Bee Pollen Matcha

So that last time I got some matcha from Red Leaf, I asked my sister what flavor she’d like. She chose this one. Then, even though I bugged her for one, she never wrote a review so we can have more matcha! I finally bribed her with promises of coconut and English toffee. haha It’s a never ending cycle! So without further ado, my sister’s review:

One summer, at a farmer’s market, my sister and I tasted bee pollen for the first time. The nice man at the stall showed us how he liked to eat it – dusted over some honey. He dipped a toothpick into the honey, and then dipped the toothpick into the bee pollen. We ate the honey and pollen mixture daintily as he told us about the health benefits.

I remember all we could really taste was the delicious honey because it just dominated, but the texture of the pollen was interesting – it felt chewy and looked like little yellow dust balls. It might have tasted better to me because it’s a super food: it contains 40% high-quality protein and a huge list of vitamins and minerals. Vitameatavegamin, anyone?

So I was actually pretty excited about trying the bee pollen matcha, hoping to get a clearer sense of what bee pollen tastes like. The powder is a fine, golden green – I imagine from the natural color of the bee pollen. I added about a half teaspoon to a cup of hot water and stirred it until frothy. It smelled very much like my usual matcha, a bit like the sea, fresh and comforting. The color of the tea was more golden, like it appeared in the container. It reminded me of the color of new spring buds.

My first impression was that the matcha was mild with a very subtle hint of honey. I had wanted to taste the bee pollen more clearly, but the matcha was definitely the dominant flavor here, as it was with the honey at the farmer’s market stall. Still, I imagined that I could taste a little bit of the pollen’s sweetness. At the bottom of the cup, I found the flecks of pollen floating about. I didn’t want to waste something that’s so good for me, so I drank it all up at once, not realizing that it would feel like I was guzzling pollen. Be careful because it can be a bit gritty when you get to the dregs.

All in all, it was a rather pleasing experience, but don’t expect to recognize the flavor of bee pollen distinctly. The bee pollen is probably there more for its health benefits and for the pretty color, than for flavor. Speaking of the health benefits, how much do we need consume to really take advantage of this super food? According to the following site, there are different recommended dosages for maximizing the benefits, but the author consumes just one to two tablespoons a day: http://www.bee-pollen-buzz.com/how-much-bee-pollen.html. This page from the same site talks about some of the possible side effects and reactions someone may have from consuming all the different types of pollen in bee pollen: http://www.bee-pollen-buzz.com/side-effects-of-bee-pollen.html.

Happy sipping!

Bee Pollen Matcha to be found here:
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/bee-pollen-matcha.html

I bought this tea (found here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/bee-pollen-matcha.html) because when summer rolls around, I am a little puddle of miserable. Seriously, my allergies attack with everything they’ve got and there are days where I simply cannot go outside. Last summer, I discovered green tea seemed to help with some of the symptoms, as did local honey. So when I spotted Bee Pollen Matcha, I had to try it, if only to keep on hand for when I make smoothies all summer. Mmmm smoothies. A little frozen fruit, a splash of tea, and I am in heaven. This is why I bought a blender!

This is most likely a case of mind over matter, but the first few sips of this tasted like honey to me. I don’t know if it actually does, it’s not overwhelmingly sweet, but it tastes a touch like honey. Kind of like how Honeybee from DavidsTea tastes like…well, how you imagine a bee would taste. All bzzzz and the like. But it is sweet enough and flavorful enough that while I was drinking it at work, I kept reaching for it. I tend to place my travel mug on the corner of the desk and forget it’s there until I lose my voice.

This matcha is also a good addition to my smoothies, since it provides calcium and protein. As someone on a dairy-free diet, the ability to get calcium in my tea is very important to me. A friend of mine says that “drinking tea for the health benefits is like having sex for the exercise,” but after a summer of allergies made manageable by local honey and green tea, I’m a believer. Do I think tea is going to magically make me skinner? No. Damn it. But I do firmly believe that teas like this matcha can help with things like allergies and vitamin deficiencies. If nothing else, this tea keeps me away from carbonated drinks like Coke and Dr. Pepper….mmm, Dr. Pepper. It also helps me cut back on sugary fruit juices and heart attack causing energy drinks. Matcha is all I need to get that rush to help me make it through my day. And this particular matcha is a tasty, tasty option. I love it! A sweet green tea that makes you feel like you’re drinking something that will give you superpowers? That also helps you get your vitamins and bounce around your office like you just had a large can of Red Bull? Sign me up!