People are constantly asking me what matcha can do for them. Here are just seven benefits of regular matcha drinking.
Fights fatigue
Matcha is a powerful ally in fighting fatigue. The combination of naturally occurring amino acids plus small amounts of caffeine tend to give an instant boost to personal energy levels. Most people feel the stimulative effects of a cup of matcha for at least two hours, but they last as long as six hours for some people.
Improves cognitive abilities
Regular matcha drinkers have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for things like names and numbers, increased alertness and awareness, elevated moods, “calm euphoria,” and improved concentrative abilities for studying, working, or driving. Some of our best clients are software engineers and hedge funds, who say that matcha puts them “in the zone” for coding and intense mental focus without distraction. “An overdose of clarity,” as one friend memorably put it.
Boosts immunity
A recent study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that drinking matcha everyday greatly enhanced the overall response of the immune system. The exceedingly high levels of antioxidants in matcha mainly take the form of polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids, each of which aids the body’s defense in its daily struggles against free radicals that come from the pollution in your air, water and foods. On a practical level this can mean fewer colds.
Relieves stress
Matcha has insanely high amounts of a specific amino acid called L-theanine, which has strong associations with the production of alpha waves in the brain. When L-theanine is absorbed into the bloodstream, dopamine and serotonin levels tend to rise, which often produce alpha waves, which often produce feelings of well-being, general happiness, relaxation, and alertness.
Helps you lose weight
Several key studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that quality matcha has thermogenic properties (thermogenesis is the rate at which the human body burns calories), and that exercising immediately after drinking matcha resulted in 25% more fat burning during exercise.
Delights the palate
Breakaway Matcha has so much umami (the fifth taste along with salt, sweet, sour, and bitter) in it that it’s hard to believe that it’s just green tea. It’s more akin to a world-class red wine, in terms of acid structure, maximum umami, and long, long finish. Wine lovers and epicures tend to immediately take to matcha for these reasons.
Gives you better breath
Really! And not just compared with shall-we –charitably-call-it unpleasant coffee breath. The catechin blast of matcha acts as a kind of sterilizing agent. A cup of matcha after a meal retards the growth of germs, which cause periodontal disease and halitosis (bad breath). It also protects the tooth enamel. Dentists LOVE matcha.
