This matcha chia pudding is everything! Earthy matcha, creamy almond milk, the perfect pop from chia seeds. Superfood heaven, in a little package. Top with tart raspberries and you've got a quick breakfast or perfect midday snack. Gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and whole 30 approved!
I am only 7 months away from finishing grad school and in between the freak outs about my thesis that is due in, well 7 months, I am actually finding myself in a great flow. I've just about figured out a decent balancing act between school, clients, work, and life. I know I will have this all down to a science just in time to graduate. I am loving LOVING my classes this quarter and am honestly so grateful that I get to study nutrition on such a deep level. Food is our most powerful tool for healing, and I just love spreading that message loud and clear!
This matcha chai pudding recipe is the perfect example of the healing power of food, a few simple ingredients that when synergistically combined create a powerhouse of nutrients. I know chia pudding has been around for awhile, heck I've previously posted several chia pudding variations, but I'm late to the matcha party. Don't worry I'm arriving in style, big time, so all must be forgiven.
What is Matcha?
In case you've been living in a far off land, matcha is a very hot product right now.
It is a powdered green tea that is grown in Japan, the leaves are dried and then ground into a fine powder. You can make a frothy and trendy matcha latte with the powder, or use it in recipes – like I did here.
NYC is teeming with matcha shops, popping up on just about every block, instagram is lousy with images of matcha lattes (guilty – I shared in my Instagram stories a few weeks ago a rose water matcha latte that one of my favorite coffee shops in Tribeca was serving, yeah… a rose water matcha latte – oh this life!)
What's so great about matcha is that it contains all the benefits of green tea (which there are many) but in a more concentrated form because you are actually consuming the “leaves” or the powder as opposed to just drinking the liquid from the steeping of the leaves.
The benefits of green tea are quite astonishing, in nearly every course I've taken in the past 2 years green tea has come up in a lecture. It's supportive for just about every condition (unless you are TH2 dominant, bu that's a WHOLE other very long and complicated explanation).
7 Benefits of Consuming Matcha
- High in antioxidants
- Contains EGCg a potent catechin (type of antioxidant). EGCg is the most widely recognized antioxidant for cancer-fighting properties
- Boosts memory and concentration
- Supportive for gut health, actually behaves like a prebiotic i.e. helps to feed the good bacteria
- Increases glucuronidation via increased glucuronylsulfotransferase activity. Those are HUGE words that basically mean green tea can help to enhance phase 2 biotransformation or detoxification. In fact, one study found that rats fed 4gm of 10% matcha green tea increased PCB/PCDD/ PCDF (3 types of toxicants) excretion by up to 4.4 fold!
- Supportive for metabolic function
- Supportive for cardiovascular health, one study found that consuming matcha green tea decreased LDL cholesterol.
How To Make Matcha Chia Pudding
It's quite simple blend together almond milk, matcha, and maple syrup. Pour into a mason jar, stir in chia seeds, and allow to sit overnight.
A Note about Chia Seeds
A Note about Chia SeedsI love chia seeds, they are an excellent source of fiber, protein, and heart-healthy omega 3 fats. Chia seeds can help to curb cravings and increase satiety, and they plump to three times their size in liquid, creating the perfect tapioca-like texture. There is a lot of good! A lot! However, chia seeds should be eaten in moderation. They can cause digestive imbalance and bloating in some people. I've said this before, but I'll say it again, I think we've gone a little chia crazy lately and popping chia seeds into everything we eat is not the best way to use the powers of this powerful food.
When I make chia pudding I like to eat small amounts (hence all of my little glass containers here), I consider this recipe 8 servings, so it really is just a little serving. Well and Good NYC wrote a great article last week about chia that I totally agree with, citing examples of many people complaining of bloating and digestive discomfort when consuming chia seeds. Because chia seeds grow to three times their size in liquid they act like little sponges in the intestinal tract, soaking up water. Consume chia, but treat it for what it is a superfood. My definition of a superfood is a food that straddles the line between food and a powerful medicinal compound. When you see chia as medicine and not just food, I think it's easier to understand that more does not necessarily equal better. Prednisone is great too, especially when you sit on a fire ant hole, heavily intoxicated in your college days – thank goodness prednisone was there! But more does not and certainly would not have equaled better. Make sure you are always consuming chia seeds with lots of water and ideally soak them (like in this recipe) before you consume them.
Enough chia talk. Go on and make this recipe and reap all the antioxidant – anti-cancer -perfect protein snack – ideal fat ratio – holy lord is this just a perfect recipe – bliss 🙂
**Note**
Matcha comes in many different grades, kitchen grade, cafe grade, classic grade, and ceremonial grade. Ranging from good (kitchen grade) to extraordinary (ceremonial grade). The difference in cost is also quite extraordinary. I used kitchen grade (or sometimes called culinary grade) in this recipe which means I needed quite a bit more to achieve the earthy matcha flavor that I love. If you are using a higher grade (even one step up) you will want to reduce the amount of matcha by at least 1/2. Thank you to a reader for pointing this out!
Thanks for reading Abra's Kitchen! To see what goodness I'm whipping up be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you make this recipe tag #abraskitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation 🙂
Matcha Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk
- 2 tbsp culinary grade matcha powder much less if you use a higher grade
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- Fresh raspberries
Instructions
- In a blender combine almond milk, matcha, and maples syrup. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a mason jar, stir in chia seeds, and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve with fresh raspberries or fruit of your choice
Note
- Nutritional information does not include raspberries
Notes
- Depending on the grade of matcha you may need to use much less. I recommend tasting with 1 tsp and then adding as needed. My matcha was latte grade and therefore I needed the full amount.
- This keeps well in the fridge for 5-7 days.
VA Reviewer says
I have made this recipe several times and found the best consistency for me is re-blending the pudding mixture the next day so pudding is smoother with chia seeds grounded. If you grind chia seeds with other ingredients first, the pudding does not come out as thick and creamy. This is just my personal preference. I also once used 1 cup chocolate almond milk and one cup plain unsweetened almond milk which was good too. Overall love this easy, tasty recipe.