OM Yoga Magazine – July 2018

fatigue. Yes, it’s true, coffee is the acid trip
that makes you crash and burn.
What is the connection between Theanine
and dopamine? In simple terms, dopamine is
a hormone that is produced in your brain. It’s
known as the ‘reward’ hormone associated
with good experiences like when you find a
bundle of cash on the street or fall in love or
do yoga asanas.

Mental boost
Amino acids available in the foods we eat
are required in order to produce dopamine
but these amino acids need to cross the
‘blood-brain barrier’ or BBB. Think of this as
a maze to get into your brain. It’s filled with
tiny alleyways that block substances from
getting through to the brain, like viruses for
instance. Most substances can’t cross over
this barrier but Theanine can.
According to doctors Hidehiko Yokogoshi
and Takehiko Terashima, leaders in
Theanine-based research at the Laboratory
of Nutritional Biochemistry in Shizuoka, when
you drink green tea, dopamine levels are
significantly increased in the brain.
These two doctors went on to explain
how Theanine also promotes Alpha wave
functions in the brain and this is what causes
you to have an alert yet relaxed physical
and mental state when you drink green tea.
In other words, it is your personal stress
management system...and what a perfect
yoga practice partner!

To p t e a s
So which Japanese teas are the most
potent and of course perfect for your yoga
practice? Matcha and gyokuro are classified
as the top category of teas in Japan, but
there is a major distinction: one is a powder
to be whisked and one is a leaf to be gently
steeped, after which the leaves are eaten.

You are ingesting the leaves in both kinds

of tea, therefore getting the most possible

nutritional content available. Matcha and

gyokuro are shaded for approximately a

month before harvesting which slows the

plant growth, making the nutrients swell in

the leaves. But not all matcha and gyokuro

are created equal. Using hand-woven straw

mats to shade the plants, as opposed to

today’s common black netting, has a major

impact on the nutritional content

of the leaves. The minerals in the fresh

straw are carried into the soil by rainwater

thus making the leaves more mineral rich

and alkalising to the body. Sadly, only a

handful of farmers today continue shading

with straw mats because of the labour

intensity involved.

Chiki Tea’s farmers in Kyushu are among the

last remaining to use straw shading. Not only

do they shade the plants destined to become

matcha and gyokuro, but they also create a

‘super sencha’ classified as a kabusecha. This

is the highest nutritional sencha tea because

the leaves have been shaded for around 10

to 14 days, whereas a standard sencha isn’t

shaded much, if at all. A kabusecha features

a mellow sweetness, lots of umami and great

depth of flavor in the brew as opposed to the

more astringent and ever-so-slight bitter brew

of a sun-grown sencha.

Chiki Tea’s Sunrise kabusecha is the

perfect way to rise and shine and experience

an elongated bliss throughout the day. Right

before practice, whisk an emerald bowl of

Silk, the best and most potent matcha from

Yame, and watch your body love your moves

and quiet your mind like a monk.

Holly Helt is CEO of Chiki Tea Ltd and Chiki

Tea Japan KK. She grew up in Japan and

has been drinking Japanese green tea for 50

years and researching it for nearly as long.

TRY IT

OM readers can get a discount on Chiki Tea’s

Silk matcha (40g or 100g) and Sunrise kabusecha

(100g). Use code NAMASTEA to receive a 20%

discount on SILK and SUNRISE bundle:

Visit: chikitea.com/product/silk-sunrise

EXPECT MORE FROM

YOUR HERBAL TEA

Herbal teas are just as flexible as they

are beneficial, so make them work for

you. These simple tips will help you

infuse more health-loving herbs and

spices into your everyday.

Get full details at our herb hub:

https://remedyroots.com/blog/herb-hub

When you embrace quality teas and

herbs, you reap the benefits they bring

as part of a fulfilling lifestyle. Our

wellness teas were blended with that in

mind.

Add turmeric latte to

your bircher muesli

It tastes great and

it’s a wonderful

anti-inflammatory. Ours

is dairy-free, caffeine-

free and sugar-free.

Make a skin toner

Try infusing a rose and

hibiscus tea in a sterilised

container and it leave to

cool. Or, use our Skin

Refresh, which is full of

floral helpers.

Infuse your vinegars

and oils for salad

dressings

Flavoursome, creative

and impressive when

hosting. Try using our

citrusy Stress Relief to

take the tension out of a

bad day.

QUALITY INGREDIENTS | 100% LOOSE LEAF

ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING

WWW.REMEDYROOTS.COM

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