In Japan, Matcha has a long history of being used for various medicinal purposes such as helping people relax, preventing obesity, assist in weight loss, boost immunity and improve the appearance of the skin. Researchers, therefore, sought to determine its various beneficial effects and what they discovered was that Matcha tea can also help reduce anxiety!
A study, published in the Journal of Functional Foods and conducted by Japanese researchers from Kumamoto University, has revealed that anxious behavior in mice is reduced after consuming Matcha extract or Matcha powder. The calming effects are the result of Matcha activating dopamine D1 receptors and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors, both of which are closely related to anxious behavior.
The study was carried out with the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, a method typically used to observe anxiety in lab animals. EPM is an elevated, plus-shaped, narrow platform with two open and two enclosed arms which provide safety for the test subject, typically a mouse.
By using this behavioral model, animals experiencing higher anxiety are identified by spending more time hiding in the enclosed arms while a reduction in anxiety will have them spending more time in the open spaces. Through this test, researchers discovered that mouse anxiety was reduced after consuming Matcha powder or Matcha extract.
It was found, that a poorly water-soluble Matcha component has stronger anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects than a component that is easily soluble in water because when the anxiolytic activity of different Matcha extracts was evaluated, a stronger effect was found with the extract derived using 80% ethanol in comparison to the extract derived from only hot water.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is shade-grown Camellia sinensis green tea bushes. Like Matcha, green tea also comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The difference, however, is how it is grown which drastically alters the nutritional profile. Matcha is grown under shady conditions (90% shade), which, in turn, increases chlorophyll production and boost the amino acid content. In addition to this, since Matcha is ground down into a fine powder, it contains nutrients from the entire tea leaf resulting in a greater amount of antioxidants and caffeine. One study found that Matcha contains 137 times the amount of antioxidants of China Green Tips green tea, and at least three times higher than other high-quality green teas.
Dr. Yuki Kurauchi, who lead the study, said:
Although further epidemiological research is necessary, the results of our study show that Matcha, which has been used as a medicinal agent for many years, may be quite beneficial to the human body. We hope that our research into Matcha can lead to health benefits worldwide.
