Matcha Benefits

Article by: David Wolfe

What is Matcha Tea?

Matcha is simply a form of green tea leaves that have been powdered. Unlike regular green tea leaves, which are steeped in hot water and then discarded, with matcha, you consume the whole leaf in the form of the powder.

Traditionally, matcha is consumed as a tea, which is made by whisking the matcha powder into a cup of hot water. But, you can use it just about anywhere, including desserts, baked goods, and smoothie bowls, like this one.

Since matcha is a form of green tea, the benefits are the same; however, because you consume the whole leaf, you end up with more antioxidants, as well as stronger stress relieving and metabolism-boosting effects compared to regular green tea.

Stress Reduction: Despite having a small amount of caffeine, matcha tea is calming for the body (versus coffee, which can increase your anxiety and give you the jitters). Studies show matcha tea assists in reducing physiological and psychological stress.

Antioxidant Protection: Antioxidants can protect your body from free radical damage, help reverse the effects of inflammation, and may aid in cancer prevention. Matcha tea is extremely high in antioxidants. One of the most powerful antioxidants unique to green tea is EGCG. Studies show a cup of matcha tea contains 2-3 times the amount of EGCG compared to regular green tea.

Weight Loss: The same powerful antioxidant, EGCG, that may offer disease prevention, also supports a healthy metabolism, which can aid in weight loss. A 2005 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that participants who drank green tea extract daily dropped almost twice as much weight in 12 weeks as participants who didn’t.