Smart Ideas: Teas Revisited

Health Perks Offered by Matcha Tea

Though people drank green tea in China over a thousand years ago, it became a significant part of the Japanese culture. And they named the natural beverage matcha. Zen Buddhist monks took it to maintain calm and alertness during extended hours of meditation. These Japanese tea leaves grow in the shade and have notably high chlorophyll content.

It is interesting to learn about the history and cultivation of the tea, but what consumers really care about are its benefits to health, such as:

Cancer Prevention

Green tea is full of powerful catechins, which are antioxidants that seek out for harmful free radicals in the body. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), considered as a poteont anti-carcinogen, is the most powerful catechin found in green tea.

Anti-Aging

Okinawa, Japan is among the places around the world where people boast the longest lifespans. The Okinawans’ longevity has been somewhat attributed to habitual matcha green tea consumption.

Matcha green tea is actually Japan’s most popular green tea, but it is becoming more popular than ever throughout the globe, thanks to its ability to neutralize oxidation and inflammation, and even aging.

LDL “Bad” Cholesterol Control

According to a 2011 study featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea beverages or extracts substantially decrease overall serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations.

Weight Management

According to a 1999 study featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea increases thermogenesis – your body’s day-to-day calorie-burning rate -increases by 8 to 35{d2d40cb2338146b27da3fa9e236b97dbb6445147d1fbd8f73f19050a3e698236}. Yet another study proved that exercising right after drinking matcha green tea can lead to 25{d2d40cb2338146b27da3fa9e236b97dbb6445147d1fbd8f73f19050a3e698236} more fat loss during exercise.

Detoxification

With matcha growing in the shade, it has considerably more chlorophyll than any other type of green tea available. Leaves’ green color is provided by chlorophyll, which is also known to cleanse the body of toxins, including heavy metals, poisons, dioxins and hormone disrupters.

Cognitive Boost

Compared to conventional green tea, matcha green tea offers up to 5 times more L-theanine. L-theanine is an amino acid that can induce alpha wave activity in the brain. Stress is known to trigger beta wave activity in the brain, causing more agitation. Alpha wave activity produces the exact opposite effect. Matcha does contain some caffeine, but its “jittery” effects are easily counterbalanced by the relaxing properties of L-theanine.

Energy Boost

One cup of matcha green tea can give you that “pick-me-up” on a lazy afternoon or whenever you think you could use extra focus and alertness. Matcha green tea is the best substitute for coffee as it gives an energy boost without the headaches of a coffee crash .

Fiber

Finally, matcha green tea leaves are known to have vast amounts of easily-absorbable dietary fiber. Dietary fiber offers many benefits, but it is mostly known for providing constipation relief and blood sugar management.

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