Insights & Discussion
The antioxidant potential and substance levels in Matcha tea is affected by the harvest period and water temperature used for preparation.
The study's methodology was set to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and significant component levels of traditional and daily Matcha green tea, originating from Japan. It focused on the content of essential vitamins, flavonoids, and other polyphenols. The variations in these components were examined by making infusions at different temperatures - 25°C, 70°C, 80°C, and 90°C. Approximately 1.75g of the plant material was used with 100mL of distilled water in these preparations. The comparison was made between Matcha tea from the first and second harvests, as well as from the second and third harvests.
In the discussion of results, infusions made from the daily Matcha harvest, especially the one prepared at 90°C, were observed to have the highest amount of substances possessing antioxidant properties. Notably, the concentrations of these beneficial substances tended to vary according to the timing of the plant's harvest and the temperature of water used for infusion preparation. Particularly, flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamin C showed appreciable fluctuation across these variables, confirming a vital link between preparation details and the health benefits furnished by Matcha green tea.
Discover Related Insights
There is a notable gap in scientific research on the potential health benefits and antioxidant activity of matcha tea compared to green tea.
2021 Applied Sciences Retrospecting the Antioxidant Activity of Japanese Matcha Green Tea–Lack of Enthusiasm? Sivanesan I, Gopal J, Muthu M, Chun S, Oh JW
Review Article Antioxidant Green Tea Matcha
The strategy used in this study was a literature review that critically evaluated existing research publications on both green tea and matcha tea. This focused primarily on the concentration and potential benefits of their bioactive components and polyphenols. Key areas of comparison included antioxidant activity and potential health benefits in each tea variety. The comparison was made simultaneously considering the scarcity of studies specifically focused on matcha tea.
The discussion of the results became apparent that there is a significant discrepancy in the volume of scientific literature available on green tea compared to that on matcha. Despite matcha tea being rich in bioactive components and polyphenols, the lack of research has left its potential health benefits and antioxidant activity largely unexplored. This discrepancy emphasizes the immediate need to address the gap between public usage and awareness of matcha tea's benefits with scientific approval and understanding.
Daily supplementation of Matcha Green Tea Powder is found to enhance cognitive functions in elderly women.
2020 Nutrients Effects of Matcha Green Tea Powder on Cognitive Functions of Community-Dwelling Elderly Individuals Sakurai K, Shen C, Ezaki Y, Inamura N, Fukushima Y, Masuoka N, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Brain Health Cognitive Function Matcha
The research performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial over a period of 12 weeks. The involvement of 61 participants who were community-dwelling elderly people was arranged, and these participants were randomly assigned to either a test group receiving a daily drink containing 3 grams of Matcha Green Tea Powder or a placebo group. Assessments of their cognitive function changes were made using a psychometric test battery. Also, the participants' daily food intake was monitored and recorded using a Brief-type Self-administered Diet History Questionnaire.
The results clearly indicated substantial enhancement in cognitive functions in women who were part of the active test group. It was observed in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scoring scheme. An interesting pattern that came up in the dietary analysis was the significant inverse correlation between consumption of vitamin K in everyday food apart from test drinks and a change in MoCA. Overall, the study indicates that regular intake of Matcha Green Tea Powder can have protective effects against cognition decline, particularly in elderly women residing in the community.
Shaded gardening of Japanese matcha creates high-quality tea with unique compounds that can boost physical and mental health.
2020 Molecules Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review Kochman J, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, Mruk H, Janda K
Review Article Matcha Mental Health
This study reviewed and compiled health benefits of matcha tea, a type of powdered green tea grown traditionally in Japan with plants shaded during growth. This shading process promotes the synthesis and accumulation of unique biologically active compounds, which includes theanine, caffeine, chlorophyll, and a variety of catechins, with matcha offering a condensed source of these elements. The review indicated that matcha is considered the highest quality tea due to its distinctive chemical composition and prized flavor.
In discussing the results, a major conclusion reached was that matcha tea has effective health-promoting attributes due to the tea's high content of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances. Such benefits have largely been credited to its significant proportion of catechins - a type of phenolic compound beneficial to human health. The high antioxidant potential of the tea and its subsequent ability to help prevent various diseases and support cognitive function underscores the value in regular consumption of matcha for not only physical health, but also mental health.
Matcha green tea potentially inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells by disrupting metabolic action within the cells and reprogramming their activities.
2018 Aging Matcha green tea (MGT) inhibits the propagation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), by targeting mitochondrial metabolism, glycolysis and multiple cell signalling pathways Bonuccelli G, Sotgia F, Lisanti MP
Experimental Study Matcha
The research utilized MCF7 cells, a human breast cancer cell line, as a standard model for testing. To understand the effects of Matcha green tea (MGT) at the cellular level, the team conducted two sets of detailed examinations, metabolic phenotyping and proteomics analysis. Metabolic phenotyping explored the effects of the MGT on cellular metabolism, looking at its influence on both oxidative mitochondrial metabolism and glycolytic flux. Proteomics analysis identified specific proteins and enzymes which were affected by the MGT treatment.
The findings from the metabolic phenotyping displayed that MGT treatment slowed down both oxidative mitochondrial metabolism and glycolytic flux, pushing cancer cells towards a less active metabolic state. The proteomics analysis discovered specific mitochondrial proteins and glycolytic enzymes down-regulated by the introduction of MGT. Detailed bioinformatics analysis of the proteomics data revealed that the MGT drastically affected mTOR signalling, particularly down-regulating numerous components of the 40S ribosome, suggesting a possibility of MGT being used as an inhibitor of mTOR. Other pathways, including anti-oxidant response, cell cycle regulation, and interleukin signalling, were also significantly affected.
Matcha tea holds nearly 137 times the concentration of epigallocatechin gallate, an important catechin, compared to common green teas.
2003 Journal of Chromatography A Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography Weiss DJ, Anderton CR
Experimental Study EGCG Matcha
Researchers devised a fast method to evaluate the presence of five key catechins and caffeine in matcha using micellar electrokinetic chromatography. This analytical process examined matcha in both its water-based and methanol extractions, and then it was juxtaposed with the outcome of a water extraction of a popular green tea. The comparison was made basing it on a milligram catechin per gram of dry leaf parameter.
In lieu of the data results from this methodology, it was observed that the available concentration of epigallocatechin gallate, a major catechin, from consuming matcha significantly surpassed - by 137 folds - the quantity obtainable from a well-known green tea called 'China Green Tips.' Furthermore, it also exceeded by at least three times the largest concentration reported in other green teas, according to existing literature. These results underscore matcha's significantly higher health potential when compared to other conventional green teas.
Sign In
Users not signed in are limited to viewing the 5 most recent items of content.