This image shows the health benefits of matcha consumption.

Health Benefits of Matcha

January 05, 2026

Different from conventional green tea, where the tea leaves are discarded, matcha drinks have whole tea leaf powder, which is why we get to consume all the water soluble and insoluble compounds in whole tea leaf.

Matcha is known to provide many health benefits. Those health benefits are linked to high content of catechins (for example EGCG); Matcha contains approximately 130 times more catechins compared to regular brewed green tea, and L-theanine.

  1. Anti-inflammatory effect: Antioxidants from Matcha reduce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the body and help reduce chronic inflammation causing disease. Inflammation means the action of the body’s immune system against any internal or external threat. Inflammation is also involved in dysfunction of cognition associated with ROS production and brain cells damage.

  2. Mental health benefits: 

    1. Improved cognitive performance: Matcha consumption contributes to maintenance of brain function through ROS scavenging action of antioxidants like EGCG.

    2. Stress-reducing effect: High level of L-theanine helps in reducing stress and anxiety.

Matcha also naturally contains caffeine, a psychoactive stimulant, and it shows much better benefits related to energy and alertness compared to coffee consumption. 

  1. Metabolic benefits: 

Phenolics like catechins (example: EGCG), help in weight and diabetes management.  Phenolics in matcha tea are major components which inhibit starch digestion.

While matcha may not be much popular among people who look for black tea in India, it is certain that matcha will find place in people’s heart and home who look for heathy options in food.

Abbreviations:
EGCG: Epigallocatechin gallate; ROS: Reactive Oxygen Species

References: 

  1.  A. M. Cavanah, L. A. Robinson, M. L. Mattingly and A. D. Frugé, The impact of green tea and its bioactive compounds on mood disorder symptomology and brain derived neurotrophic factor: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials., Biomedicines, 2025, 13.

  2. J.-H. Ye, Q.-T. Fang, L. Zeng, R.-Y. Liu, L. Lu, J.-J. Dong, J.-F. Yin, Y.-R. Liang, Y.-Q. Xu and Z.-H. Liu, A comprehensive review of matcha: production, food application, potential health benefits, and gastrointestinal fate of main phenolics., Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., 2024, 64, 7959–7980.