Is Matcha Healthy? An Overview of the Benefits
If you walk into pretty much any coffee shop in the United States, you’ll find a matcha latte on the menu. Many coffee shops even add their own flavorful twists, incorporating pink strawberries or butterfly pea flowers.
While matcha might be Instagram’s favorite cafe drink, there’s more to this earthy elixir than meets the eye. Read on to learn more about matcha, its health benefits, and how to use it.
What Is Matcha?
You might have heard matcha referred to as “matcha green tea.” This term is quite common, but it’s not exactly right. Essentially, matcha is powdered green tea.
Green tea is made from the Camellia sinensis plant, also known as the tea plant. The leaves of this plant are also used to make black, white, and oolong tea, depending on when they’re harvested and how they’re processed.
Matcha is also made from the tea plant — however, plants that are set aside to make matcha are grown in entirely different conditions. Matcha plants are grown primarily in the shade to encourage a higher production of chlorophyll and amino acids, which contribute to matcha’s bright green color and relaxing effects (more on that later).
Also, while green tea leaves are picked from late spring to early autumn, matcha leaves are only picked in the first springtime harvest. High-quality matcha is made only from the youngest leaves. Since tea leaves become more bitter the longer they’re on the plant, this preserves matcha’s sweet and complex flavor.
The highest quality of matcha is called ceremonial grade matcha. This grade of matcha is often hand-picked to make sure only the highest-quality leaves are harvested. Once they’re harvested, the leaves are processed and ground to a fine powder.
This powder is then mixed with hot water to make the green drink we know and love. This also means that we actually ingest the tea leaves themselves when we drink matcha, which can provide more benefits than if we’d just steeped the tea in a tea bag.
Where Did Matcha Come From?
Matcha tea might be in stores all over the world, but it first originated in Japan in the 1100s.
The Japanese were introduced to green tea when a monk brought tea plants over from China. However, the Japanese were the first to adjust the growing process to make matcha as we know it today This form of green tea was originally enjoyed by monks but eventually became a favorite among the common Japanese people.
Matcha is the central part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. During this ceremony, participants thoughtfully prepare matcha tea using a bamboo whisk. The Japanese tea ceremony prizes beauty, which is why only the best matcha is considered ceremonial grade matcha.
Ceremonial grade matcha has the most nuanced and naturally sweet flavor of all the different grades of matcha, which is why we use it in our Matcha+ mushroom blend. This blend features matcha, chaga mushroom, lion’s mane mushroom, and collagen.
What Are the Health Benefits of Matcha Tea?
There’s more to your favorite cup of matcha than a delicious taste. Matcha has quite a few health benefits, too. Here are some potential health benefits of matcha and how they work.
1. Supports Concentration
First, matcha contains L-theanine, an amino acid that can help support cognitive performance. While L-theanine is mainly studied for significant effects on long-term brain function, it can also have immediate effects.
Soon after you drink matcha, L-theanine can help encourage clear thinking and mental agility. If you have a big presentation or an important project coming up and your thoughts feel muddled, matcha can help pave your way to success. Our Mushroom Matcha+ blend includes extra L-theanine to keep you thinking on your toes.
2. Supports Energy Levels
Matcha contains caffeine, which makes it a great (and delicious) way to get your morning caffeine fix. A standard cup of matcha contains about 70 milligrams of caffeine, whereas a cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams a cup. Compared to regular green tea, which only has a caffeine content of about 28 milligrams per cup, and you’ll quickly see why matcha has become such a hit!
We all know that caffeine can help us feel a rush of energy, but did you know that caffeine can also support focus and encourage a good mood? Maybe that’s why the day just doesn’t feel right when we skip our morning cup of joe. Especially when combined with L-theanine, it gives a jitter and crash-free experience.
3. Supports Metabolic Health
Matcha is home to all kinds of beneficial compounds, including catechins, polyphenols, and amino acids. These compounds work together to help support a healthy metabolism.
A healthy metabolism is about more than just having a normal blood sugar — metabolic health also includes markers like blood pressure and cholesterol. Supporting healthy levels of cholesterol can also bolster heart health. While these are similar to the normal benefits of green tea, matcha’s benefits are amplified because it’s such a concentrated type of green tea.
4. Encourages Immune Health
Matcha is a great source of vitamin C. In fact, matcha contains about 32.12 to 44.8 mg/L of vitamin C. For context, one orange contains about 51.1 mg of vitamin C.
Vitamin C does many things in the body, but one of the most important functions of vitamin C is immune system support. By encouraging a robust immune system, a daily matcha can help you feel like you’re at the top of your game.
5. Supports Dental Health
Speaking of supporting your immune system, matcha may also help support healthy teeth. Bacteria do more than just make us sick — they can also cause cavities, bad breath, and other dental concerns.
Matcha has cleansing properties that can help maintain a beneficial balance of bacteria in the mouth. One study even showed that a mouthwash made of matcha helped keep subjects’ mouths clean and fresh.
6. Soothes Feelings of Stress
It might sound counterintuitive to drink a caffeinated drink when you’re feeling stressed out, but matcha really can help encourage feelings of relaxation. Along with supporting cognitive health, L-theanine can also encourage overall emotional wellness. Its effects are most noticeable when it comes to feelings of stress and anxiety.
Plus, early studies suggest that L-theanine may negate the unpleasant effects of caffeine, which often include increased feelings of stress.
7. May Encourage Weight Loss
Because matcha can help encourage a healthy metabolism, it can also support weight loss. This effect is likely a side effect of the metabolic markers we listed earlier, but it may also be due to matcha’s unique compounds.
Specifically, polyphenols play a huge role in weight maintenance. However, drinking a cup of matcha isn’t likely to have dramatic effects on the scale without plenty of targeted exercise and dietary support.
8. Encourages Long-Term Wellness
Finally, matcha can help you stay in tip-top shape for the long term. Matcha is rich in antioxidants, which are molecules that contain an extra electron and can help neutralize the effects of free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that are missing electrons. Free radicals are highly unstable, and they try to stabilize themselves by stealing electrons from the molecules around them. This damage, also called oxidative stress, causes a ripple effect and is behind many common health concerns. Free radical damage can even cause premature aging.
Matcha green tea powder contains a specific antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3 gallate, or EGCG for short. This antioxidant is incredibly powerful, and it’s one of the most powerful dietary antioxidants out there.
How Can You Use Matcha Powder?
Matcha powder has an earthy and almost nutty taste that is easy to appreciate, especially if you’re drinking high-quality matcha. You can enjoy this superfood by preparing it traditionally or you can also shake things up by making a matcha latte or smoothie. Some people even make matcha ice cream!
While matcha is traditionally made without added flavors or sweeteners, you can add whatever you’d like to make a drink that fits your taste buds. Plus, while drinking matcha is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy this green tea powder, you can also try matcha supplements if you’re in a hurry.
The Bottom Line
Matcha is a form of powdered green tea that can have numerous benefits for your health. Besides supporting concentration, encouraging immune health, and soothing feelings of stress, matcha also has a wonderfully complex flavor and an Insta-worthy green color.
As if the benefits of matcha weren’t enough, we’ve also added the benefits of functional mushrooms and collagen to our Mushroom Matcha+ blend. Enjoying this blend is as easy as mixing it with hot water, but you can also use it however you normally use matcha powder. To learn more about the benefits of mushroom matcha, visit the Everyday Dose blog today!
Sources:
The Important Health Benefits Of Matcha Tea | Piedmont Healthcare
Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more | Mayo Clinic
What doctors wish patients knew about the impact of caffeine | American Medical Association
Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review | PMC
Matcha Mouthwash Inhibits Bacteria That Causes Periodontitis | ASM.org
L-theanine partially counteracts caffeine-induced sleep disturbances in rats | PMC
7 Ways to Enjoy Amazing Matcha Tea | Cleveland Clinic
Green Tea Catechins and Cardiovascular Health: An Update | PMC
