ginger + lemon + matcha = energy and glowing skin on the go!

The last few weeks have been crazy busy and I need to keep my energy up.  Sipping this drink throughout the day has really helped.  (Blasting “24K Magic” doesn’t hurt either…never gets old!)
As much as I love my coffee in the am, if I drink too much later in the day I feel wired.  This is a nice alternative…way more hydrating, and I have no trouble falling asleep at night.
This mixture of ginger, lemon and matcha is quick to put together and tastes refreshing.  Pour it in a cute bottle (like my daniel glass) and you’re good to go!
All I did was steep some fresh ginger in almost boiling water, squeeze some fresh lemon, and whisk in some matcha.  And if you want to feel a little badass (don’t we all?) sprinkle in some cayenne pepper.
You can drink this hot, cold or at room temp like I do.  (I really prefer most of my drinks that way…read this post to find out why:   I love all of Justin Bieber’s new singles…  ) I’ll give measurements at the end of this post, but you can adjust everything according to taste.
I can’t take credit for this concoction…my sister was drinking something similar a few summers ago.  I just tweaked it a little bit.  Thanks, Jen!

Ginger contains potent antioxidants that protect the skin against free radical damage and aging.  It also contains anti inflammatories which have been shown to be helpful with arthritis.  It may even help protect against some forms of cancer.  It also happens to taste amazing! Fresh ginger is easy to find in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Don’t even get me started on lemon…I think fresh lemon juice is so important.  The vitamin C helps your body produce collagen for firm skin.  (If you are consuming some collagen peptides every day even better!)  Vitamin C is also known to brighten skin tone.  And lemon and ginger make a wonderful flavor combo.
Matcha makes this drink even better.  Matcha is a much better source of antioxidants than regular green tea, since you are getting the entire leaf.  Like ginger, it helps protect the skin against free radicals.  The chlorophyll removes toxins from your body.
While matcha contains caffeine, it also contains L-Theanine, which gives a calm, focused energy.  L-Theanine also helps you produce dopamine and serotonin, which improve your mood.  The matcha is very diluted, so I can drink this all day and have no problem falling asleep.  Seriously, what’s not to like?!
Matcha and green tea are also said to improve metabolism and aid in weight loss.
If you don’t have matcha on hand, don’t let that stop you.  Brewed green tea has the same benefits, matcha is just a little more concentrated.  Either way this is a powerful combo of ingredients that also tastes great.
Cayenne pepper is good for your circulatory and digestive systems.  It boosts metabolism and may even inhibit the growth of cancer cells.  It also adds a nice heat.  I don’t add it every single time…depends on my mood.
There’s something else about this drink that I think is pretty great.  Every time you take a sip it reminds you that you’re doing something good for yourself.   Which in turn can lead to more good choices.  And a happier, healthier and hotter you!
Here’s how I made it…like everything I post this is extremely flexible!
happy, healthy and hot ginger + lemon + matcha drink
one inch chunk of fresh ginger
one lemon
one teaspoon matcha
sprinkle of cayenne pepper (optional)
two quarts of water
Cut the fresh ginger into smaller chunks.  No need to peel!  Bring one quart of water to a boil, drop in the ginger, and turn off the heat.  Let it sit on the burner for at least 10 minutes.  (Sometimes I do this at night and just let it sit overnight.)
Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon into the ginger water.  Then whisk the matcha and optional cayenne pepper in.  
You could strain this if you feel like it…I usually don’t bother.  I just use a spoon to scoop out the ginger.  Dilute with the second quart of water.  Enjoy!
This makes a ton (well, a half gallon to be exact).  I usually pour some into travel bottles and put the rest in a pitcher.  Shake or stir if the matcha settles to the bottom.  Feel free to adjust the quantities to your individual taste…you can’t go wrong!
So, can this ginger + lemon + matcha drink help you feel happy, healthy and hot? Absolutely!
You will be happy drinking something that makes you feel so great.  The ingredients are incredibly healthy.  And a drink like this can help you lose weight and supports firm and glowing skin…very hot!
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