Ever wonder why people drink a cup of matcha before working out or putting their minds into meditation?
Matcha contains an amino acid called L-Theanine, which helps boosts our concentration as well as memory. The amino acid produces two chemicals known as dopamine and serotonin. These two chemicals help enhance our memory, mood, and improve concentration.
For hundreds of years, Japanese Buddhist Monks and Chinese Daoists drink matcha before meditation in order to stay calm and remain alert. L-Theanine promotes alpha waves in the brain to induce a calmness and relaxation while allowing us to remain alert. It helps us reduce stress and also work as a fat burner. This is exactly what we try to aim for when practicing yoga.
There are also many benefits that come with matcha. They are high in anti-oxidants and have catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg). EGCg are widely recognized for their cancer fighting properties. Matcha is known to have more than 100x more EGCg than any other tea in the market.
Yoga is practiced in order to achieve a healthier lifestyle, peaceful state of mind, and the feeling of being more energized. When you pair matcha and yoga together, the benefits are bound to increase.
Source | Source 2