bad breath, and many types of infections. Therefore, drinking one cup of matcha a day can help flood your body with antioxidants to strengthen and protect your immune system.

5. Matcha prevents heart disease

The heart health benefits of anitoxidants are packed into every cup

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the western world. However, with a good diet, heart disease can be completely preventable. Heart problems are often caused by a poor diet and lack of exercise, which creates a build-up of plaque in the arteries.

Matcha can help keep the heart healthy, as it's EGCG antioxidant can reduce inflammation in the arteries and lower blood pressure. This can also prevent Atherosclerosis (cholesterol build up in the arterial walls), and help to regulate blood pressure, which is an important factor in a healthy and happy heart.

Make the switch to matcha.

If you love the thought of having more energy, protecting your health and maybe even losing a little weight, join the matcha craze! You can drink it dissolved in water as a matcha tea, dissolved in milk as a matcha latte, or even added in recipes to make delicious guilt-free sweet treats. All you need is half a teaspoon of the magical matcha powder to reap in all the incredible health benefits mentioned above. So what are you waiting for? Pop the kettle on!

Erin Young is a health writer and an all-round expert on tea. She is the owner of two tea brands: Evergreen Matcha in the USA and Zen Green Tea Matcha in Australia. Click here for a matcha recipe ebook delivered straight to your inbox!