Antioxidant Properties and Nutritional Composition of Matcha Green Tea

Jakubczyk K, Kochman J, Kwiatkowska A, Kałduńska J, Dec K, Kawczuga D, Janda K · Foods · 2020 April 12

Objective

To determine the antioxidant potential and the content of substances with an antioxidant effect—vitamin C, total polyphenol content including flavonoids—in infusions made from Traditional Matcha (from the first and second harvests) and Daily Matcha (from the second and third harvests) at different temperatures.

Conclusions

Matcha, the Japanese powdered green tea, is a valuable resource with rich content of biologically active substances with antioxidant properties. It is characterized by particularly high content of rutin, but also polyphenols and vitamin C. Additionally, its infusions have a high antioxidant potential, the highest out of all tea types. However, factors such as the time of harvest and the temperature of brewing have an influence on its properties. Infusions made from Matcha tea, particularly from the second and third harvests, can be a valuable source of antioxidants and can be used in the prophylaxis of illnesses with a free-radical basis.

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Insights

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.