Walk into
any coffee shop or
health food store and you are almost guaranteed to find this
bright jade-colored powdered green tea. It is mixed into lattes, milkshakes,
sodas, hot chocolates, smoothies, and even desserts like ice cream and
brownies. Many recommended it as an antioxidant-packed superfood that can
prevent cancer, improve memory, and reduce stress and anxiety. That is enough
to persuade almost anyone to drink matcha. But does it actually live up to the
hype?
اضافة اعلان
What is matcha?
Matcha is a powdered green tea with traditional roots in Japanese tea
ceremonies that has recently risen in popularity in the
US and elsewhere.
Coming from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as other caffeinated teas,
Matcha is cultivated in an unusual way: The plant is shaded from excessive
sunlight for much of its growing period so that it produces extra amino acids
and biologically active compounds like chlorophyll and theanine. Once the
leaves are harvested, they are ground into a fine powder.
Does matcha have
health benefits?
Whereas other green tea leaves are usually steeped whole in hot water,
“matcha is much more concentrated in terms of the ingredients because it’s made
from ground whole tea leaves”, said Dr Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and
epidemiology and chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan
School of Public Health.
And while the
research on its health benefits is not definitive, experts say that matcha does
contain high amounts of potentially beneficial compounds.
Antioxidants: “As
we age or as we’re exposed to things in the environment, like ultraviolet light
or carcinogens, we end up with reactive oxygen species, and they do harmful
things like damage our cellular membranes,” said Jamie Alan, an associate
professor of pharmacology and toxicology at
Michigan State University.
Antioxidants, which
are abundant in matcha, are substances that “neutralize” those harmful molecules,
Alan said, preventing a “whole cascade of damaging downstream events”. The tea
therefore may theoretically help protect the body’s cells from damage and
reduce the risk of certain health problems such as heart disease or cancer, Hu
and Alan said, though this has not been proven.
L-theanine: This
unique amino acid, which can be found in green tea as well as certain
mushrooms, is another component of matcha that experts highlight as potentially
benefiting health. However, the evidence on how it might do so is weak, Hu
said. Some small, placebo-controlled trials have suggested that L-theanine may
improve cognitive performance and reduce stress. But there have been only
animal studies and a few small trials in humans, both experts noted.
Although we lack similar evidence for matcha, the fact that the green powder is basically a concentrated version of green tea means that it probably provides the same benefits. ...
Caffeine: While most
people might not think about caffeine’s health effects when drinking their
morning cup of coffee, the evidence for its benefits is fairly strong, Hu said.
Studies have found, for instance, that caffeine can increase cognitive
functioning and alertness and ramp up metabolism. And regular consumption of
coffee — the primary source of caffeine for adults in the US — has been
associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and
age-related cognitive decline, Hu said.
So is matcha healthy?
Few studies have focused specifically on how matcha might benefit health,
so it is hard to say for sure. But scientists do have a fairly good
understanding of green tea’s benefits. “There is a lot of research on green
tea, and the overall evidence indicates that it is a healthy beverage,” Hu
said.
Although we lack
similar evidence for matcha, the fact that the green powder is basically a
concentrated version of green tea means that it probably provides the same
benefits, he added.
Alan also stressed
that, while matcha is generally safe, certain people — including those who must
limit their caffeine intake because of a health condition — should probably
avoid it. “If you are prone to arrhythmias or if you have heart disease, then
matcha could be harmful for you,” she said.
People who are
sensitive to caffeine may also want to pass on matcha because it could cause
anxiety and disrupt sleep.
In general, Hu
said, matcha can be a healthy addition to your diet, as long as you are mindful
of how much sugar and other unhealthy ingredients you are consuming along with
it. The amount of sugar and cream people add to their daily coffee or tea “has
become so enormous that it really counteracts the health benefits”, Hu noted.
And if you eat a
lot of fast food or smoke cigarettes regularly, do not expect matcha to
counteract those unhealthy choices.
“If you develop a
habit of regular matcha consumption, in the long run you may get some health
benefit,” Hu said. “But if you just sprinkle some matcha powder on top of
chocolate ice cream, then I don’t think it will do much to help.”
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