6 days Ago By [email protected] (Sophie Buchan)
Health experts have suggested people include matcha in their diet with it boasting many benefits. Said to lower your blood pressure , according to experts at Harvard Health . Not only does it help this, but it has also been associated with improved concentration and alertness.
Matcha is a powder made from green tea leaves and if you love the taste, you can often drink it on its own by mixing powder and water. However even if you aren't keen on the taste, you can add it to smoothies, cakes, brownies and more. The vivid green concentrated powder is made from the leaves of the "camellia sinensis tea plant.
It is found most commonly in Japan and China and tends to have a distinct flavor that is sweeter and smoother than other green teas," explain the experts. The health experts say that it differs from green tea as whilst it's a type of green tea, it's grown in the shade, thus boosting the amount of certain phytochemicals. This is plant chemicals which offers a number of health benefits - some of which has an anti-inflammatory effect.
What are the health benefits of matcha? The Harvard experts say: "Matcha contains an abundance of antioxidants (including polyphenols such as catechins) and phytochemicals (such as chlorophyll and quercetin). These substances may have some positive effects on our health, particularly when they are consumed in foods that naturally contain them." Some of the substances found in matcha are said to help with anti-inflammatory thanks to its p olyphenols.
They explain: " A meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that antioxidants called catechins found in green tea help lower blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. Rutin, a bioflavonoid found in matcha, also contributes to these effects." In addition to this, the antioxidants and polyphenols could help improve insulin sensitivity with the amino acid L-theanine found in it has been associated with improved concentration and alertness.
Is it safe to drink Matcha every day? The experts at Holland & Barrett have said you can drink it every day, but in moderation. They warn that you shouldn't have too much matcha as "it’s extremely potent". They explain that just "one cup of Matcha tea powder alone contains three times more antioxidants than green tea plus, there’s the caffeine content to factor in too".
If you are going to drink it, "ideally, you should have no more than 400g/2 cups a day of it", the experts say. You can pick up powder in many stores for around £5 and if you love your cup of tea, you can grab Matcha tea from the likes of Morrisons and other supermarkets for £4 or 50 Green Tea Matcha Tea Bags from Asda - that's just 6p per tea bag..
