In this article, I would like to talk about matcha tea, which has been popular lately. What is matcha tea? How is it obtained? What are the benefits? Let’s see together.
It is generally defined as the ground form of green tea. Although they seem the same, their production and composition are quite different. It is obtained from the plant Camellia sinensis. The tea plant is covered 20-30 days before being harvested. With this process, the plant does not see sunlight. This results in a darker green color. At the same time, the chlorophyll and amino acid content increases. Tea leaves are collected at harvest time. After the stem and vein parts are removed, the remaining part is ground. The powder obtained by grinding is called matcha.
It is rich in polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll. The amount of amino acid called L-theanine is high (about 5 times more than green tea). This amino acid increases alpha waves in the brain. In this way, it has an effect on memory and concentration. It also contains vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K and minerals such as calcium, selenium, zinc.
When we look at the benefits of matcha tea;
- It has high antioxidant activity. This keeps the body’s immune system strong.
- It helps to lose weight by accelerating the metabolism.
- Matcha tea is effective in increasing concentration.
- It relaxes the body.
- It contains more caffeine than green tea. However, the absorption of caffeine is slow
Reference
Ercan A., Doğal Süper Gıdalar (Natural Super Foods), hayykitap, Kasım, 2018.
