Figure 1: Matcha Tea with preparation tools [5]
Did you know that Matcha has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties?
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a staple drink of the Japanese culture which is included in their tea ceremonies. It is a fine powder obtained from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant [1]. What makes Matcha different from tea is that the whole leaf is consumed as opposed to using infusion of leaves in case of green tea. And due to this, the antioxidant property of matcha is enhanced [2].
Why do people prefer matcha?
There is a huge trend in America as well as European countries to switch from drinking coffee to drinking Matcha tea. This shift is also due to the increased heart rates and other heart-related risks due to caffeine, but do you know one of the reasons is for getting clear skin?
Let’s get down to its chemistry and benefits:
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epicatechin are the main active constituents present in the plants. Catechin showcases its antioxidant activity due to its ability to neutralize free radicals. Matcha has huge amounts of polyphenols present. These polyphenols exhibit antioxidant properties which are even greater than Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. Polyphenols are said to exhibit anti-carcinogenic properties and also have protective action against UV radiations [1]. Matcha is said to calm the effects of psoriasis [3].
It has various effects in improving the skin condition from treating blemishes or acne. It has an anti-aging activity which makes skin radiant, and wrinkle-free. This activity is achieved due to the antioxidants (like EGCG, EGC, ECG as previously mentioned) present which boost blood circulation, while the methylxanthines present boost the microcirculation. Due to these activities, we get clear, radiant, glowing skin, and who doesn’t want that [4]?
Figure 2: Face pack of Matcha [6]
Matcha in cosmetics:
Due to the above-mentioned benefits, nowadays there is a rapid development of cosmetics containing Matcha! There are different face masks, creams, toners, cleansers, eye creams, etc. of matcha. Matcha is said to be the most effective in the powdered form. Hence, these drinks are trending for getting healthy skin and detoxification of the skin.
So, what will be your next Starbucks order? Same old coffee lattes or Matcha latte?
References:
[1] Jakubczyk, K., Kochman, J., Kwiatkowska, A., Kałduńska, J., Dec, K., Kawczuga, D., & Janda, K. (2020). Antioxidant Properties and Nutritional Composition of Matcha Green Tea. Foods, 9(4), 483. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040483 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231151/
[2] Weiss, D. J., & Anderton, C. R. (2003). Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A, 1011(1–2), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9673(03)01133-6 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14518774/
[3] Hadjipateras, E. (2022, September 2). 8 Benefits of Using Matcha Green Tea For Skin Care | For Sensitive Skin, Skin Aging, UV Protection, Malasma. . . Matcha.com. Last accessed on 30 December 2022 https://matcha.com/blogs/news/the-growing-popularity-of-matcha-green-tea-products-in-the-skincare-cosmetics-industry
[4] Dwyer, K. (2021, August 30). 4 Ways Matcha Improves Skin Health. Pique Blog. Last Accessed on 30 December 2022 https://blog.piquelife.com/matcha-for-skin-health/
[5] Bridenstine, S. (2022, March 4). 20 Tasty Ways to Sweeten Your Matcha Green Tea. Baking Kneads, LLC. Last accessed on 25 December 2022 https://www.bakingkneads.com/how-to-sweeten-matcha/
[6] 10 Ways to Get Flawless Skin with Matcha Green Tea Powder. (2020, November 6). Makeupandbeauty.com. https://makeupandbeauty.com/ways-to-get-flawless-skin-with-matcha-green-tea-powder/