Matcha green tea has been prominent in Japanese culture since the 11th century and has been a growing trend in other parts of the world for the last three years or so. Besides being a favorite Instagram-worthy drink because of its distinctively green color, more people are drinking this beverage due to its benefits.
Local cafes, brands, and home matcha-making kits are now available everywhere so you can easily have a cup of this “powered tea,” which is now even considered as a superfood.
Health Benefits Of Matcha Green Tea
Here are four surprising benefits of matcha green tea powder:
1. Easy to prepare
One of the best benefits of matcha is that it is effortless to prepare at home, so you don’t have to keep on hunting for cafes or shops to get your dose of this healthy beverage.
All you need is matcha tea and a bamboo whisk that is usually included when you purchase matcha tea sets.
Depending on how you’d like to have it, here are some ideas:
- Traditional matcha tea is made with matcha green tea powder and hot water, mixed with the bamboo whisk. You can adjust the amount of tea powder or water depending on the concentration you prefer. You can use this guide to prepare matcha green tea.
- Matcha latte recipes are also available if you want to add milk to your drink.
- Matcha desserts like cheesecake, swiss rolls, and crepes can also be prepared by incorporating the matcha green tea powder into the recipe.
2. Loaded with antioxidants
Matcha green tea is high in antioxidants, the substances that fight against the harmful effects of UV rays, help lower the risks of infection, and protect cells from damage that could be caused by free radicals.
Research has shown that matcha green tea provides higher amounts of antioxidants compared to other foods, including catechins, the most beneficial and potent form of antioxidant. At the same time, a study has seen that it has a higher concentration of the catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) compared to other green teas. EGCgs are widely recognized for their cancer-fighting properties.
Catechin-rich matcha green tea:
- Helps prevent cell damage
- Lowers risk of chronic diseases
- Slows down premature aging
- Reduces the risk of various cancers
3. Helps in weight loss
Research on matcha green tea has shown that it helps burn calories and increase metabolism, which are both necessary functions for weight loss.
This doesn’t mean that you can rely on the beverage alone for your weight loss efforts. Instead, you need to continue with exercise regimens and physical activity, and matcha green tea can make these workouts more effective.
A few results from studies show that:
- Drinking green tea extract while on moderate exercise supplemented fat burning by 17%.
- Body mass index improved for participants in one 12-week study after consuming green tea, which shows it can also aid in reducing obesity.
- Exercise-induced fat oxidation in females is enhanced when drinking matcha tea.
4. Boosts energy levels without the crash
A cup of matcha tea provides caffeine more than other kinds of green tea and a little less than a cup of coffee. This means that it can provide the energy you need to get you started in the morning or the alertness you need in the afternoon.
It contains the amino acid L-theanine, causing the caffeine content to be absorbed slower than in coffee, that’s why you won’t experience the crash in energy levels.
L-theanine in matcha:
- Promotes a state of “relaxed alertness”
- Improves mood, aids in concentration and focus, and enhances memory
- Increases endurance and energy levels
There are more benefits that you can get from matcha green tea powder. As it’s easy to prepare, filled with antioxidants, helps in weight loss efforts, and boosts energy levels, you should consider having a cup of matcha tea as part of your health regimen.
Benefits of Drinking Matcha in the Morning
Drinking matcha green tea in the morning also offers several health benefits, including:
1. Good source of caffeine
If you get used to drinking a cup of coffee in the morning to warm the body or to supply caffeine be more enthusiastic to start your day. So, a cup of matcha is better than coffee which is higher in caffeine. Matcha tea is not too high and not too low in caffeine. When compared to a cup of tea, the caffeine content in a cup of matcha can be more and this is about two cups of regular tea. A cup of you drink match tea you already get as much caffeine as two cups of regular tea, but the caffeine content in match green tea is less than coffee.
So, if you feel nauseous after drinking coffee, then trying a cup of matcha green tea is a pretty good choice for you. Matcha will cheer you up in the morning, it will add calm and focus to your every activity. Not only that, the benefits of matcha green tea in the morning can also limit the absorption of caffeine because it contains L-theanine and amino acids. The release of caffeine from matcha green tea is also fairly slow so we don’t feel stressed due to excess of this substance.
2. Relieve stress
Stress occurs due to excessive production of the hormone cortisol, drinking a cup of matcha green tea in the morning is said to relieve your stress because it lowers cortisol levels in your body. So, now you know that the benefits of drinking matcha tea in the morning are lowering stress and anxiety levels.
The content of the amino acid L-Theannine in matcha helps you in lowering cortisol and in turn, can cause anxiety or stress relief. Drinking matcha green tea can also relax muscle tension and lower high blood pressure. Research also says that it has the potential to increase levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that works to provide pleasure.
Drinking a cup of matcha green tea in the morning is a great way to organize your pleasure to start your day. Incorporating caffeine levels can give the body pleasure and relieve stress. So, it’s great to start the day with a cup of matcha tea. Since all night we lack water due to sleep, sometimes the body is also dehydrated, so getting water into the body in the morning is very important, but you can add a little caffeine, and this is in a cup of matcha green tea.
3. Increase body fat burning
The benefits of matcha tea in the morning are also for burning body fat. Drinking matcha tea in the morning can also increase body fat burning. This will help you lose weight. Fat burning occurs because when the body gets a supply of matcha tea, the body’s metabolism will work quickly and this is good for fat burning.
Drinking matcha tea in the morning can increase fat burning by up to 17%. In addition, matcha green tea contains catechins which are known to have a role in fat-burning and weight loss. Green tea catechins or “Green tea catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) also affects your appetite, meaning that when you drink a cup of matcha green tea you can be calmer and not feel too hungry, this is because the tea affects hunger.
For weight loss, matcha tea may be involved in this. So those of you who are in a weight loss program should consume matcha tea regularly.
See also: How to Get Rid of Cheek Fat: Here’s an Exercise to Help You
Matcha Green Tea Benefits for Skin
In addition to drinking in the morning for several health benefits, matcha tea is also especially useful for skin health so that you look healthier and more beautiful. What are the benefits of matcha green tea for the skin, let’s see!
1. Protects skin damage from the sun
Matcha is a green tea that is rich in chlorophyll, chlorophyll in plants is useful for absorbing sunlight and then converting it into energy. Well, if we use matcha on our skin as a skin mask, it will absorb the harmful rays of the sun and prevent them from reaching the skin.
Not only that, but also the benefits of chlorophyll are to prevent premature aging, prevent wrinkles, and wrinkled skin. Matcha with high chlorophyll content makes it a natural ingredient that can nourish the skin and you will look healthier and younger.
2. Controls acne
The benefit of matcha green tea for the skin is to control acne. Matcha contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which controls all the causes of acne such as excess sebum. Sebum is excess oil that settles on the surface of the skin and it can cause acne. So with the content of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), matcha green tea can control acne on the skin.
3. Good for blood circulation
Furthermore, the benefit of matcha tea for the skin is to improve blood circulation, meaning that if you drink matcha tea, it is not only beneficial for increasing your focus but also beneficial for increasing blood flow. If the blood flow is good then the overall health of the body will also look good and even disease can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Also check this post: Hibiscus Tea Benefits For High Blood Pressure
Bright skin is also inseparable from smooth blood flow. The content of methylxanthines in matcha is useful for increasing microcirculation in your skin so that you look more beautiful and glowing.
4. Soothes inflammation
Tubhu causes inflammation when it fights against cancer cells or the existing kula. So, one of the benefits of matcha tea for the skin is to suppress inflammation in the skin area. Inflammation is also a sign that the body is repairing itself.
Matcha contains antioxidants that can help cells relax and reduce inflammation. Well, when this inflammation begins to decrease and will heal, it means that the pores will also be cleaner and glowing. Matcha green tea drinks provide all these health benefits.
5. Boosts skin rejuvenation
Drinking matcha tea regularly can also rejuvenate the skin, meaning it removes dead skin cells by producing new skin cells. The freshness of the skin is a great gift from matcha green tea. Drinking matcha can also regenerate the skin around the eyes, the content of tannins and caffeine is beneficial for the skin around the eyes.
Matcha regularly can remove dark circles on the eyes, and this will give you a beautiful, fresh, and clean face.
How to prepare matcha green tea
To enjoy a cup of matcha in the morning or the evening, you can follow these steps:
This method of preparation uses bamboo and a tea bowl
Step One:
Use 1-2 tablespoons of matcha and sift into a cup using a special sieve (small sieve)
Step Two:
Add 2 oz of hot water, use just right or just below boiling
Step Three:
Shake vigorously in a zig-zag way until the tea is foamy
Step Four:
Enjoy tek matcha directly in the bowl.
Potential Side Effects of Matcha Tea
Does drinking matcha tea have any side effects, usually, the side effects of drinking matcha tea occur when you consume it in excess.
These are some of the potential side effects of consuming matcha green tea.
1. Stomach ache
One possible side effect of matcha is an upset stomach. This usually happens to those of you who feel sick to your stomach after drinking coffee in the morning. Occurs because you have problems in your intestines such as ulcers. When an upset stomach meets the tannins in matcha green tea, it worsens the acidic stomach environment. This condition usually also occurs in those of you who drink coffee.
So the way to prevent it is to drink matcha after eating or at the same time as you eat a piece of bread or cake in the morning. The tannins in matcha are known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, one of the good-for-you tea catechins). It functions as an antioxidant and is useful for neutralizing free radicals in the body. These tannins also give matcha tea an astringent taste and give it a dry taste.
2. Anemia
Possible side effects of matcha also cause anemia. The content of catechins in matcha powder is said to be able to bind iron so that it interferes with the absorption process, this will cause the production of red blood cells to decrease and in turn cause anemia which will lead to a lack of blood.
If iron is lacking, a person will experience fatigue, paleness, and a high heart rate.
However, if you pay attention to the amount of matcha tea and drink it in moderation, then you will not experience iron deficiency or anemia. This side effect often occurs if we drink matcha tea in excessive amounts. The risk of anemia will be less if you also get iron from your daily diet.
3. Insomnia
One of the side effects of matcha green tea is insomnia. The caffeine content in matcha is about 70 to 140 mg, this is not so far from the amount in a cup of coffee which levels are around 95 to 200 mg. If you drink too much matcha tea then you will find it difficult to sleep, as well as if you drink matcha close to bedtime.
Sleep is important for health and it is as important as the regular exercise you do. So don’t underestimate quality sleep. Drinking too much matcha tea can make your sleep disturbed (insomnia), so consume matcha green tea only in reasonable amounts.
4. Diarrhea
Diarrhea is another possible side effect that can occur for those of you who consume matcha green tea.
So, one of the side effects of matcha green tea is diarrhea, which occurs when there is a disturbance in the absorption of fat in the body.
When there is a disturbance in the absorption of fat, the excess fat will be excreted along with the feces and this can cause diarrhea. This condition also occurs because it is exacerbated by the caffeine content in matcha. Excess caffeine can also cause food to not be digested properly and eventually cause diarrhea.
