Matcha Tea Benefits
According to the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) antioxidant measuring scale, matcha has 1,300 units per gram rating (vs pomegranates: 105 units per gram and blueberries: 91 units)! Antioxidants can help boost the immune system and fight free radicals in the body that can contribute to inflammation, tissue damage and aging.
Matcha contains a particular class of antioxidants called catechins, notably epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which is known to help enhance metabolism. Matcha can have up to 137 times the EGCGs that regular green tea contains!
Matcha is also full of useful amino acids, particularly L-theanine that is unique to tea. This is the amino acid that stimulates alpha wave production in the brain to create relaxation and concentration at the same time, providing alertness without the shakes and jitters of coffee. It helps provide a sustained energy release over hours, hence matcha’s meditative origins.
Here is where we could get super technical with bioflavonoids and other confusing words. To simplify, lots of other goodies in green tea (and therefore matcha) can help detoxify and enhance wellbeing. For example, the special way it is grown in the shade helps increase the chlorophyll in the leaves, which is known to be a natural detoxifying agent.
FREE FROM
Matcha is naturally sugar free, dairy free, almost calorie free and naturally vegan friendly. Everyone’s best friend!
HELPS IMPROVE SKIN
Being an antioxidant powerhouse, it makes sense that matcha could also help keep our skin bright and healthy. Because of the high concentration of antioxidants, particularly EGCg as mentioned above, matcha can help inhibit cell degeneration that causes wrinkles, loss of collagen and therefore elasticity in the skin and other signs of aging. EGCg is helpful in reducing inflammation and may even help reduce acne and even out skin tone. It can be applied topically as well as ingested, so it makes for a great DIY face mask!!!
DETOXIFICATION
Matcha is packed with chlorophyll, which gives matcha its vibrant, deep green colour. As mentioned, unlike regular green tea leaves, matcha bushes are grown under a special shade and protected from sunlight for 20-30 days before harvest to specifically increase chlorophyll production and give the leaves a darker green hue. Chlorophyll is jam packed with vitamins and nutrients and can help rid the body of toxins. Research suggests that chlorophyll binds to heavy metals and harmful chemicals helping spark a flush-out process that may not only help detoxify the body of the toxins ingested in food during digestion but also help rid the body of toxins that were pre-existing.
VERSATILE
The best thing about matcha is how easy it is to incorporate into your daily routine! Due to its powdered form, it can be prepared in its traditional format as a hot beverage – either a plain tea or a latte. But it can also be added as a supplement to other drinks or foods i.e. smoothies or protein shakes as a booster or as an ingredient in raw cooking, baking, salad dressings, dips and seasonings. Matcha also has topical benefits for the skin and can be whipped into a DIY face mask, body scrub or other beauty products bringing its high antioxidant content to your skin cells. The possibili-teas are endless and we LOVE experimenting with this vibrant green superfood! Some of our favourite recent developments in the kitchen are the bulletproof matcha latte or a matcha protein bliss ball for an easy snack on the go! If you’re feeling adventurous you could even whip up a matcha mojito – it’s all about balance right? It can pretty much be worked into your life in any way you can imagine. There’s so matcha more to life if you’re up for it!
Immunity
According to the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) antioxidant measuring scale, matcha has a 1300 units per gram rating (vs pomegranates 105 units per gram or blueberries 91 units)! Antioxidants can help boost the immune system and fight free radicals in the body that can contribute to inflammation, tissue damaging and aging.
Metabolism
Matcha contains a particular class of antioxidants called catechins, notably epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which is known to help enhance metabolism. Matcha can have up to 137 times the EGCGs that regular green tea contains!
Energy And Focus
Matcha is also full of useful amino acids, particularly L-theanine that is unique to tea. This is the amino acid that stimulates alpha wave production in the brain to create relaxation and concentration at the same time, providing alertness without the shakes and jitters of coffee. It helps provide a sustained energy release over hours, hence matcha’s meditative origins.
Vitamins & Minerals
Here is where we could get super technical with bioflavonoids and other confusing words. To simplify, lots of other goodies in green tea (and therefore matcha) can help detoxify and enhance wellbeing. For example, the special way it is grown in the shade helps increase the chlorophyll in the leaves, which is known to be a natural detoxifying agent.
FREE FROM
Matcha is naturally sugar free, dairy free, almost calorie free and naturally vegan friendly. Everyone s best friend!
HELPS IMPROVE SKIN
Being an antioxidant powerhouse, it makes sense that matcha could also help keep our skin bright and healthy. Because of the high concentration of antioxidants, particularly EGCg as mentioned above, matcha can help inhibit cell degeneration that causes wrinkles, loss of collagen and therefore elasticity in the skin and other signs of aging. EGCg is helpful in reducing inflammation and may even help reduce acne and even out skin tone. It can be applied topically as well as ingested, so it makes for a great DIY face mask!!!
DETOXIFICATION
Matcha is packed with chlorophyll, which gives matcha its vibrant, deep green colour. As mentioned, unlike regular green tea leaves, matcha bushes are grown under a special shade and protected from sunlight for 20-30 days before harvest to specifically increase chlorophyll production and give the leaves a darker green hue. Chlorophyll is jam packed with vitamins and nutrients and can help rid the body of toxins. Research suggests that chlorophyll binds to heavy metals and harmful chemicals helping spark a flush-out process that may not only help detoxify the body of the toxins ingested in food during digestion but also help rid the body of toxins that were pre-existing.
VERSATILE
The best thing about matcha is how easy it is to incorporate into your daily routine! Due to its powdered form, it can be prepared in its traditional format as a hot beverage – either a plain tea or a latte. But it can also be added as a supplement to other drinks or foods i.e. smoothies or protein shakes as a booster or as an ingredient in raw cooking, baking, salad dressings, dips and seasonings. Matcha also has topical benefits for the skin and can be whipped into a DIY face mask, body scrub or other beauty products bringing its high antioxidant content to your skin cells. The possibili-teas are endless and we LOVE experimenting with this vibrant green superfood! Some of our favourite recent developments in the kitchen are the bulletproof matcha latte or a matcha protein bliss ball for an easy snack on the go! If you’re feeling adventurous you could even whip up a matcha mojito – it’s all about balance right? It can pretty much be worked into your life in any way you can imagine. There’s so matcha more to life if you’re up for it!
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacities of Common Foods in the United States, Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 2004, 52, 4026-4037 // ORAC Analysis on Matcha Green Tea: Brunswick Laboratories Cardoso, G., Salgado, J., Cesar, M. and Donado-Pestana, C. (2013). The effects of green tea consumption and resistance training on body composition and resting metabolic rate in overweight or obese women. Journal of medicinal food, 16(2), pp.120–127. Weiss, David J.; Anderton, Christopher R. (2003). “Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography”. Journal of Chromatography A 1011 (1–2): 173–80 Mukhtar H1, Ahmad N (1999). Green tea in chemoprevention of cancer. Toxicology Sciences 52:111 Suganuma M, Okabe S, Sueoka N, Sueoka E, Matsuyama S, Imai K, Nakachi K, Fujiki H (1999). Green tea and cancer chemoprevention. Mutation Research 428(1-2):339-44. Juneja, L (1999). “L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans”. Trends in Food Science & Technology 10 (6–7): 199. Yang GY, Liao J, Kim K, Yurkow EJ, Yang CS. (1998). Inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cell lines by tea polyphenols. Carcinogesis 19(4):611-6. Yang F, de Villiers WJ, McClain CJ, Varilek GW. (1998). Green tea polyphenols block endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor-production and lethality in a murine model. Journal of Nutrition 128(12):2334-40
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