Does matcha tea have health benefits?

Does matcha tea have health benefits?

Matcha has been talked about as a miracle healer and also as a mere stimulant. Which one is true? We found out what scientific research on this tea has proven. At the end of the story, we have listed and linked all the sources used, so you can search for more information directly from the sources.

Although the health effects are important and interesting, anyone can enjoy tea just for the sake of taste and atmosphere.

SECRET INGREDIENT OF MATCHA: EGCG

All green teas contain an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG for short. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps our bodies defend against diseases, among other things.

In 2003, researchers Weiss and Anderton (1) studied the EGCG content of matcha tea. They compared the concentration with the concentrations of other tea species. According to research, matcha contains about three times the amount of EGCG flavonoids compared to other green tea species. Other colored teas fall even further behind.

Matcha thus contains a relatively large amount of the antioxidant typical of tea. EGCG is a major reason why the health effects of matcha are considered important and being studied.


RESEARCH ON HEALTH EFFECTS

The health effects of Matcha have been studied extensively in the next few years. Studies have focused on the effects of matcha on common aspects of health, such as stress, fat burning, and performance. Due to the small size of the research staff, the results are often not generalizable. However, they give an indication of the possibilities of matcha.

Stress. The effect of matcha on stress has been studied by K. Unno and others in 2018 (2). The study was performed in mice using two study groups: one of the mice received matcha and the other received placebo. The study found that matcha relieved the symptoms of stress.

Fat burning. Researchers Willems and others found in their 2018 study (3) that drinking matcha promoted fat burning in young women. Thirteen young women participated in the study. They ingested 3 doses of matcha the day before and another dose 2 hours before the test. In the test, they walked for about half an hour, and the researchers found the matcha to increase fat burning during the performance.

Performance. The effect of matcha on performance that requires thinking has also been studied. In 2017, Dietz and others (4) found out how consuming matcha affects a variety of brain-demanding tasks. The researchers note that matcha helped to perform in psychomotor tasks as well as tasks that required attention.

 

SHOULD MATCH BE DRINKED OR EATEN?

The powdered composition of Matcha tea makes it easy to add to a variety of foods and pastries. In addition to the great taste, matcha brings a colorful shade of green to the dishes.

Traditionally, matcha tea is enjoyed as a drink. It is mixed with hot water and ingested as is. Various beverage mixes such as matcha-latte have also been popular in recent years.

In 2017, it was researched (4) whether matcha is more beneficial to the body when eaten or drunk. The results showed that the body made better use of the matcha consumed as a drink.

So if you want to make the most of the benefits of matcha, you should do so by drinking. 


EFFECTS OF THE MATCHA TEA

Matcha can therefore have positive effects on health. However, it is nice to have a good atmosphere by the tea anyway. A cup of hot, frothed matcha provides an enjoyable moment that is perfected when shared with friends. Light a few more candles and take a deep breath - and the effect of relaxation begins to be clearly noticeable.

Looking to reap the benefits of matcha tea? Explore and order directly our high quality Japanese matcha from our online store.

 



SOURCES

1 Weiss, D.J. & Anderton, C.R. 2003: Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A: Volume 1011, Issues 1-2, p. 173-180. Julkaistu 5.9.2003

2 Unno K. ja muut 2018: Stress-reducing function of matcha green tea in animal experiments and clinical trials. Nutrients. 2018 October, 10: 1468. Julkaistu verkossa 10.10.2018.

3 Willems et.al. 2018: Matcha green tea drinks enhance fat oxidation during brisk walking in females. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 28(5):1-21. Tammikuussa 2018.

4 Dietz, C. et.al. 2017: An intervention study on the effect of matcha tea, in drink and snack bar formats, on mood and cognitive performance. Food Rest Int. Syyskuu 2017. 99(Pt 1): 72-83.