Introduction
Matcha Green Tea which is also known as maccha is a fine powder of green tea.1 It’s origin is in Japan though it has come to be spread in most parts of the world, notably in Asia. It is gradually creeping into the rest of the world, including America.4 Though it is mainly used as a beverage; matcha is also used in various ways such as flavoring as well as dying of foods which include green tea ice cream, noodles, soba and mocha noodles.1 It is also widely used for the making of Japanese confectionary also known as the wagashi. This tea is made from the leaves of shade-grown tea leaves. Usually, the parts used in making the tea are at the very top of the tea bush. They are usually soft in texture and quiet supple.2 The main reason as to why these leaves are used is because they help in producing high grade maccha.
Bioactive Compounds
There are quite a number of bioactive compounds that are found in green tea. Some of these are as explained in the paragraphs below.
Vitamin C: It is well known that vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a very important compound in the body since it helps in boosting the immune response. It also acts as a co-factor in the carnitine cycle and also facilitates the formation of niacin from tryptophan. It also acts as anti-histamine, besides being a detoxifier. Such an important compound is found in the leaves of green tea; hence it is such a benefit to the body.8
B-group vitamins: These vitamins are responsible for energy generation through the acetyl-CoA activation. Furthermore, they are also very vital in the immune system of the body. Green tea contains quite a number of these compounds, which include Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin 9B2), Niacin (B3), as well as pantothenic acid (B5).8, 10 Besides the carbohydrate metabolism, these are also important in the formation of digestive juices as well as protection of the mucous membrane. Green tea, therefore, plays a major role in the body.
Caffeine: It is commonly accepted that tea is a stimulant. Therefore, it goes without saying that this compound is found in abundance in maccha.7 This acts as a stimulant, and also comes in as a stress remover. This adds the vale of green tea to humans.
Vitamin E: One of the main functions of vitamin E in the body is hat it acts as an antioxidant and also boosts the body’s immunity. Furthermore, it comes in handy as an agent in the blood clotting process, which aids in preventing haemorrhage.19, 21 Therefore; it can be argued that taking of green tea helps in protecting the body. Furthermore, the tocopherol agents are also known to act as anti-aging agents.
Tannins: These are also known as the catechins. Not only do they give the stringent taste to the tea, but they also act as antibacterial and anti-oxidant agents. In other words, they function greatly in protecting the body from invasions by bacteria and other foreign bodies.
Theanine: This is an amino acid which gives the tea the umami taste that it has.
Alkalinity: It contains compounds such as zinc, calcium, nickel, potassium, and molybdenum. These are micro-nutrients which play various important roles in the body. Furthermore, the compounds also act as co-factors in various body reactions. As such, they cannot be written off since they are quite important.
Fluorine: This is also a micro-nutrient which helps in maintaining the dental health and integrity. Matcha green tea has more of this than any other drink or food for that matter.
Saponins and plant pigments: The saponins are vital in the body since they contain some anti-inflammatory qualities.24 On the other hand, the plant pigments of chlorophyll and flavones go a long way in preventing conditions such as cancer.
Based on the above information, it is very clear that matcha green tea has a lot of compounds which are active. These compounds are of great benefits in the body since they help in the satisfaction of some of the body needs. This also could be the reason as to why the maccha has become very common and its popularity spreads like a wild fire on dry grass. It has proven to fulfill most of the needs that man has in his drinks. There are also the health implications of using green tea. These are as explained in the following section.
Health Benefits of Matcha Green Tea
Promotes Burning of Fats
Most people in the world today are very conscious about their weight, especially in the western world. They appreciate the fact that weight gaining is a precursor to obesity which can, in turn, lead to other health problems such as cardiac diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. As such, people try all they can to make sure that they keep their weight within the acceptable level. However, it has to be noted that there are only two ways through which individuals can lose weight.5,6 One of them is by avoiding taking of too much calories, as well as making sure that the excess calories are burnt through exercise. However, it has to be noted that burning the excess calories found in the body is not an easy taks.4, 9 As such; there is the need to make sure that this process is facilitated.
The advantage of taking green tea is that it increases the rate of energy metabolism due to the stimulation aspect. As such, it helps individuals in being more active where they end up burning most of the excess fat.10 This is greatly attributed to the caffeine compounds that are found in this tea. Furthermore, the tea also has the ability to increase thermogenesis5, 6. This is the ability of the body to burn out excess calories. This process can be raised from the 8-10% of energy intake per day to 35-43 percent. Such effects, combined with the fact that it has a great effect on fat oxidation, leads to the increase in advantages of taking this tea. It is more effective in controlling obesity and the associated chronic conditions. Its benefits as compared to the other drugs which play the same role are that it poses no threat of raising the blood pressure.
Matcha Acts as an Anti-Oxidant
Research indicates that matcha has a very strong anti-oxidant ability. It contains about an equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in the content of anti-oxidants. It also ranks higher than some plants which contain anti-oxidants such as spinach and the blueberries.
This just indicates the superiority of maccha as compared to the other foods. The main types of anti-oxidants found in the maccha are the catechins.24, 25 60 % of the catechins found in the matcha belong to a group known as the EGC (Epicgallocatechin gallate).13 This is the largest group of anti-oxidants that are known to fight cancer.
Based on this evidence, it can be concluded that taking of this tea goes a long way in preventing the induction of cancer. The anti-oxidants help in fighting the free radicals which can aid in inducing the condition.3, 21 Furthermore, it has also been noted that maccha has flavanones. These are classified in a group of nutrients known as the neutraceuticals, which implies that they have the ability to fight disease, or can be used for therapeutic means. Furthermore, it is well known that the anti-oxidants help in slowing down the aging process.11,13 Not only do they help in keeping an individual looking young and healthy, but also facilitates the aspect of looking young. This is a good prospect, and could also come in as one of the reasons as to why this product has become so famous. It has practically helped in solving some of the problems that people have sought to curb for a long time with no success.
Preventing Heart Conditions
Cardiovascular diseases are among the major causes of deaths in the world. They range from heart attacks to other minor heart conditions.12 All these tend to come about due to the adoption of an unhealthy diet as well as observing a sedentary lifestyle.16, 24 Such factors lead to the accumulation of fat in the body which leads to weight loss. Eventually, there can be the formation of plaques in the blood vessels, as well as a rise in the blood pressure. These conditions are very serious as they can lead to death. Heart diseases are a leading cause of death as indicated from the graph below.
Source: CDC (2012)
Taking of matcha green tea proves to be a solution to this issue. It is conventionally accepted that these conditions mainly occur due to the accumulation of the bad cholesterol, which is also known as the low density lipoprotein (LDL).15 Taking of this tea leads to a reduction of the serum LDL. As such, the individual is free from the risk of such conditions as heart attacks. This is a great benefit that cannot go unmentioned. With the modern lifestyle, improved standards of living and the excessive use of machinery, people are at risk of accumulating this bad cholesterosl.13, 16 Having such a product as the maccha which can help in dealing with this problem is such a great benefit to the humans. It is as if they get a new lifeline where they can get rid of a persistent problem. Maccha helps by doing the magic and improving the quality of life for the people.
Improving the Mind and Level of Alertness
Stimulants are taken mainly because they help the body in remaining active. An individual who take stimulants is relatively more alert than one who does not. The body needs stimulation in different levels. There are some people who cannot function well unless they take a stimulant in the morning, whereas there are some who can go without it. Matcha green tea is a good stimulant since it contains caffeine, just as the other stimulants.17,18 However, the mind improvement function of matcha is not only based on the effect of caffeine. Maccha is known to contain L-theanin, which is an amino acid. It has the psychoactive properties which can help in producing the alpha wave activity in the individual’s brain. When an individual is under stress, the brain produces the beta wave activity which is associated with more agitation. On the other hand, the alpha waves can help an individual relax and also lower the blood pressure; hence helping to relieve the stress. L-theanin comes in for this function.10, 17 It helps in counterbalancing the jittery effects that are produced by caffeine. Therefore, it helps in improving concentration and induces clarity of mind. This is a very important factor that cannot be written off. It helps in making sure that an individual functions normally and can stay alert for as long as is needed. Though there are other products that can help in achieving the same, yet maccha has a greater command at this. It contains a relatively higher ability than these other products. This is the reason as to why it stands out and has risen in popularity.
Improving Immunity
The immune system of the body is a function of the different vitamins and minerals which help in boosting the body’s ability to fight infections and foreign bodies. The maccha has several compounds which help in attaining this. First of all, there is the vitamin B group that is found in abundance in the leaves. Given that the leaves are dried and processed under the sun, it implies that these nutrients are not lost. The vitamins help in fighting some conditions such as beriberi, riboflavinosis, pellagra, as well as the athlete burning foot.1, 11, 24 This is a function of the vitamins found in the tea.
There is also the vitamin C that is found in the maccha. As mentioned earlier in this essay, vitamin C has a lot of functions in the body which aim at improving the immune function. Furthermore, it also acts as anti-histamine which aids in prevention of common colds.22 This is in addition to the other neutraceuticals such as the flavanones and antioxidants. All these help in making sure that the body’s line of defense is reinforced. As such, no infection can simply come in.
It has to be noted that the body’s immune system is complex and contains a lot of nutrients.4 There is no single food that can be attributed to providing the body with all the protection it needs. Rather, the foods ingested act synergistically to improve the immune function. Green tea comes in handy at this level where it facilitates the system by adding some of the vital nutrients that can boost the immune system. Its importance cannot be underscored.
Boosting Energy in the Body
Human bodies are always producing and using energy. This energy can be used in the major activities in the body such as walking, running, or any other physical activity that an individual engages in. Even when an individual is at rest, there are other voluntary body activities that go on continuously such as the heartbeat, breathing, and so on. These activities are supported by the basal metabolic rate (BMR), 16 which is the energy needed by the body at rest so as to go on with the normal body processes. All these call for energy.
Since the importance of energy in the body cannot be denied, it is important that the foods that humans ingest help in bringing out this energy. Maccha is also good at this. Besides the fact that it acts as a stimulant, matcha also contains the various B group vitamins.10, 11 These vitamins are key in the metabolism of carbohydrates, which is the main source of energy for the body. Therefore, when an individual takes in this tea, there is not only the aspect of being alert, but there is also an energy boost. As such, the individual can function even more without running out of power. These B-group vitamins are used in the Krebs cycle where they help in the activation of Acetyl CoA. Without energy, the human body would cease functioning. Therefore, anything that leads to the release of the required energy or the metabolism of the same cannot be taken lightly. This is the reason as to why maccha features strongly.
It has to be noted that there is always the other side of the coin. In as much as maccha has a very good profile and aids in the protection of the body, it also has to be noted that there can be some negative effects associated with the same.
Negative Effects
First of all, it the caffeine contained in the tea can be addictive. This implies that an individual who gets used to it can have the same level of caffeine as an individual who smokes. This is not a very good prospect. The high levels of catechins are also associated with some toxicity related to the gastrointestinal tract.14, 15 Studies are still underway with this, though there is an indication that the high levels can constitute a problem. The tea can also not be taken by diabetics and people who have digestive problems. This is mainly because the caffeine can hinder the process of food digestion and absorption. This interaction can lead to the deterioration of health. Therefore, individuals need to be careful when taking it. Those with medical conditions need to consult their physicians so as to get directions as to whether and how they can take it.
Generally, it is clear that there are myriad benefits of taking maccha. These, however, do not overshadow the fact that there are some negative effects that are associated with the same. All that is needed is for the individuals to make sure that they reap the advantages of the product while avoiding the negative effects. This is the only way through which the benefits of maccha can be obtained without experiencing the negative effects. Well, this is where the old adage goes that too much of anything is poisonous. The individuals should make sure that they enjoy their matcha responsibly.
Conclusion
Matcha green tea, also known as the maccha, is a beverage that originated from Japan. It has spread in popularity all over Asia and has also in other nations such as the US. Based on the myriad benefits that the beverage has, it is arguable that the American population can adopt it so as to enjoy the health benefits that accompany it. However, there are various studies being carried out in relation to this product. Therefore, individuals need to be more careful when adopting it. They should put into consideration the provisions of the FDA and other consumer watch bodies. Their opinions should be sought when purchasing or consuming this product.
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