Matcha Tea

this RECIPE/POST

Tea drinking is an ancient practice that has become very popular these days. This is because the consciousness of healthy eating has increased over recent decades. As such many are leaning towards consuming foods and beverages that boost health, and one such beverages is matcha tea.   

What is matcha tea?

Matcha is a green tea powder of Japanese origin. This green tea (Camellia sinensis) comes from the Tencha type. It is said to be the ultimate form of green tea, with records of  health benefits that span over a thousand years (1, 2).

Matcha differs from other green teas in that it is cultivated and produced differently. During the cultivation process, the plants are covered 20 – 30 days before harvest, shedding them from direct sunlight.

This increases the chlorophyll production and the amino acid content of the plants. Also, it imparts on the leaves a darker green hue color and a non-bitter taste.

Processing involves removing the stems and veins of the harvested leaves, and then grinding the leaves into the green powder called matcha (3).

Health benefits of matcha tea

Matcha tea has the following health benefits.

Increases antioxidant levels in the body

Matcha is loaded with antioxidants, the most popular of them being catechins. Some of these catechins in matcha are about 137 times more than those found in other green teas (4).

Antioxidants prevent or delay cell damage caused by excessive oxidation reactions provoked by free radicals. Increasing antioxidant intake thus decreases a person’s risk of developing chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress (5).

Helps with weight loss

Green teas are generally reputed for their ability to enhance weight loss. This is because they increase the body’s metabolic activities, causing more fat to be burned up faster (6).

Besides, caffeine triggers fatty acids from the adipose tissue (fat body) and makes them both accessible and available for use as energy. Since matcha contains more caffeine, its fat burning activity is therefore increased (7).

Matcha tea raises brain function

The caffeine content in matcha is quite intense: 35mg of caffeine in half a teaspoon of matcha. Caffeine is a well-known brain stimulant, which is responsible for improving brain function. It enhances memory, increases attention, improves memory, and boosts retention (8, 9).  

Also, matcha contains elevated levels of the amino acid theanine due to the shedding of the leaves during cultivation. This amino acid is present in its free form (called L-theanine), and L-theanine increases the alpha wave activity in the brain. This action relaxes the brain and decreases stress levels (10).

Furthermore, L-theanine and caffeine have a synergistic (amplifying) effect on the brain leading to an increase enhancement of brain function (11).

Improves blood sugar control

Drinking green tea regularly has been proven to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes type 2 patients (12).

Diabetes type 2 is a condition of high blood glucose levels caused either by the inability of the body to produce insulin or its inability to use the insulin it produces (insulin resistance) (13).

Prevents cancer

Matcha has a type of catechin called the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC), which has anti-cancer activities. It hinders the growth and spread of tumor cells, limits the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors, and promotes the death of cancer cells (14).

The compound chlorogenic acid (CGA) in matcha has been reported to prevent cancers like colorectal, and liver cancers by suppressing the growth of tumor cells (15).

Prevents cardiovascular disease

Green tea generally lower total blood cholesterol as well as LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which are both risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Farther, green tea enhances the blood’s antioxidant capacity, which prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol particles. Oxidation is a natural process that happens in the body, which is okay at low levels. However, when it becomes excessive, it becomes dangerous and can destroy body cells.

Oxidized cholesterol particles, for example, are the particles that build up in the artery walls which eventually cause heart disease (16).

Promotes oral health

The compounds in matcha can kill mouth bacteria and one’s risk of tooth decay and other mouth diseases. Research studies have demonstrated a positive link between the consumption of green teas and good oral health (17).

Side effects of matcha tea

Matcha is generally safe when consumed with moderation. Excess intake of more than two cups a day can have side effects due to its high caffeine content (18,19).

Such side effects include the following (18, 19, 20):

• headaches
• irritability
• difficulties sleeping
• stomach upset
• diarrhea
• liver toxicity in severe cases

References

1. Schröder, L., Marahrens, P., Koch, J. G., Heidegger, H., Vilsmeier, T., Phan-Brehm, T., Hofmann, S., Mahner, S., Jeschke, U., & Richter, D. U. (2019). Effects of green tea, matcha tea and their components epigallocatechin gallate and quercetin on MCF‑7 and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells. Oncology Reports, 41(1), 387–396. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6789
2. Kochman, J., Jakubczyk, K., Antoniewicz, J., Mruk, H., & Janda, K. (2020). Health benefits and chemical composition of matcha green tea: A review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26010085
3. Farooq, S., & Sehgal, A. (2018). Antioxidant activity of different forms of green tea: Loose leaf, bagged and matcha. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal, 6(1), 35–40. https://doi.org/10.12944/crnfsj.6.1.04
4. Weiss, D. J., & Anderton, C. R. (2003). Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A, 1011(1–2), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9673(03)01133-6
5. Pham-Huy, L. A., He, H., & Pham-Huy, C. (2008). Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health. International Journal of Biomedical Science: IJBS, 4(2), 89–96. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/
6. Venables, M. C., Hulston, C. J., Cox, H. R., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2008). Green tea extract ingestion, fat oxidation, and glucose tolerance in healthy humans. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(3), 778–784. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/87.3.778
7. Higgins, S., Straight, C. R., & Lewis, R. D. (2016). The effects of preexercise caffeinated coffee ingestion on endurance performance: An evidence-based review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 26(3), 221–239. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0147
8. Sherman, S. M., Buckley, T. P., Baena, E., & Ryan, L. (2016). Caffeine enhances memory performance in young adults during their non-optimal time of day. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1764. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01764
9. Dietz, C., Dekker, M., & Piqueras-Fiszman, B. (2017). An intervention study on the effect of matcha tea, in drink and snack bar formats, on mood and cognitive performance. Food Research International (Ottawa, Ont.), 99(Pt 1), 72–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.05.002
10. Nobre, A. C., Rao, A., & Owen, G. N. (2008). L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 17 Suppl 1, 167–168. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296328/
11. Kelly, S. P., Gomez-Ramirez, M., Montesi, J. L., & Foxe, J. J. (2008). L-theanine and caffeine in combination affect human cognition as evidenced by oscillatory alpha-band activity and attention task performance. The Journal of Nutrition, 138(8), 1572S-1577S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/138.8.1572S
12. Iso, H., Date, C., Wakai, K., Fukui, M., Tamakoshi, A., & JACC Study Group. (2006). The relationship between green tea and total caffeine intake and risk for self-reported type 2 diabetes among Japanese adults. Annals of Internal Medicine, 144(8), 554–562. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-144-8-200604180-00005
13. Liu, K., Zhou, R., Wang, B., Chen, K., Shi, L.-Y., Zhu, J.-D., & Mi, M.-T. (2013). Effect of green tea on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 98(2), 340–348. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.052746
14. Fujiki, H., Watanabe, T., Sueoka, E., Rawangkan, A., & Suganuma, M. (2018). Cancer prevention with green tea and its principal constituent, EGCG: From early investigations to current focus on human cancer stem cells. Molecules and Cells, 41(2), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2018.2227
15. Romualdo, G. R., Rocha, A. B., Vinken, M., Cogliati, B., Moreno, F. S., Chaves, M. A. G., & Barbisan, L. F. (2019). Drinking for protection? Epidemiological and experimental evidence on the beneficial effects of coffee or major coffee compounds against gastrointestinal and liver carcinogenesis. Food Research International (Ottawa, Ont.), 123, 567–589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2019.05.029
16. Yokozawa, T., & Dong, E. (1997). Influence of green tea and its three major components upon low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology: Official Journal of the Gesellschaft Für Toxikologische Pathologie, 49(5), 329–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0940-2993(97)80096-6
17. Nanri, H., Yamada, Y., Itoi, A., Yamagata, E., Watanabe, Y., Yoshida, T., Miyake, M., Date, H., Ishikawa-Takata, K., Yoshida, M., Kikutani, T., Kimura, M., & Kameoka Study Group. (2019). Consumption of green tea but not coffee is associated with the oral health-related quality of life among an older Japanese population: Kyoto-Kameoka cross-sectional study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(4), 577–584. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0186-y
18. Mead, M. N. (2007). Temperance in green tea. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(9), A445. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a445a
19. Green Tea. (2020). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
20. Sivanesan, I., Gopal, J., Muthu, M., Chun, S., & Oh, J.-W. (2021). Retrospecting the antioxidant activity of Japanese matcha green tea–lack of enthusiasm? Applied Sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 11(11), 5087. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11115087