6 Surprising Health Benefits of Matcha Green Tea
Matcha is a high-quality green tea powder made popular in Japan and is used mainly for drinking tea or for flavoring other dishes. Its famous green color is attributed to its careful preparation to preserve its nutritional benefits before being ground into fine powder according to Natural Living Ideas.
Drinking tea is good for the health, but matcha takes the step even further. Here are six surprising health benefits of matcha green tea.
1.) Matcha is Super Rich in Antioxidants
Matcha contains more antioxidants than loose leaf tea. According to Matcha Source, the antioxidants in one cup of matcha are equivalent to 10 cups of brewed green tea. Matcha is made of ground tea leaves in which you consume in its entirety by mixing with water whereas brewing tea leaves can only extract so little of the benefits of green tea.
2.) Matcha Boosts Energy
If you're looking to enhance your energy throughout the day but don't want the jitters that come from drinking coffee, matcha is for you. According to Organic Facts, matcha contains another form of caffeine that is different from the ones found in coffee beans. The caffeine called theophylline keeps energy levels up but minus the coffee caffeine aftereffects.
3.) Matcha Detoxifies
The chlorophyll preserved in matcha tea helps in cleansing and purging the body of chemicals and heavy metals found in the blood and body. Chlorophyll is what also gives green tea and other plants their color.
4.) Matcha is Calming
The calming effect of matcha comes from a substance called L-theanine. When combined with caffeine, matcha makes its drinkers relaxed but alert according to Noble-House. This is because L-theanine helps in the production of alpha waves in the brain that helps in stimulating creativity and reducing stress and anxiety.
5.) Matcha is Good for the Heart and Blood Vessels
According to many studies, drinking green tea helps in keeping the cardiovascular system healthy because it preserves the Nitric Oxide in the body that keeps the blood vessels unclogged according to Living-Qi. The green tea used in the studies may not have been matcha green tea powder but other studies have proven that the nutritional benefits of matcha green tea is tenfold of the regular green tea.
6.) Matcha Strengthens the Immune System
The great-tasting matcha tea contains catechins, a potent antioxidant that reduces the effects of free radicals in the body. Other nutrients found in matcha include fiber, carbs, vitamin C and A, potassium, iron, protein, and calcium!