Matcha ingredients: what makes matcha healthy?
Introduction
Why is matcha considered healthy? The answer lies in its ingredients, which this article explores. Alongside lesser-known antioxidants such as EGCG, ECG, EGC, quercetin and rutin, we’ll also look at better-known compounds such as vitamin C and caffeine.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand why matcha tea is considered so healthy and how you can use it.
Contents
1. Matcha tea ingredients
We’ve already discussed matcha’s ingredients in our article on the effects of matcha. If you’d like a detailed explanation of how matcha’s ingredients generally affect the body after you drink it, you can read more there.
Here, we’ll take a broader look at the ingredients before considering why matcha is regarded as healthy.
1.1. Caffeine: the stimulating ingredient in matcha
Like green tea, matcha contains caffeine. However, it contains considerably more than ordinary green or black tea. With up to 4.4%, matcha tea is definitely among the more caffeinated teas.
| Type | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| Guayusa | 3%–7.6% |
| Matcha | 1.9%–4.4% |
| Black tea | 1%–3.5% |
| White tea | 3%–6% |
| Yellow tea | 0.1%–0.4% |
| Green tea | 0.1%–3.9% |
1.2. L-theanine
This amino acid comes up frequently on our blog, and for good reason: it’s fascinating. Together with caffeine, both ingredients in matcha reach their full potential and work synergistically, as they do in guayusa tea. Mental performance improves through greater alertness, better focus and faster reactions, as well as greater resilience to stress.
1.3. Antioxidants: matcha’s most important ingredients
Antioxidants are probably matcha’s most important active compounds.
Antioxidants do more than neutralise free radicals; they also differ from one another in a variety of other effects.
Matcha has an exceptionally high ORAC value of around 120,000 to 180,000 Trolox units, comparable to that of guayusa tea.
Catechins EGCG, ECG & EGC
Catechins are the most interesting antioxidants in matcha and account for much of its effect. EGCG, ECG and EGC are the most abundant matcha tea ingredients among its antioxidants.
EGCG, ECG and EGC are considered highly effective anti-cancer compounds.
Moreover EGCG is also credited with supporting weight loss; a nerve-protective effect has been demonstrated in studies. Read more in our article on the effects of matcha.
Chlorophyll: the green ingredient in matcha
This green pigment is an ingredient—and therefore an active compound—found in all plants. The higher the quality of matcha, however, the higher its chlorophyll content.
Very good matcha is a deep, bright green, with no yellow or brown tinge. We recommend buying only matcha grown in Japan, where the important cultivation and processing steps are observed. Matcha from other countries, such as China and Vietnam, contains considerably less chlorophyll and is therefore likely to be of lower quality.
Polyphenols and polyphenolic acids
Polyphenolic acids are also found not only in matcha, but in all plants. They belong to the group of secondary plant compounds known as polyphenols.
Polyphenols make up around 30% of all the ingredients in a dry matcha leaf. They include pigments, aromatic and flavour compounds, and acids.
Quercetin
Quercetin does not appear to be very soluble in water. Experiments found that considerably more quercetin dissolves in alcoholic solutions than in water.
Even so, a small amount of this antioxidant—which may improve insulin sensitivity and also protect nerves—dissolves in a water-based infusion.
Rutin
Rutin is an exceptionally potent antioxidant found, among other places, in high amounts in buckwheat. In matcha, this ingredient is present at 31 times the level.
Vitamin C
Everyone will have heard of this antioxidant. It is recommended that we get vitamin C every day from vegetables and fruit.
Matcha also contains vitamin C. However, to get the amount found in one lemon, you would need to drink around 1.5 litres of matcha. This would cause severe heart palpitations.
2. Why is matcha considered healthy?
Matcha is clearly a food—or, more accurately, a drink enjoyed for pleasure and a functional food—with ingredients that are particularly beneficial to health. All studies and experiments on matcha focus on whether, and why, matcha is so healthy.
The findings always point back to matcha’s ingredients, particularly its antioxidants. Matcha is considered so healthy because of the effects and synergy of all its ingredients.
Studies have shown that the antioxidants in matcha tea may have numerous beneficial properties, including:
- Neutralising free radicals
- Protecting nerve cells and fibres
- Strengthening the immune system
- Reducing inflammation
- Regulating diabetes
- Preventing diabetes
- Improving cognitive abilities
- Improving metabolism
- Reducing body fat
For a detailed account of the ingredients’ effects, especially those of the many antioxidants mentioned, see our article on the effects of matcha.
3. Conclusion
It is now easy to answer the question of why matcha is considered healthy. Like guayusa, matcha tea contains a wide range of antioxidants and is certainly one of the healthiest foods there is.
The most interesting antioxidants are EGCG, ECG and EGC, which belong to the catechin group. Their effects are particularly beneficial to our health.
Matcha tea is clearly a drink enjoyed for its health benefits. However, it is less suitable as an effective everyday pick-me-up, because it lacks a sustained energising effect accompanied by better concentration and physical performance.
For more information about matcha, we recommend our main article, which also contains many informative links for further reading.