Matcha benefits: what the research shows

Matcha is a fine powder made from shade-grown green tea leaves. Because you drink the whole leaf rather than steeping and discarding it, each serving delivers a concentrated dose of its compounds.

Yes — matcha is one of the most nutrient-dense forms of green tea. Regular consumption is associated with improved focus, lower oxidative stress, cardiovascular support, and modest metabolic improvements.

Yes. Matcha is one of the most-studied green tea products in nutrition research, and the evidence is consistent. Drinking matcha is associated with improved focus, lower oxidative stress, cardiovascular support, modest metabolic improvements, and contributions to daily intake of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Here are the six most well-documented matcha benefits, each with the research behind them.

An average serving of matcha is 2g of powder. That contains 60 to 80 mg of caffeine, about two-thirds the caffeine of a cup of coffee. It also contains around 30 mg of L-theanine, an amino acid found almost only in tea plants.

The combination is what makes matcha distinctive. Caffeine sharpens alertness. L-theanine, taken alongside it, smooths out the edges. A 2022 systematic review found that the caffeine and L-theanine combination produced reliable improvements in sustained attention and self-reported alertness, with fewer of the jittery effects caffeine produces on its own.

This is the calm focus people describe when they switch from coffee to matcha.

Matcha contains catechins, a group of plant compounds that act as antioxidants. The most studied is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG.

Because matcha is the whole leaf in powdered form, a serving contains around two to three times the catechins of a cup of brewed green tea. You are drinking the leaf itself, not the water that passed through it.

EGCG has been studied for its role in reducing oxidative stress, which is the cell damage caused by free radicals. Over time, oxidative stress is associated with ageing and a range of chronic conditions.

Matcha has been studied for its effect on metabolism, and the research has been consistent. In a trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, fat oxidation as a share of daily energy expenditure rose from 31.6% on a placebo to 41.5% with a green tea catechin extract. The same effect was not seen with caffeine alone, which points to the catechins doing the work.

More recent research has looked at matcha specifically. A 2018 study found that drinking matcha increased fat oxidation during moderate walking in healthy women. The catechins appear to give the metabolism a small, reliable lift, particularly when paired with movement.

More on matcha and weight management.

A 2006 study of more than 40,000 Japanese adults found that people who drank five or more cups of green tea a day had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The association was stronger in women than in men. Subsequent meta-analyses have reached similar conclusions across different populations.

The mechanisms researchers point to include the antioxidant activity of catechins and effects on cholesterol and blood pressure. Drink matcha daily and you are giving your cardiovascular system a steady, gentle support.

A closer look at matcha and heart health.

Because you drink the whole leaf, matcha contributes vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium to your daily intake. This is the whole-leaf advantage: nutrients that stay behind in the steeped leaves of regular green tea come through in matcha.

EGCG, the most-studied catechin in matcha, also shows antibacterial and antiviral activity in laboratory studies, adding to its broader role in supporting the body.

The same catechins that reduce oxidative stress in the body also support the skin. Free radicals contribute to visible ageing, and antioxidants neutralise them. Research on green tea catechins has linked regular intake to improved skin appearance and reduced inflammation. Matcha, with its concentrated catechin content, brings those antioxidants in every serving.

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Matcha is a considered addition to a daily routine. For a clean, single-ingredient option, our matcha is a good place to start.

Browse our matcha.

Sources

• Kuriyama, S., et al. (2006). Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in Japan: the Ohsaki study. JAMA, 296(10), 1255–1265.
• Dulloo, A. G., et al. (1999). Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70(6), 1040–1045.
• Willems, M. E. T., Sahin, M. A., & Cook, M. D. (2018). Matcha green tea drinks enhance fat oxidation during brisk walking in females. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 28(5), 536–541.
• Sokary, S., et al. (2023). The therapeutic potential of matcha tea: a critical review on human and animal studies. Current Research in Food Science, 6, 100396.
• Williams, J. L., et al. (2022). The cognitive-enhancing outcomes of caffeine and L-theanine: a systematic review. Brain and Behavior, 12(2).
• Chacko, S. M., et al. (2010). Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review. Chinese Medicine, 5(1), 13.