UMAMI MATCHA HEALTH BENEFITS
The health benefits of Matcha are unparalleled due to the rich abundance of antioxidants, polyphenols, chlorophyll, fiber, vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients. Matcha drinkers consume the entire tea leaf in powder form, not just tea-infused hot water. This ensures that 100% of the green tea’s nutrients are absorbed as opposed to 10% of the nutrients consumed in regular steeped green tea. A study published in the Journal of Chromatography showed that the concentration of antioxidants is 137 times greater in matcha than in standard steeped green tea (1). |
MATCHA IMPROVES CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS
Numerous health benefits have been associated with the consumption of green tea. Green tea regulates blood sugar in diabetics, lowers cholesterol, and protects against liver disorders and cardiovascular disease (2).
Green tea possesses enormous potential for cancer prevention and reduces the risk of certain cancers, including colon, breast, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the antioxidants found in matcha are believed to help prevent cancer (3) by:
- Protecting DNA in cells from damage caused by free radicals.
- Inhibiting tumor cell development and inducing cancer cell destruction.
- Activating detoxification enzymes which prevent tumor growth.
- Protecting against damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) B radiation.
- Improving overall immune system function, our body’s defense against cancer cells.
EGCG, MATCHA'S POWERFUL ANTIOXIDANT
Matcha contains a wide variety of antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids.
Antioxidants shield the body from harmful free radicals by protecting DNA, preserving healthy tissue, minimizing cell damage, preventing aging, fighting chronic and degenerative diseases, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Antioxidants shield the body from harmful free radicals by protecting DNA, preserving healthy tissue, minimizing cell damage, preventing aging, fighting chronic and degenerative diseases, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
The key antioxidant in matcha is the powerful catechin EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate).
EGCG has disease fighting properties, protects DNA, fights the aging process, and aids weight loss.
No other food or beverage contains the concentration of EGCG found in Matcha.
EGCG has disease fighting properties, protects DNA, fights the aging process, and aids weight loss.
No other food or beverage contains the concentration of EGCG found in Matcha.
Of all the natural antioxidant-rich superfoods known on earth, matcha is the highest in antioxidant levels.
The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) test was developed by the USDA and Tufts University to determine antioxidant levels of foods and beverages. Umami Matcha has an astonishing ORAC score of 1384, blowing away the other antioxidant rich superfoods tested, such as pomegranate which scored 105 and spinach which scored 26. Gram for gram, Umami Matcha has 13X the antioxidant power of pomegranate and over 50X the antioxidants in spinach. |
MATCHA AND BRAIN HEALTH
Studies have investigated the potential benefits of green tea on brain issues, such as memory, attention, and risk for cognitive decline and dementia. These studies suggest benefits in memory and cognition for people both with and without cognitive problems:
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MATCHA INCREASES METABOLISM AND PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS
Matcha is an important tool for weight loss that works safely and effectively in multiple ways.
Matcha increases metabolism, suppresses appetite, reduces fat storage, and kills off old fat cells by creating an increase in energy expenditure (a measure of metabolism), combined with a significant effect on fat oxidation (7)(8).
Matcha’s chief antioxidant, EGCG, increases thermogenesis (the body’s rate of burning calories) by about 30% (3)(8) and kills off hard to get rid of, old resistant fat cells (9).
MONKS AND MEDITATION: FINDING CALM ENERGY AND FOCUS IN A CUP OF MATCHA
For nearly a thousand years, the power of matcha has been known to Zen Buddhist monks who drink it during meditation to stimulate mental alertness while at the same time creating a calm, meditative state. We now know that this is due to the abundance of the amino acid L-Theanine in matcha. L-Theanine reduces anxiety and stress as well as increasing alpha waves in the brain which are responsible for relaxed, calm alertness, while improving concentration, memory and focus (10). Due to the synergistic effect of caffeine and L-theanine, Matcha provides up to 6 hours of sustained energy, concentration, memory and focus without the spike and consequent crash normally associated with caffeine. This makes matcha the perfect coffee alternative and 100% natural energy drink providing sustained, focused, natural energy without the extra caffeine, sugar or other additives (11). |
DETOXIFICATION
Due to being shade grown for 3-4 weeks before harvest, the chlorophyll content of Matcha is extremely high. Chlorophyll not only provides matcha with it’s vibrant green color, but acts as a detoxifier and alkalizer. It also increases the production and oxygen capacity of healthy red blood cells, and helps support healthy liver function.
(1) Weiss, D.J. et al. “Determination Of Catechins In Matcha Green Tea By Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography.” Journal of Chromatography. 2003; 1011(1-2): 173-180.
(2) Imai, K. Nakachi K., Cross sectional study of effects of drinking green tea on cardiovascular and liver diseases. BMJ 1995: 310-693
(3) National Cancer Institute. “Tea And Cancer Prevention: Strengths And Limits Of The Evidence.” National Institute of Health. 2010
(4) Noguchi-Shinohara, M., Yuki, S., Dohmoto, C., Ikeda, Y., Samuraki, M., Iwasa, K., et al. (2014). Consumption of green tea, but not black tea or coffee, is associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline. PLoS ONE, 9(5), e96013. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096013
(5) Park, S.-K., Jung, I.-C., Lee, W. K., Lee, Y. S., Park, H. K., Go, H. J., et al. (2011). A combination of green tea extract and l-theanine improves memory and attention in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Journal of Medicinal Food, 14(4), 334–343. http://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2009.1374
(6) Walker, J. M., Klakotskaia, D., Ajit, D., Weisman, G. A., Wood, W. G., Sun, G. Y., et al. (2015). Beneficial effects of dietary EGCG and voluntary exercise on behavior in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease : JAD, 44(2), 561–572. http://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-140981
(7) Nagago, T. “Ingestion Of A Tea Rich In Catechins Leads To A Reduction In Body Fat And Malondialdehyde-Modified LDL In Men.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005; 81(1): 122-129.
(8) Dulloo, A.G.., Duret, C., et al. Efficacy of green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70: 1040-5, 1999
(9) Lin, J. et al. 2005 Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate inhibits adipogenesis and induces apoptosis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
(10) Mason R. 200 mg of Zen; L-theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation. Alternative &
Complementary Therapies 2001,April; 7:91-95
(11) Juneja, L., Chu, D-C., Okubo, T., et al. L-Theanine - a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. Trends in Food Science Tech10: 199-204, 1999.