10 Health Benefits of Matcha Green Tea
You’ve likely heard that green tea is good for you. But did you know there’s a simple way to amp up its benefits? If you really like green tea, you could drink ten cups of it. Or you could have just a single cup of matcha. Either way, you’ll be ingesting the same amount of nutrients.
How does that work? When you consume regular green tea, you’re drinking the water that the leaves were steeped in. You get a good amount of nutrients this way, but not the maximal amount. On the contrary, when you drink matcha, you’re drinking the entire ground up tea leaf. That means you get each and every nutritious bit of the leaf.
Wondering what benefits you’ll enjoy with a cup of matcha? Here are 10 ways matcha can help improve your health.
1: Matcha is high in powerful antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that break down the harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage cells and genetic material, which can lead to various diseases and other problems. While you can’t avoid free radicals, you can consume antioxidants to help your body defend against them.
Matcha is high in a type of antioxidant called polyphenols and a subset of polyphenols called catechins. It’s particularly rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of catechin found abundantly in tea. When compared with regular green tea, matcha contains a whopping 137 times the amount of EGCG (1).
Since polyphenols are highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, green tea may help with the onset and severity of arthritis. In one study, mice with arthritis ingested green tea polyphenols. This led to marked improvement in their joints (2).
2: Matcha improves cognition and memory
Several studies have observed the effects that matcha has on the brain.
In one 2017 study, two groups of participants consumed matcha while others were given placebos. The matcha groups outperformed the placebo groups on cognitive tasks involving attention, speed, and episodic memory (3). Other studies have shown that green tea can improve the cognitive abilities of people with dysfunctions. After 3 months of green tea consumption, mental examination scores of elderly participants with cognitive dysfunction increased significantly (4). Green tea has even shown potential as a therapeutic remedy for those with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (5).
Matcha also contains caffeine and thus comes with all its benefits. It improves cognitive performance during both simple and demanding tasks (6). In support of morning coffee and tea drinkers everywhere, a 2016 study found that caffeinated students had significantly better memory in the morning than decaffeinated students (7). Morning exams are no problem when you have caffeine.
An amino acid called L-theanine is also abundant in matcha, which improves cognition even more. In a study observing the effects of L-theanine and caffeine, participants performed best in speed, accuracy, and memory tasks when they consumed L-theanine and caffeine together (8).
3: Matcha provides both energy and calmness
Matcha is unique because it contains both caffeine and L-theanine.
Scientists have been studying caffeine for a while. By now it’s public knowledge that caffeine increases mental and physical energy, as well as boosts focus and concentration (9). There’s a reason people are so addicted to coffee.
When you add L-theanine, things get interesting. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine has been shown to increase alertness and attention while decreasing tiredness at the same time (10). Several studies have concluded that L-theanine counteracts the jitters, anxiety, and other unpleasant side effects you sometimes get with caffeine (11, 12). This is great news if you need the benefits of caffeine but can’t stand the negative effects.
4: Matcha strengthens the immune system to help prevent illness
No one likes getting sick. Matcha can help prevent illness by strengthening the immune system, which fights off infection throughout the body.
Human studies on the relation between green tea and the immune system are limited, but animal studies show promise. One 2018 study showed that green tea extract increased substances that help regulate and boost the immune system in an immunocompromised rat (13). There are also findings that support EGCG helping to prevent and improve autoimmune disease in animals (14).
5: Matcha may help prevent cancer
Some studies have suggested that the EGCG found in matcha may help prevent and treat cancer (15). Chlorophyll is another big component of matcha that may have anti-cancer properties. A 2014 review found that chlorophyllin, a derivative of chlorophyll, can lower the risk of cancer and slow its progression (16).
Green tea was shown to slow the growth of breast cancer cells in rats (17). A number of other studies have recognized green tea’s potential in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Specific studies have looked at its effects on multiple types of cancer including prostate (18), skin (19), lung (20), liver (21), and bladder cancer (22).
6: Matcha regulates blood sugar and may help type 2 diabetics
Matcha has shown promise as a preventative measure and treatment option for those who have or are at risk for type 2 diabetes. One reason for this is its ability to regulate blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels.
After rats with type 2 diabetes were fed matcha for 16 weeks, they had significantly reduced glucose levels (23). A 2016 study supports those findings. Mice who had consumed matcha for 4 weeks demonstrated a notable decrease in blood sugar (24). Human studies on the link between green tea and blood sugar have been conducted as well. Researchers discovered that green tea extract may improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in healthy young men (25). We have yet to see how this affects humans with diabetes, but there’s a lot of potential.
7: Matcha promotes heart health and healthy cholesterol levels
There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that matcha can lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the “bad” type of cholesterol that can build up in your arteries and cause heart problems.
Green tea was first discovered to lower LDL cholesterol in humans in 2003. Researchers found a 16% reduction in LDL cholesterol in those who consumed green tea capsules compared to those who took a placebo (26).
Since then, more studies have come out to support their conclusion. A 2009 review stated that catechins have numerous positive effects on heart health due to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory nature, their ability to lower LDL cholesterol, and more (27). In 2011, participants who drank green tea had significant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol (28). One study found an inverse association between tea intake and coronary heart disease. The catechins in tea may explain this relationship (29).
8: Matcha boosts metabolism and aids with weight loss
If you’re looking to supplement your weight loss plan with something simple but effective, you may want to give matcha a try. Drinking matcha raises your body’s metabolism rate. When your metabolism is high, your body burns calories more quickly, which may help you lose weight.
In 2016, researchers found that when mice on a high-fat diet ingested matcha for 4 weeks, their metabolism increased (30). This benefit extends to humans, too. Subjects drank green tea high in catechins for 12 weeks while maintaining their normal levels of activity. After the 12 weeks were up, they showed an overall decrease in body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, body fat mass, waist circumference, hip circumference, and more (31). Not bad for such a small change in diet!
9: Matcha improves skin health and appearance
Matcha’s benefits go beyond the internal - it does wonders for the skin. The polyphenols in matcha have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic properties that can protect against the harmful ultraviolet rays that cause skin disease and aging (32). Because matcha can help reduce inflammation, it can lessen any redness and puffiness your skin may have.
Matcha can also help fight acne, especially when applied to the skin. Studies have shown that topically applied polyphenols can help reduce sebum secretion (33). Sebum is a natural oil that commonly leads to acne when produced in excess. In addition, polyphenols are antimicrobial and antifungal, so they can kill any acne-causing bacteria threatening to invade.
Chlorophyll also has much to offer when it comes to skin improvement. In one study, subjects used chlorophyll to supplement their skin treatment for 4 weeks and saw a reduction in sebum levels, acne counts, and acne severity (34). A 2015 study found significant improvements in mild to moderate acne, as well as a reduction in pore size, after 3 weeks of applying chlorophyllin (35). It may be beneficial in reversing other signs of aging, as well (36).
If you’re struggling with skin problems or want to make your skin appear more youthful, it might be worth your while to look for products that contain green tea, polyphenols, or chlorophyll. You could also experiment with making your own topical treatment out of matcha powder.
10: Matcha improves oral health
Drinking matcha or using it in a mouthwash can help keep your oral health under control.
Due to their antimicrobial properties, the polyphenols in matcha can help prevent oral infections. A 2019 study found that green tea mouthwash led to a significant reduction in oral bacteria (37).
Polyphenols also have deodorant effects, making them great for fighting against bad breath. Some long time staples in bags and purses include a pack of gum or mints. You never know when you might need to freshen up. However, compared to gum and mints, green tea was much better at reducing bad breath in study participants (38). Tea may not be as portable, but it is more effective!
In conclusion...
The many benefits of matcha make it a worthwhile addition to almost anyone’s diet. It’s healthful, energizing, calming, and has an inviting aroma and taste.
So the next time you find yourself reaching for coffee or regular green tea, you might want to opt for a cup of matcha instead. Your mind and body will thank you!
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