If it feels such as you’ve been seeing quite a lot of matcha-flavored drinks, truffles, and cookies of late, you’re not incorrect. The recognition of this Japanese inexperienced tea powder appears to know no bounds, with consumption reaching a document excessive final yr1. This yr, the marketplace for the drink reached a worth of a whopping $4.3 billion, and demand is so excessive that suppliers are having a tough time producing sufficient matcha to sate the world’s thirst.
It’s no shock that matcha is so fashionable. With an earthy taste and a vibrant inexperienced colour, it’s the good balancing base for a not-too-sweet latte or dessert. However maybe much more important to its success are matcha’s well being advantages, which have an effect on all the things from pores and skin to intestine well being, to emotional wellbeing and sleep.
What Is Matcha Made Of?
Matcha is a powder constructed from finely floor inexperienced tea leaves — primarily, inexperienced tea focus. True matcha is constructed from tencha, a shade-grown inexperienced tea leaf that has a richer focus of vitamins and amino acids than inexperienced tea alone. And since inexperienced tea already boasts so many well being advantages, it ought to come as no shock that matcha is a veritable powerhouse of bioactive compounds.
I’ve been ingesting matcha for shut to twenty years and discover it to be a superior selection over espresso and different superfood drinks.
Dr. Elizabeth Trattner, A.P, DOM
“In contrast to steeped inexperienced tea, matcha includes consuming the complete leaf in powdered type, (primarily an entire meals) resulting in greater concentrations of polyphenols, L-theanine, and caffeine,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Trattner A.P, DOM. “I’ve been ingesting matcha for shut to twenty years and discover it to be a superior selection over espresso and different superfood drinks.”
New Analysis Showcases Matcha’s Advantages for Emotional Notion and Sleep
Final yr, Japanese researchers printed a research in PLOS One specializing in the results of matcha dietary supplements on older Japanese adults between 60 and 85 years of age with gentle cognitive impairment or decline2. They discovered that the dietary supplements improved members’ emotional notion — for instance, their identification of facial feelings. The dietary supplements have been additionally discovered to boost the standard of the members’ sleep.
“The current research suggests common consumption of matcha may enhance emotional notion and sleep high quality in older adults with gentle cognitive decline,” the research authors wrote. “Given the widespread availability and cultural acceptance of matcha inexperienced tea, incorporating it into the every day routine could provide a easy but efficient technique for cognitive enhancement and dementia prevention.”
Different Well being Advantages of Matcha
So, is matcha wholesome? Effectively, these new findings be part of a litany of different beforehand recognized well being advantages of matcha. Matcha is wealthy in catechins, notably EGCG, a strong antioxidant. In a 2014 research within the European Journal of Diet, these polyphenols have been discovered to scale back blood strain and enhance lipid metabolism, supporting cardiovascular well being general3.
Matcha for Wholesome Pores and skin
EGCG can be chargeable for matcha’s pores and skin advantages, in keeping with Trattner, who has discovered that the polyphenol has phenomenal anti-inflammatory and antioxidant results for her sufferers. And it’s not simply matcha — she cites medical analysis printed in Antioxidants in 2016 exhibiting that inexperienced tea extracts will help cut back sebum manufacturing, enhance zits, and even assist the pores and skin’s resilience towards UV publicity and photoaging4.
“That is possible resulting from its means to neutralize free radicals earlier than they’ll harm collagen or speed up seen growing old,” she explains, “each vital components dwelling in Miami the place we see extra zits and solar harm and going into hotter months of the summer time.”
Matcha for Intestine Well being
In the event you solely drink inexperienced tea for the pores and skin advantages, it will nonetheless be value it — however that’s not all it presents. Matcha has additionally been discovered to be useful for intestine well being, with a 2023 research within the Journal of Scientific Biochemistry and Diet discovering that simply two weeks of every day matcha consumption considerably modified the microbial composition of intestine microflora5.
Extra particularly, matcha elevated the prevalence of Coprococcus, a genus of micro organism that has been related to improved temper and cognition6. On the flip aspect, an absence of Coprococcus has been linked to greater incidence of metabolic ailments like diabetes. Trattner highlights this “promising” discovery, noting that it suggests matcha’s well being advantages are much more widespread than we could have beforehand thought.
A Bona Fide Mind Booster
Regardless of the numerous superb results of matcha, Trattner believes that these well being advantages pale compared to matcha’s brain-boosting energy. “Probably the most thrilling findings are these confirming what Buddhist monks intuited centuries in the past — matcha creates a singular state of targeted calm,” she says.
“Matcha’s conventional use amongst Zen Buddhist monks as a pre-meditation tonic underscores its deep roots in ritual and mindfulness,” Trattner continues. These powers have been clinically confirmed in research like a 2008 randomized managed trial printed within the Asia Pacific Journal of Scientific Diet7. “This distinctive neurochemical profile is why matcha stays foundational in my private and medical rituals right this moment,” she says.
These advantages come right down to the pure presence of two important substances in matcha: caffeine and L-theanine. The latter is an amino acid that has been discovered to loosen up the thoughts with out inflicting drowsiness8. It has even been discovered to scale back stress and nervousness, in keeping with a 2016 analysis evaluate within the Journal of Diet and Middleman Metabolism9.
Probably the most thrilling findings are these confirming what Buddhist monks intuited centuries in the past — matcha creates a singular state of targeted calm.
Dr. Elizabeth Trattner A.P, DOM
Matcha vs. Espresso
While you evaluate the caffeine in matcha vs. espresso, espresso wins out — however extra caffeine isn’t at all times higher. The synergy between caffeine and L-theanine in matcha, explains Trattner, “promotes a state of calm alertness, enhancing response time and focus with out jitteriness.” She cites a 2010 research in Dietary Neuroscience showcasing the facility of this double-whammy of caffeine and L-theanine10.
Seeing as a single gram of matcha incorporates a whopping 44.64 mg of L-theanine (as in comparison with about 6.56 mg per gram of standard inexperienced tea)11, it’s an unbelievable assist in selling what Trattner characterizes as “a meditative but alert state.” Most individuals wouldn’t precisely name the results of espresso “meditative,” so it’s secure to say the L-theanine makes a distinction.
Not All Matcha Provides the Similar Well being Advantages
Sadly, not all matcha is created equal. In accordance with Trattner, it’s important to supply matcha fastidiously, seeing as many cheaper manufacturers are contaminated with heavy metals like lead, aluminum, and chromium. “This contamination can come from soil and air air pollution in non-pristine rising environments,” she says.
Certainly, a 2020 research in Proof-Primarily based Complementary and Different Drugs discovered that a number of business inexperienced tea merchandise exceeded allowable limits for lead and chromium12. It’s one thing we at all times must take heed to in our pursuit for well being. A 2023 research in Diet and Well being discovered that “superfoods” like quinoa, chia, and goji berries have been typically closely contaminated with poisonous heavy metals13, and the identical goes for dietary supplements like protein powder.
How one can Supply Clear Matcha
For the very best quality and most well being advantages, Trattner recommends sourcing matcha from Japan, notably from the areas of Uji or Kyoto. These matcha powders have stricter agricultural requirements, she says, which means that there’s a decrease danger of contamination. “Keep away from matcha from China, India, and areas like Fukushima in Japan),” she suggests.
She recommends looking for out shade-grown matcha, aka tencha, which incorporates extra chlorophyll and amino acids. She additionally suggests searching for ceremonial-grade matcha, which is constructed from the primary harvest, enhancing each its taste and well being advantages. Natural merchandise which were third-party examined are perfect, she says, noting that labels also needs to embody a harvest date and tracing data.
Her manufacturers of selection embody Matcha Kari, based by Dr. Andrew Weil which is obtainable in ceremonial grade, culinary grade, and a ceremonial barista mix which is kind of in between the primary two choices. “[Dr. Andrew Weil] has been an enormous proponent of matcha for the reason that 1970’s and has been capable of supply a few of the finest matcha for shopper use, having spent over 50 years going backwards and forwards understanding the matcha market in Japan earlier than it grew to become a fad right here within the States and all over the world,” she explains.
She additionally loves the matcha choices from matcha.com. This firm, she says, “prides itself for its transparency and dedication to genuine, ceremonial-grade matcha sourced from pristine Japanese farms. Their matcha aligns with each trendy requirements and conventional knowledge.”
Sources:
- https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2025/04/09/matcha-trend-boosting-sales-but-threatening-supply/
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0309287
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24861099/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28036057/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36936880/
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/weblog/2023/12/13/coprococcus-in-your-gut-the-secret-of-happiness/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296328/
- https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17percent20Supplpercent201/167.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385915003138?viapercent3Dihub
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21040626/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7796401/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33299455/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37812435/
