In any cafe or health food store you will almost certainly find this jade green tea powder. It is mixed into lattes, smoothies, hot chocolate, and even used in desserts like ice cream and brownies.
Many consider it a food packed with antioxidants that can prevent cancer, improve memory, and reduce stress and anxiety. That's enough to convince almost everyone to drink matcha tea. But is he really up to the task?
Matcha is a type of enhanced green tea that has its traditional roots in tea ceremonies in Japan and has become popular in the United States and other countries.
It comes from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as other caffeinated teas, and is grown in an unusual way: the tea plant is shaded from sunlight for much of its growing period so that it can produce more amino acids. and biologically active compounds, such as chlorophyll. Once the leaves are harvested, they are ground into a fine powder.
While other green tea leaves are typically steeped whole in hot water, "matcha is much more concentrated in terms of ingredients because it's made from ground whole tea leaves," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology and director of the nutrition department at the T.H. School of Public Health. Chan from Harvard.
And although research on its health benefits is not definitive, experts say it contains large amounts of potentially beneficial compounds.
"As we age or are exposed to elements in the environment, such as ultraviolet light or carcinogens, we end up with reactive oxygen species and these harm us, for example by damaging our cell membranes," said Jamie Alan, associate professor of pharmacology. and toxicology at Michigan State University.
Antioxidants, which are abundant in matcha, are substances that "neutralize" these harmful molecules, Alan said, preventing a whole "cascade of harmful events."
Therefore, tea can, in theory, help protect the body's cells from damage and reduce the risk of certain health problems, such as heart disease or cancer, Hu and Alan said, although this was not proven. .
This unique amino acid, found in both green tea and certain mushrooms, is another component of matcha that experts highlight as potentially beneficial to health. However, the evidence on how it could do so is weak, Hu said.
Some small placebo-controlled trials have suggested that L-theanine may improve cognitive performance and reduce stress. But only animal studies and a few small human trials have been done, both experts noted.
Although most people don't think about the health effects of caffeine when they drink their morning cup of coffee, the evidence for its benefits is quite strong, Hu said.
Studies have found, for example, that caffeine can increase cognitive function and alertness and speed up metabolism.
And regular coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and age-related cognitive decline, Hu said.
So is matcha healthy?
Few studies have focused on the health benefits of matcha, so it's difficult to say for sure.
But scientists know the benefits of green tea quite well. "There is a lot of research on this tea, and the general evidence indicates that it is a healthy drink," Hu said.
"We don't have similar evidence for matcha, but since it has the same ingredients as green tea, just in much higher concentrations," he continued, it's probably safe to deduce that it offers the same benefits.
Alan also stressed that although matcha is generally safe, certain people - including those who must limit their caffeine intake due to a health problem - should probably avoid it.
"If you are prone to arrhythmias or have heart disease, matcha could be harmful," he said. People sensitive to caffeine should also avoid it because it may cause anxiety and disrupt sleep.
Overall, according to Hu, matcha can be a healthy addition to the diet, as long as you take into account the amount of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients consumed along with it.
The amount of sugar and cream that people add to their daily coffee or tea "is so enormous, it really offsets the health benefits," Hu said. And if you eat a lot of fast food or smoke regularly, don't expect matcha to counteract those unhealthy choices.
"If you get into the habit of consuming matcha regularly, there may be some long-term health benefits. But if you just sprinkle a little matcha powder on chocolate ice cream, then I don't think it will do much good," he concluded.
Read the Clarín article here.
