Matcha green tea offers bountiful health benefits. What makes this particular green tea different from many other green teas is that is much more potent and contains a higher concentration of valuable nutrients. This being said, in all of its antioxidant glory, Matcha is a miracle tea. Lets move on into why this green elixir, whether it is served hot or cold, is one of the most effective teas in improving your body's function and defending your immune system. Here are 13 ways Matcha green tea can improve your health and wellbeing.
1. Full of Antioxidants
Matcha tea contains antioxidants! We need these powerful nutrients and enzymes to protect the body from the harmful UV radiation and resulting free radicals. Antioxidants also protect our skin cells and tissues. As a result, it makes us look younger and maintain our youthful look longer. Amongst these toxin fighting nutrients, is a catechin (a.k.a. epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG]). Catechins have the ability to reduce inflammation, maintain healthy arteries, and help with cell regeneration. Matcha green tea contains up to 137 times more antioxidants compared to a regular cup of green tea (1). Enjoy your matcha with your fruits and vegetables to get the most out of your daily antioxidant nutrition.
2. Reduces the Risk of Heart Diseases
Matcha green tea can reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart disease is one of the top causes of death in the world. One of the most effective ways to protect your heart is by drinking Matcha green tea. High cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and high blood sugar levels can threaten the health of your heart. Studies have show that drinking green tea, with its powerful antioxidants and plant compounds, can reduce the threat of all these major causes up to 31% (2)(3)(4)(5).
3. Causes Weight Loss
Drinking Matcha green tea regularly, like many other types of tea, is also a great way to boost your metabolism and lose weight. An increased metabolic rate will cause your body to burn fat quicker. Human studies have shown that Matcha can help the body burn 17% more fat (6). Unlike many dietary solutions, there are no negative side effects in using green tea for weight management.
4. Relaxes Both the Body and Mind
Japanese Zen Buddhists commonly took Matcha as a method to achieve relaxation, poise themselves for meditation, and maintain alertness. The heightened consciousness is attributed to a natural amino acid in the tea called L-theanine. It can help the brain produce more alpha waves. Alpha waves are responsible for inducing mental relaxation, stress reduction, and low blood pressure (7). L-theanine also stimulates output of dopamine and serotonin, 2 important brain chemicals that regulate mood, concentration, and memory. In addition, this miracle tea can slow down age-related cognitive degeneration and improve brain function (8, 9, 10, 11)
5. Fights Aging
Matcha green tea is packed with free radical-fighting antioxidants. Free radicals cause cellular damage and change our DNA. In turn, they can cause accelerated aging. Drinking green tea can naturally and healthfully prolong life and protect the wellbeing of your vital organs. Green tea is considered a 'superfo0d' in many cultures spanning the globe (12, 13).
6. Prevents Tooth Decay
Many people struggle with maintaining the health of their teeth. Unhealthy gums, tooth loss, and bad breath are the most common issues with dental hygiene. Don't fret! Green tea prevents cavities from occurring in your teeth. Consuming green tea can make your saliva less acidic, lower plaque levels, and control bacteria. Green tea can protect your gums, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and will fight periodontal disease. Furthermore, this antioxidant cocktail will purify and detoxify your breath by eradicating the bad microbes in your mouth. According to The University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Dentistry, green tea helps is more efficient in fighting bad breath than mints, gums or parsley seed oils.
7. Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Matcha green tea contains powerful antioxidants and polyphenols that have been known to protect the body from cancers (14, 15). A study published in Carcinogenisis (Sun et. al., 2006) claimed that men who drank green tea reduced their risk of cancer by 22% (16).
8. Keeps Liver Healthy
Since Matcha green tea is such a strong anti-inflammatory and is packed full of nutrients, it does a lot for the liver. Catechin, one of the many active ingredients in green tea, can help to purify dangerous, toxic substances that enter our body.
10. Improves Memory and Prevents Dementia
Matcha green tea can vastly improve brain function and short-term memory. This little herbal bevy is highly regarded for its ability to protect the brain. In two studies conducted on aging adults, green tea has been proven to protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia. Catechin, a natural agent in green tea, has proven effective in slowing the degeneration of neurons. In doing so, the risk of these neurodegenerative disease are lessoned by tenfold (17, 18, 19).
11. Boosts Eyesight
For years, it has been known that eating carrots can help boost your eyesight. Green tea is equally as successful in producing antioxidants that revitalize the eye tissues. The Journal of Experimental Eye Research published a study positing that green tea prevents blindness brought on by cataracts (20). Suffice to say, green tea, with its eye-protecting catechin can likely by a great defense against various other eye diseases including glaucoma.
12. Has UV Protection Properties
Living in Southern California, we are no stranger to the harsh UV rays of the sun. Surfers know it, athletes have dealt with it, and farmers, like Farmer Mike, must take cover from it. What is it? The intense radiation from the sun! Catechin found in Matcha green tea protects the skin tissue from harmful UV waves that radiate from the sun. According to various studies, green tea can make your skin more resistant from UV damage and will lessen your chances of being a prime candidate for aging skin. An academic article published in the British Journal of Nutrition claimed that regular consumption of green tea can reduce damage caused by UV radiation considerably (21).
13. Builds a Stronger Bone Structure
Growing up as a child of baby boomers and gen-x'ers, you were always told that "milk does a body good!" Now, people are incredibly conscious as to where cattle dairy comes from and some people are a little leery as to let dairy into their diets with so many milk alternatives available to them (i.e. almond milk, cashew milk, goat milk, etc.). Coincidentally, cattle dairy IS NOT the only beverage option that can rejuvenate and build stronger bones. Matcha green tea can help one combat vitamin D deficiencies, brittle bones, and osteoporosis. The research of Dr. Josephy Mercola shows us that green tea has proved to fight osteoporosis successfully (22). Presumably, the polyphenols in Matcha combined with alfacalcidol, has a capability to reversing bone damage and chronic inflammation (23). However, it is always advised to consult your doctor before using these means to treat a life-threatening health condition.
Matcha green tea - a Zen Buddhists' toast to good health.