Matcha is having a moment. What health properties does this green tea drink have?

Matcha’s popularity has increased in recent months, leading to reports of: global shortages and price increases.

If you’re not crazy yet, matcha is a powdered version of green tea. You may see a sizzling or iced matcha latte, or even a matcha-flavored cake or cake, on the cafe’s menu. A quick Google appears countless recipes containing matcha, both sweet and peppery.

Retailers and cafe owners they suggested The main reasons for matcha’s popularity are its Instagrammable appearance and alleged health benefits.

But what are the health benefits of matcha? Here’s what the evidence says.

First of all, what is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves that come from the plant Camellia sinensis. It is the same plant from which green and black tea are produced. However, production process distinguishes matcha from green and black tea.

In the case of matcha, the tea is grown in the shade. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed and dried, and the stems are removed. The leaves are then carefully ground at a controlled temperature to obtain a powder.

The production process for green tea is simpler. Leaves are collected from unshaded plants, heated and dried. We then soak the dried leaves in sizzling water to make tea (whereas with matcha, the whole leaf is consumed).

In the case of black tea, the leaves are exposed to air after being picked, which leads to oxidation. This turns the leaves black and gives the tea a different flavor.

Source of phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are chemical compounds found in plants that have a number of benefits for human health. Matcha contains several.

Chlorophyll gives plants, among others, Camellia sinensis their green color. There is some evidence that chlorophyll may have health benefits – among others anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-obesity – due to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage our cells.

Theanine has been shown to improve sleep AND reduce stress and anxiety. Only other known Mushrooms are a dietary source of theanine.

Caffeine is a phytonutrient that we know well. In addition to increasing alertness, caffeine has also been shown to boost alertness antioxidant effect and some protection against a range of chronic and neurodegenerative diseases. However, too much caffeine can have negative side effects.

Interestingly, the plants appear to be shading during cultivation change the nutritional composition leaf and may lead to higher levels of these nutrients in matcha compared to green tea.

Another compound worth mentioning are catechins, of which there are several different types. Matcha powder similarly contains more catechins than green tea. They are powerful antioxidants that have been shown have a protective effect against bacteria, viruses, allergies, inflammation and cancer. Catechins are also found in apples, blueberries and strawberries.

What are the real health benefits?

We know that matcha contains a variety of phytonutrients, but does this translate into any noticeable health benefits?

A review published in 2023 identified only five experimental studies that gave people matcha. In these studies, participants received approximately 2–4 g of matcha per day (equivalent to 1–2 teaspoons of matcha powder) compared to a placebo, in the form of a capsule, tea or food. Matcha reduces stress and anxiety and improves memory and cognitive functions. It had no effect on the mood.

AND newer study showed that 2 g of matcha in elderly people aged 60 to 85 improved sleep quality. However, in younger people aged 27 to 64, in another study matcha had little effect on sleep.

AND research in people with obesity found no difference in weight loss observed between the matcha group and the control group. This study did not randomize participants, and people knew which group they were placed in.

One could hypothesize that, given that you will consume the whole leaf and that levels of some nutrients may be higher due to growing conditions, matcha may have more nutritional benefits than green tea. However, to my knowledge, there has not been a direct comparison of the health effects of green tea versus matcha.

There is a lot of evidence about the effects of green tea

Although a confined number of studies have examined matcha to date and none have compared matcha to green tea, there is quite a bit of research on the health benefits of drinking green tea.

AND systematic review of 21 studies on green tea showed similar benefits to matcha in improving memory, as well as evidence of improving mood.

There is also evidence that green tea provides other health benefits. Systematic reviews have shown that green tea leads to: weight loss in people with obesitylower level some types of cholesterolAND lowered blood pressure. Green tea can too reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

So if you can’t reach for matcha right now, drinking green tea can be a good way to get your caffeine fix.

Although the evidence for green tea gives us some clues about the health benefits of matcha, we cannot be sure that they will be the same. Nevertheless, if your local coffee shop has a vast supply of matcha, there is nothing to say that you shouldn’t still enjoy matcha drinks.

However, it’s best to save the matcha croissant or cronut for special occasions. Adding matcha to foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat may negate any health benefits that may be attributed to matcha.