Scientific research

Improves mood and relaxes

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea and mushrooms. Amino acids are chemical compounds that are the building blocks of human body cells. They form proteins responsible for the production of insulin, adrenaline, and neurotransmitters. They support cell regeneration and are responsible for building muscle mass. Numerous studies conducted in the USA and Australia have shown that L-theanine, in combination with caffeine, also found in matcha, positively affects mental function, focus, and mood (1)(2). The presence of L-theanine partially dampens the stimulating effect of caffeine and lowers blood pressure. Thanks to this, after drinking a cup of matcha tea, we feel a surge of energy, mental invigoration, but also a calming of nerves, as also shown by research conducted by scientists from Newcastle University (3).

Helps with learning and improves memory

Research published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" demonstrates how green tea improves attention and helps focus on the task at hand. Individuals who drank two or three cups of green tea within an hour and a half performed better in learning tasks than those who drank a placebo beverage (4). Thanks to its mind-stimulating effect, green tea also aids creative thinking (5).

L-theanine has a particularly positive effect on improving working memory. Participants in a study conducted at the University of Basel solved tasks designed to test this hypothesis after drinking green tea. Subsequently, Professor Stefan Borgwardt from the Psychiatric Clinic, who led the study, used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the brain activity of the volunteers. He observed an increase in connections between the parietal and frontal cortices of the brain. Better connections between brain nerve cells translated into improved cognitive functions (6). Therefore, it is hypothesized that green tea extract could support therapies for dementia patients.

Concentrates and shortens reaction time

The appropriate proportions of L-theanine and caffeine in matcha positively influence our cognitive abilities. In 2017, Dutch researchers investigated how the consumption of matcha tea and matcha-containing bars affected performance in cognitive ability tasks. Before the test, each participant consumed one of four products: drank matcha, ate a matcha bar, drank a placebo beverage, or ate a placebo bar. All then performed tasks testing attention, working memory, and episodic memory, i.e., memory of past events. Information processing speed was also tested. The studies showed that after drinking matcha, participants were better able to focus on the task at hand, and their reactions to stimuli were faster (7).

Catechins are polyphenolic compounds classified as flavanols. The richest source of catechins is matcha tea; they are also found in smaller amounts in regular green tea, as well as in fruit skins, cocoa, red wine, and legumes. Catechins have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, thereby strengthening the immune system. They remove heavy metals from the body and inhibit aging processes. They also limit the formation of new reactive oxygen species (ROS). The latest scientific research also shows connections between delaying cancer development and regularly drinking green matcha tea.
American scientists from the University of Colorado compared the EGCG content in high-quality Japanese matcha with the content of this substance in green tea from teabags sold in Starbucks cafes. The study results showed that matcha contained 137 times more EGCG than green tea brewed from a teabag. Researchers emphasized that even compared to high-quality loose-leaf green tea, a cup of matcha will contain at least three times more EGCG catechins (8).

EGCG Catechins = Antioxidants delaying the effects of aging

EGCG catechins are polyphenols with very strong antioxidant properties. They help prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which include free radicals and peroxides. Matcha tea thus provides a super-oxidative effect that counteracts excessive reactive oxygen species activity (9). The concentration of reactive oxygen species is regulated in the cell by antioxidants, such as free radical scavengers, glutathione, tocopherols, and antioxidant enzymes. An imbalance between pro-oxidative and antioxidative compounds causes oxidative stress, which can lead to cell damage or death. It is suspected that neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's may be caused by excessive oxidative stress that damages tissues. Oxidative stress is also linked to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

Have a slimming effect

Matcha tea helps burn excess calories, lowers blood glucose and insulin levels, even if we don't change our eating habits. A meta-analysis of studies published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" shows that regular green tea consumption leads to burning an additional 100 calories per day (10). This happens because EGCG catechins increase the body's energy expenditure and accelerate fat burning.
Another study showed that people who drank green tea lost an average of 1.3 kg over 12 weeks of the experiment without changing their eating habits. Other cited population studies indicate that people who regularly drink tea have, on average, a lower BMI and smaller waist circumference than those who avoid tea. Waist circumference is an important indicator of our health. Too much fat in this area indicates metabolic disorders: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes.

Studies conducted by the University of Sao Paulo on a group of obese women showed that adding green tea to a weight loss program yielded the best results. Women who, in addition to diet and exercise, drank green tea for eight weeks, not only lost an average of 5.8 kg, but also significantly reduced their waist circumference. They also lowered triglyceride and fat levels and increased muscle mass (11).
Similar results regarding catechins in green tea were obtained by American researchers from Penn State University (12). Research on matcha conducted by researchers from The Royal Society of Chemistry confirmed that the effects obtained from consuming regular green tea are multiplied in the case of matcha, because by drinking powdered matcha tea, we consume the entire nutritional content of green tea leaves (both water-soluble and water-insoluble components). The same studies confirmed that matcha effectively helps digest excess fat and lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol (13).

Inhibit cancer development

Global research demonstrates that EGCG catechins play an important role in inhibiting cancer development. One study showed that supplementing the diet with 600 mg of catechins from green tea daily reduced the progression of prostate cancer. After one year, prostate cancer developed in 9 percent of men on the green tea diet and in as many as 30 percent of the placebo group (14).
Studies also confirm that EGCG changes the metabolism of cancer cells by suppressing the activation of an enzyme responsible for their growth and activity (15). As one of the study authors, Wai-Nang Lee from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), emphasized, understanding how this component of green tea can fight cancer cells may open the door to developing entirely new anti-cancer therapies. A team of scientists from Penn State University determined that EGCG found in green tea kills oral cancer cells but leaves healthy cells unharmed (16).
Population studies involving 75,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women showed that regular green tea consumption reduces the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, including stomach and colon cancer. Women who reported drinking 2-3 cups of green tea daily had a 21 percent reduced risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers, researchers from the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center found. For women who regularly drank green tea for over 20 years, the risk of colon cancer or other gastrointestinal cancers decreased by 27-29 percent. All women were non-smokers and non-drinkers. However, there were some differences in diet and lifestyle, which were taken into account in the analysis of the results. The study results were published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" (17).

Catechins prevent cardiovascular diseases

As long-term Japanese population studies show, involving over 40 and 90 thousand middle-aged and older participants respectively, EGCG catechins in matcha have a beneficial effect on heart and circulatory system function. Published in JAMA (18) and Annals of Epidemiology (19), these studies state that people who regularly drink several cups of green tea daily had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. The greater the tea consumption, the lower the risk of death, which was particularly strongly observed in women. Green tea had the greatest impact on reducing the risk of stroke.
Catechins, especially the strongest EGCG, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic effects. Individuals who habitually drank one to four cups of green tea had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke than non-tea drinkers, according to studies conducted over 13 years on more than 80,000 Japanese individuals (20). "Regular green tea consumption improves cardiovascular function by preventing clot formation," says Yoshihiro Kokubo, the lead author of the studies. The scientist speculates that the chemicals protecting against stroke and other cardiovascular diseases are precisely catechins.
Catechins, the main component of matcha green tea, through their anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic action, can prevent the formation of a deadly disease - aortic aneurysm. Aneurysms occur as a result of atherosclerotic processes, hypertension, and strenuous exertion. As research by Japanese scientists from Kyoto has shown, EGCG catechins have regenerating functions for elastin, the main protein that gives arteries their elasticity (21).

Japanese matcha for strong bones

EGCG catechins found in matcha green tea help maintain good bone health in middle and old age and prevent the development of osteoporosis. One study showed that regular tea consumption is associated with a 30 percent reduced risk of bone fracture in women and men over 50 years old. Another cited study involved 150 postmenopausal women. Consuming about 500 mg of tea extract, which translates to 1-2 cups of Japanese matcha tea daily, improved bone health and bone tissue density, reduced susceptibility to inflammation, and improved muscle strength (22).