✓ Evidence Based

10 Proven Health Benefits of Matcha Tea

Are you trying to make a switch from your morning coffee, or maybe you want to swap it out occasionally with tea? Matcha tea can be a great option to ween off coffee and get many benefits in the process.

Matcha tea is a type of green tea that is a popular drink in East Asia. Matcha is full of antioxidants that can promote healing throughout the whole body.

There are many different types of Matcha tea, whether plain or mixed with other types of tea for even more health benefits. Matcha is 137 times stronger than regular brewed tea, packing in that much more antioxidants than traditional green tea. That is the equivalent of 10 cups of regular green tea. It is also why Matcha tea can be an excellent option for those trying to cut down on coffee more often.

Matcha also contains much more caffeine than a regular cup of green tea. Just four teaspoons of Matcha powder contain 280 mg of caffeine compared to 35 mg of traditional green tea. Even though Matcha has more caffeine than plain green tea, it can still be an excellent option for those who want to cut back on coffee.

Health Benefits of Matcha Tea

Made from finely ground green tea leaves, Matcha gives the benefits of tons of nutrients, vitamins, fiber, and many antioxidants.

Read on to find out the many health benefits of Matcha tea. Plus, learn how to include more Matcha in your diet and if there are any potential side effects below.

1. It Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Matcha tea has tons of health benefits, and one to consider is it can decrease the chances of getting heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States.

Matcha contains catechins, which help to ward off many chronic diseases, such as heart disease. Catechins are a group of antioxidants that may even be more powerful than vitamin C in stopping oxidative damage in the body. Antioxidants are necessary to diminish free radical buildup, which causes oxidative damage.

If heart disease runs in your family, it may be a good idea to start adding some Matcha tea to your diet. While some do not prefer the taste of Matcha to coffee, you can mix it with other drinks or have it as a latte in place of coffee to reap the heart-healthy benefits.

2. It May Boost Skin Health

Green tea like Matcha is high in plant polyphenols, which contain many skin-boosting properties.

The combination of plant polyphenols and the abundance of antioxidants in green tea can help to give the skin a glow and promote skin elasticity, to name a few. (1)

The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it undergoes much environmental and chemical distress over time. From what you put on your skin to outside sources of pollution, the skin loves more antioxidants. Always be cautious about the products you feed your skin to avoid excess xenoestrogens from damaging your health.

See if adding some Matcha green tea helps to improve your skin health today.

3. It Can Prevent Cancer

Did you know Matcha tea is so powerful that is can even help prevent multiple types of cancer? Certain compounds in Matcha prove to be effective at squashing cancer cells, according to numerous studies. (2)

These types of cancer include breast, prostate, bowel, bladder, and colon cancer. It is helpful to have a balance of nutrients, including many crucial vitamins and minerals to avoid getting cancer as well.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world. Adding some Matcha to your diet can help to prevent running into issues connected to cancer.

4. It May Improve Brain Health

Are you having trouble concentrating or with minor memory issues lately? There is some evidence that Matcha tea can even help to promote better cognitive functioning.

That can include things like better overall reaction time, memory, concentration, and even improve your mood. One study done by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that the phytochemicals in Matcha tea have potent effects on boosting mood and improving long-term cognitive tasks. (3)

Feed your brain with plenty of nutrient-dense foods, but do not forget about green tea for an extra cognitive boost.

5. It Can Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases, and it is steadily increasing with time. Millions around the world suffer from this reversible chronic condition.

Although a healthy diet and lifestyle are vital to reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, there are other ways you can prevent this chronic disease, too.

Drinking green tea like Matcha tea can help to improve insulin resistance, decreasing the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. (4) Green tea is one of the most popular drinks in Asia, and it is worth noting that this potent tea can have some significant benefits against type 2 diabetes. Maybe it is time for it to become the caffeine of choice in the United States next.

6. It May Assist with Weight Loss

Weight loss is another growing issue in the United States and worldwide. While diet and exercise are the major factors in losing weight, green tea can help as well, especially Matcha tea. It can be effective at boosting your metabolism, assisting with weight loss.

Antioxidants and polyphenols, like the ones present in Matcha tea, are essential to decrease oxidative damage in the body. Excess oxidative damage can make it harder to lose weight.

You may need to have several cups of green tea per day to see this benefit. Try adding some green tea to your diet to see if it assists you in your weight loss journey.

7. It Can Protect the Liver and Kidneys

Matcha tea can even help to protect the health of the liver, preventing liver disease, and providing clearer detox pathways. (5)

Other studies in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggest that it can help protect the kidneys from disease as well.

There may be a significant decrease in liver disease with the consumption of green tea, so try to add some today.

8. It Can Promote a More Natural Energy than Coffee

Although Matcha tea contains much more caffeine than regular green tea, it can still provide a calm, along with the natural energy boost that coffee offers.

That is because Matcha contains an amino acid that has a natural calming effect, L-theanine. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine can produce a balanced form of energy that can leave you feeling rejuvenated instead of making you crash as coffee does.

In addition to giving you a natural energy boost, the L-theanine in Matcha tea also helps your body process the caffeine more slowly than coffee alone. Do you get the jitters from coffee? Try some Matcha tea instead to see if it helps decrease them.

9. It May Promote Hair Health

The benefits of Matcha tea range far and wide, and it can even promote a healthier scalp and hair growth. Why is Matcha good for your hair? That would be the high content of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that is necessary to maintain a healthy scalp and for hair growth in general. Vitamin E helps with circulation in the scalp, and it can even give your hair more shine.

You may also notice your hair grows stronger by incorporating more Matcha tea in your diet. (6)

10. It Can Help Detoxify the Body

The body has natural detoxifying pathways in place, but there are many contaminants that humans come into contact with in their lifetimes.

That can range from air pollution to environmental concerns, smoke inhalation, and more. Adding Matcha or green tea to your diet can help further detoxify your body.

The high number of vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants give Matcha the ability to provide detox routes to boost your health.

How to Drink and Eat More Matcha

It may seem obvious-simply drink more Matcha as a tea to get the benefits. But there are other ways you can reap the benefits from Matcha as well.

Matcha comes in powder form, so it is easy to incorporate it into many healthy snacks and foods.

Below are some recipe ideas to try at home to get more matcha into your diet:

  • Power-up Matcha Smoothie
  • Dark Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls
  • Coconut Matcha Latte (Iced or Hot)
  • Matcha Chia Seed Pudding
  • Vanilla Matcha Yogurt Pops

These are some ideas, but get creative on how you can start adding Matcha to your life today.

Potential Side Effects of Matcha Tea

Matcha does not have any side effects if consumed in moderation, but if you have too much, there are some potential side effects.

Some potential health risks of too much Match tea include:

  • Headaches
  • Diarrhea
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia

When you have too much of a caffeinated drink, these are typical side effects. Drink Matcha in moderation and reap the many health benefits.

Conclusion

Matcha tea can be a great healthy way to get an energy boost, as well as promote healing throughout the body in many ways.

The high amount of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, and polyphenols gives Matcha its famous rap sheet of disease prevention, weight loss, and much more.

See if adding Match tea to your diet helps to improve your health in any of the above ways.