It took me a while to completely fall in love with matcha tea. I love it hot or cold, straight or with oat milk, early in the morning as well as throughout the day!
Matcha is the most premium variety of shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder. For centuries, monks have enjoyed matcha to support well-being and concentration during meditation. Matcha comes from Japan because it is the only region where it is grown and prepared under special conditions. When the tea leaves are ready for harvesting, they are hand-picked, steamed and then air dried. After the leaves are ready, they are sorted into grades. Based on a variety of factors, Matcha grade differs from the lowest culinary grade to the highest premium/ ceremonial grade.
Even though matcha tea tradition originated in China, it was adopted and taken to a whole new level in Japan where it became a cultural focal point through a very formal ceremony known as “chado”, as well as a part of their diet. The expert cultivation and traditional methods of shade growing and stone grinding were perfected by Japanese tea masters and passed down through generations.
Three characteristics of high-quality matcha:
Color. Matcha should have a deep green color, almost like fresh moss. No yellow or brown tint should be present, as it might be the sign of developed chlorophyll or oxidation.
Aroma. It should be powerful and smell sweet like fresh grass. The older it gets the more it smells like hay.
Taste. Matcha should taste savory - sweet with a delicate bitterness like fresh grass.
Benefits
There are numerous well-studied health benefits of matcha tea. Powdered matcha contains antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that deliver more health benefits unlike traditional green tea. If you are consuming matcha daily, make sure you are choosing organic matcha that is tested for toxins and heavy metals. Lead, arsenic and fluoride have all been identified in the soil where some of these tea plants grow, and these chemicals make their way into the green tea leaves themselves. With regular brewed green tea, they pose less of a threat because only a very small amount infuses into the hot water. But utilizing the entire leaf to make matcha means consuming higher levels of potentially harmful substances.
Especially if you are consuming matcha daily, you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing organic matcha that is also screened for these toxins and heavy metals.
1. Improves heart health
The EGCG in matcha can decrease oxidative and inflammatory processes in the body, repairing and protecting heart muscle. Consuming matcha can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels, which reduces the chance of heart attack and stroke.
2. May help prevent cancer
The study of the University of Stalford in UK showed that matcha’s active ingredients can have an almost surgical effect, blocking signaling pathways between cancer stem cells. The study suggests that matcha's catechins suppress mitochondrial metabolism which prevents the re-fuelling of damaged cells and renders them inactive (making them die eventually).
3. Boosts brain function
Matcha’s high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects can offer protection for your brain. L-theanine, and caffeine in matcha can improve cognitive performance and increase focus. Drinking matcha on a regular basis can boost attention and memory.The L-theanine in matcha works as a relaxing agent, affecting dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain to improve feelings of well-being and reduce anxiety.
4. Can help promote weight loss
Studies show that including matcha in your diet on a regular basis can improve your body’s metabolic response when you exercise by boosting fat oxidation, the natural process of breaking down fatty acids.
5. Reduces inflammation
Green tea has powerful detoxifying properties and in some cases has the ability to naturally eliminate heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.
Is Matcha Equally Healthy for Everyone?
Matcha tea is high in caffeine, therefore it should be avoided by people with special conditions and sensitivities. Caffeine overdose can cause headaches, irritability, and even insomnia.
Excess consumption of matcha tea can cause diarrhea, as it hinder the natural biome of the gut, making it sensitive towards other pathogens.
Taking green tea along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Matcha tea is known to reduce the blood pressure, so it should not be abused by people with hypotension.
Tannins, that are present in green tea prevent the absorption of iron in the body. A study done in 2001, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reports that green tea extract reduces the absorption of iron by 25%.