The benefits of drinking matcha tea

Matcha being a traditional east Asian powdered tea beverage is nowadays becoming increasingly popular in Europe and especially in the UK. In this article we are going to summarise what are the main benefits of drinking matcha tea. This non-exhaustive list of wonderful qualities matcha possesses might be in fact at least a partial explanation as to why it so successfully attracts more and more tea drinkers.

1. Matcha is full of antioxidants

Matcha is incomparable to any other “superfood” in terms of the amount of antioxidants it delivers. This beverage is full of substances that prevent chronic diseases and aging. Just one cup of matcha has as many antioxidants as ten cups of loose-leaf green tea. This is because while drinking matcha, that is tea in a powdered form, we consume whole leaves. In contrast, when we drink regular green tea, we only consume a tea infusion, which is not as powerful.

The fact that matcha has plenty of antioxidants is really great news since it is these compounds that are the defence agents of the immune system. The more of them you have in your body the more ready you are to fight a potential infection.

2. Matcha will help with sustained energy

Another benefit of drinking matcha tea is that it is highly likely to increase your attention levels. According to a randomised controlled trial study by Food Research International the attention levels of the subjects who had eaten either a cup of matcha tea or a matcha bar were significantly increased an hour after the consumption. Though further studies are needed for confirmation it is suspected that it is a substance called l-theanine that is responsible for such an effect. Perhaps it’s because of this effect that matcha has been already popular for centuries among Buddhist monks.

So the next time you have a busy day and need to boost your attention level or get into a calm state consider buying a cup of matcha instead of drinking coffee. A lot of people having tried both say that they prefer drinking matcha to coffee because it allows them to have a better focus but does not make them anxious or drowsy afterwards as coffee often does. Say goodbye to jitters and instead stay calm and alert.

3. Matcha encourages weight loss

Studies have linked drinking matcha to weight loss. Firstly, it has almost no calories so it can be a good substitute for drinking water. Drinking matcha puts you in a win-win situation – you get to drink a very tasty beverage but are not put at the risk of extra calories entering your diet.

On top of it, matcha is believed to boost metabolism. A 2005 study shows that green teas rich with catechins reduce fat in humans. It has been proved that catechins levels in  blood correlate with body mass index (BMI).

However, it is important to note that studies on the benefits of matcha tea most often only show a correlation and do not prove a causation. That is research into matcha is often based on comparing two groups of individuals – these who drink matcha and these who do not. So all we can be certain about is that there is an association between drinking matcha tea and various health benefits but a clear correlation remains to be proven.

4. Matcha tastes great

So as we have established already the benefits of matcha are its richness in antioxidants, ability to boost your focus and to encourage weight loss. But its biggest advantage is probably the fact that it simply tastes great whether in its classic form or with some milk known then as matcha latte. There are not many more joyful and calming things on earth than a cup of matcha at the end of a busy day or when meeting with loved ones.