After coffee, matcha has become a new favorite drink for young people. From the social platform, this popularity is partly due to the "agricultural survey" at the beginning of the year. Many people were surprised to find that Guizhou, China was actually "an important production base of matcha in the world", so they bought it out of curiosity to try.
Later, the saying that "drinking matcha can reduce cortisol, reduce fat and reduce weight" began to circulate, causing more and more people to start drinking matcha. However, does matcha really have these effects?
Looking at the green matcha powder, some friends may fall into deep thought: What is the difference between matcha and green tea?They are quite different. Not only are the production processes different, but the nutritional characteristics are also different.
The production process of modern matcha includes the following steps:
Select fresh leaves of tea trees covered and shaded - steam killing - low temperature drying - grinding into powder. The whole process does not have too high a temperature, which can better preserve the activity of various phytochemicals in tea leaves.
Green tea does not need to use tea leaves covered and cultivated. This results in green tea not being as green as matcha, and having a heavier bitter taste and slightly inferior umami taste. Secondly, green tea is often directly fried and dried after steaming and rolling. If it is to make green tea powder, it is then crushed into green tea powder. The process is both high temperature and not thorough enough. Therefore, the nutrients contained in green tea are not as rich as matcha, and the particles of green tea powder are larger than those of matcha powder, and the taste is not as delicate as matcha.
Matcha is also quite different from black tea and white tea. Black tea and white tea are fermented teas, and they taste more mellow and sweet, often with floral and fruity aromas. Because they have been fermented, the ingredients that are beneficial to health are also different. For example, black tea with a higher degree of fermentation mainly contains theaflavins and thearubigins; while white tea with a lower degree of fermentation retains more tea polyphenols, has a stronger antioxidant capacity, and has a higher content of free amino acids.
Let's get back to the point, is the claim about matcha and cortisol on the Internet true?
Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex. Excessive cortisol levels may lead to increased appetite, especially a craving for high-sugar, high-fat foods, and easy overwork and obesity. In addition, cortisol can promote the proliferation and differentiation of fat cells, leading to an increased risk of central obesity. Worse still, cortisol can also break down muscles and reduce basal metabolic rate, which will make weight loss even more difficult.
At present, although direct evidence is insufficient, some studies have shown that theanine in matcha can help people reduce stress, and stress is one of the important reasons for the production of cortisol, so it has a resounding name "stress hormone". In other words, matcha may reduce cortisol levels by reducing stress.
Another evidence that matcha may affect cortisol levels is that matcha is rich in tea polyphenols, chlorophyll, chlorogenic acid, vitamin C, rutin, quercetin and other antioxidants, and its antioxidant capacity is very strong. The Food Antioxidant Capacity Database released by the US Department of Agriculture shows that the antioxidant capacity of matcha is 10 times that of green tea and 51 times that of broccoli. Strong antioxidant capacity can help the body better cope with the adverse effects of oxidative stress, including increased cortisol levels.
However, we should also be cautious here to remind everyone that cortisol levels are affected by many factors. In addition to appropriate intake of matcha and other teas rich in theanine, you also need to develop a healthy lifestyle, regular work and rest, active but not excessive exercise, and maintain a diverse and balanced diet.
In addition to its effect on cortisol, matcha has other advantages in helping to lose weight. For example, animal experiments have shown that matcha can inhibit abnormal hypertrophy of fat cells, reduce weight gain, and improve blood lipid and blood sugar metabolism.
Overall, matcha is indeed likely to reduce cortisol levels by improving stress and anti-oxidation, and it may promote fat metabolism. If it can be combined with a light diet and reasonable exercise, matcha will help with weight loss.
Drinking matcha may cause insomnia, which mainly depends on the individual's sensitivity, drinking time and drinking amount. The following is a detailed explanation of this view:
1. The ingredients and excitatory effects of matcha
As a high-concentration green tea, matcha contains tea polyphenols, theophylline, caffeine and other ingredients. These ingredients have certain excitatory effects, can stimulate the central nervous system, and cause changes in brain excitability. Therefore, if the drinking time is inappropriate or excessive, it may interfere with the normal sleep cycle, leading to difficulty falling asleep or decreased sleep quality, thus causing insomnia.
2. Individual sensitivity differences
Different individuals have different sensitivities to the excitatory ingredients in matcha. Some people are more sensitive to excitatory ingredients such as caffeine, and even a small amount of intake may cause obvious excitatory effects and insomnia symptoms. For some people, they may have a better tolerance for these ingredients in matcha, and even drinking before bedtime may not necessarily cause insomnia.
3. Drinking time and drinking amount
Drinking time: If matcha is consumed in moderation during the day or afternoon, it usually does not have a significant impact on sleep. However, if it is consumed within a short period of time before bedtime, especially within four hours before sleep, the excitatory ingredients may interfere with the normal sleep cycle. Therefore, in order to avoid the adverse effects of matcha on sleep, it is recommended to avoid drinking matcha within four hours before bedtime.
Drinking amount: Excessive drinking of matcha will also increase the risk of insomnia. Caffeine and other ingredients in matcha can prolong the brain's wakefulness and improve alertness. If you drink a large amount of matcha at one time, or drink matcha with other stimulating drinks (such as coffee, cola, etc.) at the same time, it may aggravate its stimulating effect, thereby increasing the risk of insomnia.
4. Recommendations and precautions
For those who like to drink matcha, especially those who are sensitive to matcha, it is necessary to avoid drinking matcha within four hours before bedtime.
If you have insomnia symptoms, you can try to reduce the intake of matcha or adjust the drinking time.
Pregnant women also need to pay attention to the amount when drinking matcha, because the caffeine in matcha may cause pregnant women to be too excited, affecting the sleep of pregnant women and the health of the fetus.
I. The ingredients and weight loss effects of matcha
Dietary fiber: Matcha is rich in dietary fiber, which can increase the feeling of fullness in the stomach and reduce food intake, thus helping to control weight.
Tea essence: The tea essence in matcha, especially catechins, has the effect of inhibiting oil absorption. Catechins can prevent bile from emulsifying oil, thereby reducing the body's absorption of oil, which is crucial for weight loss.
Caffeine: The caffeine in matcha has the effect of promoting fat burning. Caffeine can stimulate the central nervous system, increase the metabolic rate, and then promote the decomposition and burning of body fat.
II. The effect of matcha in assisting weight loss
Control oil absorption: The catechins and dietary fiber in matcha work together to control the absorption of oil and reduce fat accumulation.
Promote intestinal peristalsis: The dietary fiber in matcha can also promote intestinal peristalsis, accelerate detoxification in the body, and help remove waste and toxins from the body.
Enhance blood vessel toughness: The ingredients in matcha can also help enhance blood vessel toughness and reduce cholesterol levels in the body, thereby improving the body's metabolic environment and helping to lose weight.
Increase satiety: Drinking matcha contains more water, which can increase satiety, thereby reducing the intake of other high-calorie foods and helping to control weight.
Precautions for drinking matcha
However, it should be made clear that although matcha has the effect of assisting weight loss, it cannot be relied upon alone to achieve the purpose of weight loss. Excessive drinking may cause insomnia, palpitations and other adverse reactions. Different individuals have different sensitivities to the ingredients in matcha, so the weight loss effect will vary from person to person. It is recommended to choose a weight loss method that suits you according to your physique and health status. Scientific weight loss methods should include controlling diet and increasing exercise. During the weight loss period, it is necessary to reduce the intake of high-fat and high-calorie foods, such as barbecue, ice cream, etc. At the same time, aerobic exercise should be carried out every day, such as running, skipping rope, cycling, etc., to achieve the purpose of scientific weight loss.
Matcha has so many health advantages and can also help lose weight. How should ordinary people like us choose a high-quality matcha?
You can pay attention to the following aspects, which are simple and efficient:
1 Don't worry about domestic imports, the key is to look at the level
According to the national standard GB/T 34778-2017 "Matcha", matcha can be divided into two levels: primary and secondary according to color, taste, aroma and shape. The primary matcha is brighter green, has a more delicate and soft taste, and is fresh and pure. When purchasing, we should pay attention to whether the product implementation standard is GB/T 34778-2017, and then choose the primary matcha.
2 Look at the ingredient list and choose clean ones
Some matcha products on the market pretend to be matcha powder with ordinary green tea powder, and some products add white sugar, non-dairy creamer, and even flavors, pigments and other additives to improve the bitter taste of matcha. This undoubtedly increases the sugar and fat content of matcha products and weakens the health effects of matcha.
3. Look at the origin as a reference
The main production areas of domestic matcha are concentrated in Guizhou (here you can review the previous article "I advise you to try Guizhou matcha, one reason is enough!") and Zhejiang provinces. For example, Tongren, Guizhou is known as the "Matcha Capital", and the matcha industry of Yucha Village in Shaoxing, Zhejiang is also one of the local representative enterprises. Therefore, when choosing, you can pay attention to the origin, which is relatively more reliable.
The recommended method is to matcha with milk and coconut water. After the pre-whipped matcha liquid is washed with milk, add an appropriate amount of coconut water. The milk makes the taste silky and the coconut water is slightly sweet, which is very refreshing. You can also try to use thick coconut milk instead of coconut water. The taste will be more mellow, but correspondingly, the calories will also increase. This depends on everyone's choice. If it is more complicated, you can also use matcha powder with yogurt and sweet fruits to make a milkshake, put it in the refrigerator for a while, and the flavor is also very good.
If you are used to drinking coffee, you may also try to drink pure matcha powder directly, but you must pay attention to the amount of matcha powder, which should be 2 to 3 grams. Excessive intake of tea polyphenols and caffeine may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Finally, it should be noted that although matcha has many benefits, if you are sensitive to caffeine or have poor sleep, you should still pay attention to controlling your intake. You should know that the caffeine content in matcha is higher than that in green tea and coffee. The elderly, children, and pregnant women should not drink or consume it excessively. It is better not to drink more than one medium cup a day.
