You may be a fan of matcha ice creams or Japanese tea ceremonies, but did you know that Matcha tea has great health and beauty benefits?
My love for Matcha tea goes back a long way… I first discovered this beautiful tea when I was studying in Japan. At the time, I learned how to perform a tea ceremony (my poor knees still blame me for that!).
The first time I tried Matcha, I actually did not like it. It’s got a very strong, quite unusual taste. Now, I’ve got 4 boxes full of this precious green powder in my closet, and all the tools needed to prepare it. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that Matcha tea had also great health and beauty benefits, and I really wanted to share these with you. So here we go ^^
What is Matcha Tea made of?
Matcha is made from shade-grown, green tea leaves that are laid out flat to dry and are then de-veined, de-stemmed, and stone-ground into a fine, bright green powder. 1.
The benefits of drinking Matcha Tea
When drinking normal tea, we do not eat the leaves and as a result, we usually only absorb the water-soluble components of the tea. Matcha is different, as we actually drink the powder and thus ingest the whole leaves of this high-quality tea. This makes Matcha a more potent source of nutrients than usual green tea. In fact, one serving of matcha tea is the nutritional equivalent of 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea 2
The most abundant and active compound in traditional green tea is called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). This compound has significant antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial, and neuroprotective properties and has therapeutic potential against various human diseases. According to research, the concentration of EGCG available from drinking matcha is “137 times greater than the amount of EGCG available from China Green Tips green tea, and at least three times higher than the largest literature value for other green teas”. 3
Matcha can thus be considered a “super-potent green tea” with many benefits, such as:
- lower blood pressure 4
- reduced risk for some cancers, including cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung, prostate, breast, skin 5 and pancreas 6
- boosted metabolism, increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation 7 8
- Improved bone strength and quality 5
- Improved mood, alertness, and problem solving 10
- protection against hepatic and renal damage 11
And it also stimulates hair growth! 1213
For me, whenever I drink Matcha tea, it transports me to another world of autumn leaves, Japanese gardens and lots of memories. It warms my heart and makes me feel calm and at peace.
The benefits of applying Matcha tea on the skin
Ok, so Matcha tea is good for your health but does it actually improve your skin if applied topically? Well, short answer is… YES, it can!
Applying Matcha tea topically can protect the skin against sun damage and solar UV-induced skin disorders, such as photoaging and skin cancer.14
A 2003 study by the Medical College of Georgia also showed that green tea aids skin rejuvenation with potential benefits for skin conditions as diverse as psoriasis, rosacea, wrinkles and wounds. 15
Matcha also modulates sebum, balances hormones and has antibacterial effects, and all of that improves acne . During an 8-week clinical trial, EGCG was applied topically on the face of 35 subjects and results showed how this compound of Matcha tea really improved their acne. 16 Click this link for more details on the study and photos.
If you are wondering where to order good quality, organic matcha tea, check out the Fauna and Flora boutique
What do you think? Do you use Matcha tea in your beauty routine?
Learn how to make your own skincare – Click the below image for a FREE Introduction to DIY Skincare
Disclaimer: Any recommendations are based on personal, not professional, opinion only. This post contains affiliate links. For information on how to use this site, please read my Blog Policy page.
Sources
- Ippodo, no date, “How Matcha is Processed”, http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/tea/matcha_04.html ↩
- Matcha Source, 2016, “health benefits of matcha tea”, http://matchasource.com/health-benefits-of-matcha-tea/ ↩
- Weiss D.J and Anderton CR., 2003, September 3, “Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14518774 ↩
- Gang Liu, Xue-Nan Mi, Xin-Xin Zheng, Yan-Lu Xu, Jie Lu and Xiao-Hong Huang
, October 14, 2014, “Effects of tea intake on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials“, http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9371125&fileId=S0007114514001731 ↩ - EurekAlert., November 6, 2013, “New research shows tea may help promote weight loss, improve heart health and slow progression of prostate cancer.”, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-11/pc-nrs110613.php ↩
- Wang J, Zhang W, Sun L, Yu H, Ni QX, Risch HA, Gao YT., December 3, 2012, “Green tea drinking and risk of pancreatic cancer: a large-scale, population-based case-control study in urban Shanghai..”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22944495 ↩
- Abdul G Dulloo,Claudette Duret,Dorothée Rohrer,Lucien Girardier,Nouri Mensi,Marc Fathi,Philippe Chantre, andJacques Vandermander, 1999, “Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans”, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/6/1040.full ↩
- Michelle C. Venables, Carl J Hulston,Hannah R Cox, andAsker E Jeukendrup, March 2008, “Green tea extract ingestion, fat oxidation, and glucose tolerance in healthy humans“, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/3/778.full ↩
- EurekAlert., November 6, 2013, “New research shows tea may help promote weight loss, improve heart health and slow progression of prostate cancer.”, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-11/pc-nrs110613.php ↩
- Suzanne J Einöther andVanessa E Martens, October 13, 2013, “Acute effects of tea consumption on attention and mood.”, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/10/30/ajcn.113.058248.abstract ↩
- Yamabe N, Kang KS, Hur JM, Yokozawa T., August 12, 2009, “Matcha, a powdered green tea, ameliorates the progression of renal and hepatic damage in type 2 diabetic OLETF rats.”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19735169 ↩
- Adeleh Esfandiari and Paul Kelley., June 09, 2005, “The effects of tea polyphenolic compounds on hair loss among rodents.”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2569505/ ↩
- Hair loss revolution, accessed 08.08.2018, “Can Green Tea Help Stop Hair Loss”, https://www.hairlossrevolution.com/green-tea-dht/ ↩
- Katiyar SK, September 2003, “Skin photoprotection by green tea: antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects..”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12871030 ↩
- Medical College Of Georgia, April 25, 2003, “Green Tea Linked To Skin Cell Rejuvenation”, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030425071800.htm ↩
- Ji Young Yoon, Hyuck Hoon Kwon, Seong Uk Min, Diane M. Thiboutot, Dae Hun Suh, 2012, “Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Improves Acne in Humans by Modulating Intracellular Molecular Targets and Inhibiting P. acnes“, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X1536111X ↩
Can you explain us how to apply matcha tea on your skin ? Because it seems to be a powder so do you mix it with an oil ? Or do you boil it in water like regular tea and then put some on your face ? (I know it is a bit of a silly question but I was wondering …)
And also you said you got this tea from your travel to Japan but is it possible to find good matcha tea on the internet ?
Your articles are so interesting ! I want to try it all !!
Matcha is a powder but you prepare it like normal tea – just pour hot water on it, then mix it with a spoon (I use a Japanese whisk but a spoon is fine). This website shows you how to do it with photos: http://matchasource.com/how-to-prepare-matcha-green-tea/ At the moment, I’m experimenting something new: I prepare some matcha tea and leave it in the fridge, then apply on my face before my night cream. I just started so it’s difficult to talk about the results yet, but I’m hoping it will reduce my acne just like the 8-week study I mentioned in the article. I also use matcha in my DIY recipes: mixed with shea butter and coconut oil for a lotion bar (hand cream), or I leave it in jojoba oil for 24 hours, filter the oil and use the “infused” oil in some of my creams. Matcha is increasingly popular so it’s easy to find online. In France, I know aroma-zone sells some (http://www.aroma-zone.com/info/fiche-technique/vert-matcha-du-japon-bio-en-poudre-aroma-zone), but I’m sure you’ll be able to find some online retailers in the UK as well ^^ Thanks so much for your compliments, I’m so happy you liked the article and found it useful.
My sister and I have never tried drinking anything related to matcha green tea. First, because we are not adventurers. And, second, because it’s green. But we are curious about it, so we thought we might try one this weekend. Surprisingly, it is not only consumed as a food but also can be applied to the skin. It’s awesome that it can protect the skin from sun damage. Thanks!