Matcha has skyrocketed in popularity lately, with matcha shots, lattes, teas and even desserts appearing everywhere from health stores to coffee shops.
Like green tea, matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, it is grown and cultivated differently and has a unique nutrient profile.
Farmers cultivate matcha by covering their tea plants 20–30 days before harvest to avoid direct sunlight. This increases chlorophyll production, boosting the amino acid content and giving the plant a darker green hue.
Once the tea leaves are harvested, the stems and veins are removed and the leaves are ground up into a fine powder known as matcha.
Matcha contains the nutrients from the entire tea leaf, which results in a greater amount of caffeine and antioxidants than are typically found in green tea.
Studies of matcha and its components have unearthed a variety of benefits, showing that matcha may help protect the liver, promote heart health and even aid in weight loss.
This article reviews 7 evidence-based benefits of matcha tea.
1. High in Antioxidants
Matcha is rich in catechins, a type of plant compound found in tea that acts as a natural antioxidant.
Antioxidants help stabilize harmful free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease.
When you add matcha powder to hot water to make tea, the tea contains all the nutrients from the entire leaf. It will tend to have more catechins and antioxidants than simply steeping green tea leaves in water.
In fact, by one estimate, the number of certain catechins in matcha is up to 137 times greater than in other types of green tea (1).
One study showed that giving mice matcha supplements reduced damage caused by free radicals and enhanced antioxidant activity (2).
Including matcha in your diet could increase your antioxidant intake, which may help prevent cell damage and even lower your risk of several chronic diseases (3).
SUMMARY:Matcha contains a concentrated amount of antioxidants, which may reduce cell damage and prevent chronic disease. However, more studies in humans are needed.
2. Could Help Protect the Liver
The liver is vital to health and plays a central role in flushing out toxins, metabolizing drugs and processing nutrients.
Some studies have found that matcha may help protect the health of your liver.
One study gave diabetic rats matcha for 16 weeks and found that it helped prevent damage to both the kidneys and liver (4).
Another study gave 80 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease either a placebo or 500 mg of green tea extract daily for 90 days.
After 12 weeks, green tea extract significantly reduced liver enzyme levels. Elevated levels of these enzymes are a marker of liver damage (5).
Furthermore, an analysis of 15 studies found that drinking green tea was associated with a decreased risk of liver disease (6).
However, it's important to remember that there may be other factors involved in this association.
More research is needed to look at the effects of matcha on the general population, since most research is limited to studies looking at green tea extract on animals and people with specific health conditions.
SUMMARY:Some studies have shown that matcha could prevent liver damage and decrease the risk of liver disease. However, additional studies are needed to look at the effects on humans in the general population.
3. May Improve Cognitive Performance
Some research shows that several of the components in matcha could help enhance cognitive function.
In one study in 23 people looked at how people performed on a series of tasks designed to measure cognitive performance. Some participants consumed either matcha tea or a bar containing 4 grams of matcha, while the control group consumed a placebo tea or bar.
The researchers found that matcha caused improvements in attention, reaction time and memory, compared to the placebo (7).
Another small study showed that consuming 2 grams of green tea powder daily for two months helped improve cognitive function in elderly people (8).
Additionally, matcha contains a more concentrated amount of caffeine than green tea, packing in 35 mg of caffeine per half teaspoon (about 1 gram) of matcha powder.
Multiple studies have linked caffeine consumption to improvements in cognitive performance, citing faster reaction times, increased attention and enhanced memory (9, 10, 11).
Matcha also contains a compound called L-theanine, which alters the effects of caffeine, promoting alertness and helping avoid the crash in energy levels that can follow caffeine consumption (12).
L-theanine has also been shown to increase alpha wave activity in the brain, which may help induce relaxation and decrease stress levels (13).
SUMMARY:Matcha has been shown to improve attention, memory and reaction time. It also contains caffeine and L-theanine, which may improve several aspects of cognition.
4. Could Aid in Cancer Prevention
Matcha is jam-packed with health-promoting compounds, including some that have been linked to cancer prevention in test-tube and animal studies.
In one study, green tea extract decreased tumor size and slowed the growth of breast cancer cells in rats (14).
Matcha is especially high in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a type of catechin that has been shown to have powerful anti-cancer properties.
One test-tube study found that the EGCG in matcha helped kill off prostate cancer cells (15).
Other test-tube studies have shown that EGCG is effective against skin, lung and liver cancer (16, 17, 18).
Keep in mind that these were test-tube and animal studies looking at specific compounds found in matcha. Further research is needed to determine how these results may translate to humans.
SUMMARY:Test-tube and animal studies have found that the compounds in matcha may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. More research is needed to determine how these compounds may affect cancer in humans.
5. May Decrease the Risk of Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated one-third of all deaths in people over the age of 35 (19).
Some studies have shown that drinking green tea, which has a similar nutrient profile to matcha, may help protect against heart disease and may even lower some of its risk factors.
Green tea has been shown to reduce levels of total and “bad” LDL cholesterol, as well as blood levels of triglycerides (20, 21).
It may also help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, another factor that may increase the risk of heart disease (22).
Observational studies have also shown that drinking green tea is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke (23, 24).
When combined with a well-rounded diet and healthy lifestyle, drinking matcha may help keep your heart healthy and protect against disease.
SUMMARY:Studies show that green tea and matcha may decrease several heart disease risk factors and be associated with a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke.
6. Could Increase Weight Loss
Take a look at any weight loss supplement, and there's a good chance you'll see "green tea extract" listed in the ingredients.
Green tea is well known for its ability to enhance weight loss. In fact, studies show that it may help speed up metabolism to increase energy expenditure and boost fat burning.
One small study showed that taking green tea extract during moderate exercise increased fat burning by 17% (25).
Another study in 14 people found that taking a supplement containing green tea extract helped significantly boost 24-hour energy expenditure, compared to a placebo (26).
A review of 11 studies also showed that green tea reduced body weight and helped maintain weight loss (27).
Although most of these studies focused on green tea extract, rather than matcha, green tea and matcha come from the same plant and contain a comparable nutrient profile.
Of course, remember to combine matcha with a nutritious diet and active lifestyle to optimize weight loss.
SUMMARY:Some studies show that green tea extract helps increase metabolism and fat burning, both of which may aid weight loss.
7. It's Very Easy to Prepare
Taking advantage of the many health benefits of matcha is simple — and the tea tastes delicious.
You can make traditional matcha tea by sifting 1–2 teaspoons (2–4 grams) of matcha powder into your cup, adding 2 ounces (59 ml) of hot water and mixing it together with a bamboo whisk. You can find a bamboo whisk at a specialty tea or Japanese store.
You can also adjust the ratio of matcha to water based on your preferred consistency.
For a thinner tea, reduce the matcha to a half teaspoon (1 gram) and mix with 3–4 ounces (89–118 ml) of hot water.
If you prefer a more concentrated version, combine 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of matcha with just 1 ounce (30 ml) of water.
If you're feeling creative, you can even try whipping up matcha lattes, puddings or protein smoothies to boost the nutrient content of your favorite recipes.
As always, moderation is key. Although matcha is brimming with health benefits, more is not necessarily better.
In fact, liver problems have been reported in some people who drank six cups of green tea daily. This translates to about two cups of matcha tea, since it’s more concentrated than green tea (28).
Drinking matcha may also increase your exposure to contaminants like pesticides, chemicals and even arsenic found in the soil where the tea plants are grown (29, 30).
It's best to stick to one or two cups per day and look for certified organic varieties to take advantage of matcha's many health benefits without risking its adverse side effects.
SUMMARY:There are many ways to prepare matcha, so you can choose the one you like best. It can also be incorporated into a range of different recipes. However, it's important to moderate your matcha intake to avoid its negative side effects.
The Bottom Line
Matcha comes from the same plant as green tea, but since it is made from the entire leaf, it packs in a more concentrated amount of antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds.
Studies have revealed a variety of health benefits associated with matcha and its components, ranging from enhancing weight loss to decreasing the risk of heart disease.
Best of all, the tea is simple to prepare, so you can incorporate it effortlessly into your diet, giving your day a burst of extra flavor and health benefits.
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