The powder can then be used to brew an antioxidant rich frothy green tea or in recipes like smoothies or baking. Unlike other types of teas, the green tea powder is not strained out before consuming, so you are consuming the entire leaf, making Matcha more potent than other tea varieties. In fact, only 1/2 tsp is needed to brew a traditional cup of Matcha.

In the 1100s, a Japanese monk brought the idea of powdered tea to Japan, and this eventually evolved into the traditional chanoyu ceremony. Though the tradition of drinking powdered green teas has lost popularity in China until recent years, the tradition has persisted in Japan. Though originally only royalty and Samurai warriors were given Matcha because it was so time consuming and expensive to produce, it is now a popular drink throughout Japan.

For Matcha, the best tea bushes are selected and shaded from the sun for 3 weeks before harvest. Then, the best leaves are selected and ground by hand to produce a fine, bright green powder.

Matcha tea is unique because the process of shading and harvesting increases the content of L-Theanine, an amino acid that helps balance the caffeine. While matcha may contain the same caffeine as other types of tea, the L-Theanine is known to create calmness without drowsiness.

Another benefit to Matcha is the high concentration of antioxidants. One study found that Matcha has 137 times the polyphenols (notably, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) than regular green tea. (1) In fact, this type of green tea contains over 60x the antioxidants of spinach and 7x the antioxidants of high quality dark chocolate.

There is some evidence that these polyphenols may have a protective effect against some types of cancer.

EGCG, found in high concentrations in Matcha, has been shown to increase the rate of burning stored fat as energy, as well as decreasing the formation of new fat cells. Other studies have shown that the catechins in Matcha increase the body’s rate of calorie burning each day and offered additional fat burning benefit during exercise.

A 2011 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the catechins in green tea had a significant effect on lowering LDL cholesterol. A 2013 Cochrane review also showed that regular green tea consumption was associated with lower blood pressure and an decreased risk of stroke.

The L-Theanine in green tea is known to help stimulate alpha brain waves. These waves are known for their ability to help increase focus and concentration.

The process of shading the Matcha leaves creates an increased amount of Chlorophyll, which some preliminary research has shown may help the body eliminate heavy metals and other harmful buildup. Research is still lacking in this area, but many alternative doctors recommend Chlorophyll for this purpose.

The same antioxidants that make green tea protective, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), may also help support skin health by reducing inflammation and free radicals that accelerate skin aging.

Does matcha really contain 137 times more antioxidants compared to green tea?

It really depends on which green tea you are talking about. Tea bags contain much less antioxidant, because the leaves have been chopped into small pieces.

This kills the antioxidants. The large surface area promotes oxidization as antioxidants form compounds with the oxygen molecules in the air.

Now, you may be surprised to learn that the University of Colorado study cited above used a green tea bag sold by Starbuck as their sole experimental sample!

This is like comparing apples and oranges. They are comparing the lowest quality green tea with a premium quality matcha powder.

What this study shows is that one should avoid drinking low quality tea bags, and switch to a higher quality alternative. Whether this higher quality comes in the form of loose-leaf or matcha powder is really a matter of personal

Both green tea leaves and matcha tea powder are made using green tea leaves. The difference between the two is that green tea undergo minimal processing, whereas matcha powder has been heavily processed to convert it to powder form.

From my extensive readings of tea research, both matcha powder and green teas contain approximately 100 milligrams of antioxidants per gram.

However, unlike matcha, you have to steep green tea leaves several times until they run out of flavor.

Considering antioxidants can be lost easily, my natural assumption is that the least processed option is more nutritious and offer better value for money than the powder form.

According to Aiya Matcha, perhaps Japan's largest producer of bulk matcha powder, 1 gram of powder contains 119 milligrams of the six types of catechins.

A 2007 report published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) compares nearly 400 foods for their antioxidants content. This catechins study found that 1 gram of green tea infused in 100 milliliters of water contains an average of 127 milligrams of catechins.

Now, Aiya Matcha is a matcha seller, they have no reason to understate the antioxidant content of matcha. On the other hand, the USDA is a comprehensive study based on a large number of green tea samples.

There is no evidence that matcha powder contains more antioxidants than green tea.