Matcha-flavored products have attracted a lot of hype in recent years; the masses simply adore its taste and can’t seem to get enough of it. It has been manufactured into varying forms like lattes, shots, teas and even desserts in places like supermarkets, coffee shops, and health stores.
It’s undeniable that many consumers are familiar with Matcha; with some being avid fans of this powder. Despite so, only a handful are aware of the origins of Matcha and the health benefits that it has. In a nutshell, it comes from the Camellia sinensis plant but is grown differently from green tea and has its own novel nutrient profile. Matcha is produced by having its tea plants covered 20 to 30 days before harvest, so as to avoid direct sunlight. This is so that there is higher chlorophyll content which increases amino acid levels, thereby enabling the plant to naturally develop a darker green hue than green tea.
When the plant is ready to be harvested, farmers detach the stems and veins from the leaves and pound the leaves into a fine powder known as Matcha. Since Matcha has all the nutrient content in the entire leaf, it is typically known to contain a higher concentration of caffeine and antioxidants as compared to green tea.
Matcha has been found to have a myriad of health benefits for consumers and is known to help safeguard the liver, reduce the risk of heart conditions and even facilitate weight loss. If you’re interested to find out more, read on to discover the benefits of drinking matcha green tea.
1. High antioxidant content
Matcha contains a high concentration of catechins, which is a kind of plant compound usually found in tea, that functions as natural antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to inhibit oxidation, a process that produces harmful free radicals that are responsible for cell damage and the onset of chronic diseases. Due to the nutrient content of Matcha, using the Matcha powder to make tea actually provides your body with more catechins and antioxidants than normal green tea, and it is known to contain 137 times more catechins.
One study that involved giving mice Matcha supplements uncovered that it reduced damage caused by harmful free radicals and promoted antioxidant production in the mice. This proved that consuming more Matcha will increase antioxidant activities that may help prevent cell destruction and the risk of developing chronic diseases.
2. Liver protection
Matcha is found to help in protecting your liver, which plays a crucial role in removing toxins from your body, metabolizing drugs and absorbing nutrients. A study that involved giving diabetic rats Matcha for 16 weeks reflected that Matcha has the ability to reduce and prevent damage in their kidneys and livers. Another study treated human beings with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with either a placebo or green tea extract over a period of 90 days. Results indicated that the green tea extract was responsible for the drastic decrease in liver enzyme levels; high liver enzyme levels are an indicator of liver damage.
Furthermore, 15 other studies indicated a possible close relationship between drinking green tea and a lower chance of developing liver disease. However, there could be other factors at play and more studies and research need to be conducted to look into the effects of Matcha on people.
3. Increases cognitive activity in the brain
Certain studies suggest that several components in Matcha could help to increase brain activity. One study involved giving either a placebo tea or Matcha tea to participants after they participate in a series of tasks to measure their brain performance. After drinking the tea, they were tasked to do the tests again and results showed that Matcha tea helped to increase attention span, memory and reaction time as compared to the participants who consumed the placebo tea.
Another study also revealed that consuming about two grams of green tea powder every day over a period of two months greatly helped elderly participants in improving their brain functions.
Furthermore, due to Matcha’s relatively higher concentration of caffeine compared to green tea, it boasts of a higher ability in enhancing brain activity with regards to memory, concentration levels and faster reaction times. Matcha also contains L-theanine, which is responsible for altering the effects of caffeine. Therefore, it boosts alertness and prevents a sudden increase in lethargy that typically comes after caffeine consumption.
4. Prevents the onset of cancer
Matcha contains many nutrients, some of which have been proven to have anti-carcinogenic properties to prevent cancer.
A study done on rats showed that green tea extract reduced the size of tumors and slowed down the development of cancer cells. In another test-tube study, the ECGC found in Matcha was found to decrease prostate cancer cell damage and effectively combat skin, lung and liver cancer.
However, the lack of studies done on humans means that the possible benefits of Matcha in fighting against human cancer cells have yet to be proven and more research is necessary.
5. Safeguards the heart
Heart disease has been identified as the leading cause of deaths all around the world; it is responsible for about one-third of them in people above 35 years old. However, by including Matcha green tea into your diet, you can protect your body from heart disease.
Green tea has been proven to have effects on LDL cholesterol, by reducing levels of total and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, as well as reduce the concentration of triglycerides. It also serves to inhibit LDL cholesterol oxidation; another factor that helps to prevent the onset of any heart diseases.
Moreover, some studies have proven that consuming green tea can reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke; couple that with a healthy diet and lifestyle and you can keep your heart in the pink of health.
6. Facilitates weight loss
Green tea extract has long been used in weight loss supplements due to its weight loss properties. It helps to exacerbate metabolism which increases energy usage and promotes fat burning.
A study showed that the consumption of green tea during moderate exercise helps to increase fat burning by up to 17%; while another study that gave people green tea supplements saw a large increase in 24-hour energy expenditure, as compared to those who consumed placebo supplements instead.
Even though these studies focused on the consumption of green tea extract, Matcha should have the same or even higher effects on weight loss and fat burning, due to its similar but more concentrated nutrient profile.
In a nutshell, Matcha contains higher amounts of antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients that may enable you to reap more health benefits as compared to drinking normal green tea. Incorporating Matcha into your daily diet can reduce the risk of heart diseases, help in weight loss and many other benefits as mentioned above. If you struggle to find healthy sources of Matcha and need a quick and easy fix to get the dosage that you need, click here to check out a green juice that has Matcha as one of its ingredients!
