6 Health Benefits of Drinking Matcha Tea

Matcha has become popular recently, and it can be found in a wide variety of places—health stores, coffee shops, lattes, and teas and desserts.

Matcha is also made from the Camellia sinensis plant, like green tea. But it has a special nutrient profile and is produced differently.

To grow matcha, farmers cover the tea plants 20 - 30 days before harvesting to protect them from direct sunlight. This stimulates the production of chlorophyll and raises the number of amino acids present, which gives the plants a darker green color.

After the tea leaves are harvested, their stems and veins are removed, and their leaves are ground into a fine powder called matcha.

So you might be wondering what are the benefits of drinking matcha. Let me share with you six health benefits of matcha tea:

1. High in antioxidant

Matcha is rich in catechins, a type of plant compound that acts as an antioxidant, helping to stabilize dangerous free radicals that can lead to chronic disease.

Brewed tea made from matcha powder includes all the nutrients from the entire leaf when combined with hot water. Unlike brewing green tea leaves in water, it usually contains more catechins and antioxidants.

Some studies suggest that matcha has up to 137 times more certain ingredients than other forms of green tea. By including matcha in your diet, you may improve your dose of antioxidants, which may lessen your chance of developing various chronic diseases and help prevent cell damage.

2. Matcha is fantastic for your skin

One of the many health benefits of matcha green tea is its ability to help improve your skin. The catechins in green tea work to trap and deactivate free radicals in the skin, which are thought to accelerate the signs of aging.

One way to reap the benefits of matcha is to apply it directly to one's skin as a mask to fight acne and symptoms of rosacea.

3. Boosts brain function

Some studies have found that the elements in matcha may help improve brain function. Researchers studied 23 people who were asked to perform a series of tasks designed to measure brain performance.

Participants were split into two groups, one of which consumed either matcha tea or a bar containing 4 grams of matcha, while the control group consumed a placebo tea or bar.

The study found that matcha improved attention, reaction time, and memory—but this effect was not seen with the placebo.

4. Promotes weight loss

Green tea extract is often found in weight loss supplements.It's commonly known that green tea can speed up weight loss. Research indicates that it may even aid to accelerate metabolism, which would raise energy expenditure and increase fat burning.

5. Could prevent cancer

Matcha is a source of many compounds with health-promoting properties, some of which have been studied for their potential to prevent cancer. Matcha contains high levels of (EGCG), a type of catechin with anti-cancer benefits.

A test tube study found that the EGCG in matcha helped destroy prostate cancer cells. Other studies using test tubes have shown that EGCG is beneficial against skin, lung, and liver cancer.

6. Could improve heart health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, causing approximately one-third of all deaths in people over the age of 35.

Few studies have found that drinking green tea, which has a similar nutrient profile to matcha, may help protect against heart disease. Also, observational studies have found that drinking green tea is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

I hope you found it super helpful!

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out and let me know in our Instagram @actatea.health