Have you ever wondered when to drink matcha tea for weight loss Somewhere, sometimes we all have heard about the new health and weight loss miracle ingredient called matcha? Even though matcha has existed for a very long time, due to the power of the internet, many are just now finding out about the glorious world of matcha.
So, when to drink matcha tea for weight loss? Consuming matcha first thing in the morning is the most effective. To experience compelling weight loss results by drinking matcha, one should drink it 3 times a day; first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach; once half an hour prior to your daily workout, and once at night before bed for that calming and soothing good night’s sleep.
Matcha tea is a very delicate yet stronger form of green tea. It is 10 times more robust and strong than any other green teas out there. Matcha also has a distinct smell, taste, and a beautiful vibrant green color which makes it stand out even more. While cultivation, matcha acts like a sponge and soaks up high amounts of nutrients from its environment. It is hence very high in antioxidants and EGCG which help in maintaining our health from inside out. Drinking matcha not only gives our body energy and nutrients to heal and lose weight but it also works as purification and gets rid of all toxins from our system. It prompts skin and hair health as well.
Table of Contents
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Matcha Tea?
- Helps to flush the toxins out.
- Helps to detoxify and protect the liver.
- Helps improve hair and skin health.
- Helps promote heart health.
- Helps prevent the risk of diabetes.
- Helps boost brain function.
- Helps prevent cancer.
How It Works
While consuming matcha you are consuming the whole leaf instead of just steeping the leaf in water, which results in absorption of more benefits from it. Matcha is high in antioxidants and research has found that its EGCG content is 137 times that of Chinese green tea. EGCG is essential for the reduction of bad cholesterol levels in the body.
The antioxidants present in matcha help in the reduction of inflammation and gives a boost to the immune system and also elevates exercise endurance, all of which ultimately help in the restriction of weight gain and promote weight loss. Matcha is also rich in its catechin content which increases the body’s thermogenesis from 10% to 35%.
Grades Of Matcha
Ceremonial Grade
Ceremonial grade matcha tea is of the greatest quality and sufficient for its use in Buddhist temples and tea ceremonies. Almost all ceremonial matcha is ground into a powder by a granite stone mill, also very expensive.
If matcha is not your thing, you are unlikely to notice a large difference between ceremonial and premium grades as there are no distinct flavor characteristics that designate the highest grade of matcha. Some matcha’s are sweet, some can be bitter with some other characteristics to compensate. Things like flavor, color, and texture are important in the grading of matcha.
Premium Grade
This high-quality matcha tea contains only the young tea leaves from the top of the tea plant. It’s priced comparatively lower than ceremonial matcha but it is still quite high. It has a fresh flavor that best suits for daily consumption, it’s also perfect for a new matcha explorer or the old tea lover.
Culinary/Cooking Grade
This is the cheapest grade matcha you can find. It’s best for making smoothies or cooking purposes, it is comparatively bitter because it is produced from lower leaves from the tea plant and the manufacturing process used.
Important Things To Know Before Considering Matcha
History And Cultivating
Powdered green tea was discovered in China during the Tang Empire. But it was introduced by the Buddhist monk in Japan, it helped them meditate better and with time it became popular. Over the past 1000 years, matcha tea has become an important part of the Japanese culture, also used in the Chado ceremony, here two grades of matcha are used. In this ceremony, matcha is prepared using the traditional method of whisking matcha tea with a bamboo whisk.
The processing of matcha tea is what makes matcha so special.
The best matcha tea plant is grown in the region of Uji in Japan. What makes it special and one of the best matcha is the growing process, the plant is covered with bamboo shades which allows only 20% of the sunrays to reach the plant. This process helps in increasing the chlorophyll levels in the matcha leaves. Then they are plucked, steamed, and dried, and then ground into fine powder by a stone grinder.
How Does Matcha Tea Aids Weight Loss
Low In Calories
Matcha is very low in calories, 1 gram of matcha is about 3 calories. By this, if you have more than 2 grams of matcha tea, you will be consuming no more than 5-6 calories. The fewer calories you consume, the better it is to help you lose weight.
Helps In Boosting Metabolism
Pay attention to your metabolic rate, it is one of the greatest tools if you are trying to lose weight. If your metabolic rate is slow, your body won’t shed fats fast, no matter how limited your diet is or how little you eat. Matcha tea helps you boost your metabolism and makes it faster, helping you use stored fats and use fats instead of storing them, also catechins present in matcha tea help improve metabolism rate after or during a workout.
Rich In Antioxidants
Matcha tea is obtained from the same plant as green tea, Camellia sinensis. Thus, like green tea, matcha tea also contains a lot of proactive antioxidants. The research found that EGCG content in matcha is 137 times that of Chinese green tea, and this is because when you drink matcha you consume the whole leaf unlike other teas, where you strain out the leaves out of the tea after letting it sit in hot water for a few minutes.
The antioxidants in matcha help flush out toxins, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity which helps prevent weight gain and accelerates weight loss.
Helps In Burning Fat
Burning fats is a biochemical process in which large fat molecules are broken down into smaller triglycerides and these triglycerides are used or excreted. Matcha tea is rich in catechins that increase the body’s thermogenesis from 10% to 35%. Also, drinking matcha tea can improve exercise endurance which helps you exercise more and burn more fats and also mobilize fat.
Helps Lower Stress
When stressed your body secretes cortisol, the stress hormone. When your cortisol levels are constantly high, your body goes into a state of inflammation, as a result, you start feeling tired, stressed, restless, fatigued, all at once. And with all this comes the worst side effect, weight gain, especially in your belly region. Matcha tea is loaded with antioxidants which help in lowering inflammation and preventing weight gain.
Provides Energy
Matcha tea also helps boost energy levels, increases alertness, and also makes you more proactive. The more energetic and active you feel, the more active you are. This results in you being less lazy, increase your endurance and stamina levels, and helps in weight loss.
Helps Reduce Cholesterol
Matcha tea is one of the richest sources of EGCG, this is an antioxidant that is found in most teas. EGCG helps reduce bad cholesterol levels to some levels if you don’t change your diet, it will still help you lose some weight, say, scientists. The underlying mechanism works well because EGCG inhibits bad cholesterol absorption.
How Many Cups Of Matcha Should You Drink?
It is considered safe to drink around 3-5 cups of matcha tea per day for weight loss. 1 cup of matcha tea contains around 70-75 mg caffeine, compared to coffee which has around 100-110 mg caffeine. It is recommended to not overdose because you may experience an unpleasant spike of energy and it may disturb your sleep cycle.
Matcha Weight Loss Tips:
- Add protein to every meal.
- Add healthy fats to your diet.
- Drink at least 3-4 liters of water per day.
- Consume different veggies and fruits every day.
- Get 7 hours of sleep every night.
- Avoid late-night snacking.
- Try to stay stress-free. Practice yoga and meditation.
- Do a mix of cardio, HIIT, and strength training.
- Enjoy a cheat day every week, see to it that you have earned it
Matcha tea is a hugely underestimated outstanding form of tea that has been in existence for centuries. Due to the internet and the easy availability of any and every piece of information, most of us are finding it now. Matcha is basically the superhero form of regular green tea. It is one of the most efficient, healthy, and natural ways to trigger weight loss. Daily consumption of Matcha is the best way to manage a healthy weight. Matcha’s potency and its nutritional value are almost 10 times that of any other green tea.
Nowadays we see a lot of fad diets and green tea pills available in the market. They are marketed as ways to lose and manage weight. But consuming matcha is much safer and is overall a better option, for Matcha is much more effective and influential in sustainable weight loss and a boosted metabolism than any of the pills out there. Matcha tea leaves are harvested and turned into the matcha powder that we know and love by drying and grounding them. It is an organically occurring food that helps your body reach a healthy goal and maintain its health over time along with healing the body from the inside out.
Matcha Helps With Daily Detox, Resulting In Long Term Weight Loss
The best way to maintain a healthy weight and to get a new healthy lifestyle is to add matcha tea to your day, this helps naturally manage weight and also aids in digestion and cleansing your body. Cleansing is not only a key for multiple health benefits but is also directly related to weight loss, it basically helps flush stored fats that have built up in your colon and abdominal areas. Fat gets stored in all of your system including your skin, tissues, and organs and it may lead to unnecessary toxic weight.
The most common reaction that you will face is a spike in energy. This happens because matcha takes over the digestion and saves a lot of the energy spent behind the process. Matcha cleanses and detoxifies your body which helps clear and filters out the toxins, along with the stored fat cells and other wastes. Ridding your body of unwanted waste helps it to perform its day-to-day functions like the digestive system work in a much efficient manner.
Cleansing your body from all its build-up toxins and waste will result in you being able to handle the most other toxins and your body will be able to recognize and flush them out as required and avoid the build-up of waste.
Matcha Gets the Most Out Of Your Workouts
Maintaining a healthy body requires both, a healthy diet and a steady level of physical activity. Coming to the topic of working out and physical activities, it doesn’t matter whether your ultimate goal is to boost your endurance or to simply increase metabolism to lose some weight, matcha green tea is right there to help you! The crucial part is to make sure to consume it every day without fail. Drinking it a couple of times a week won’t let it show its full potential. Consuming a cup of matcha before your workout for the day can make a tremendous difference and assist you greatly in achieving your goals.
You can consume the tea within ½ hour prior to your workout as a pre-workout to fuel your body and get the best results. Also, remember that results with consumption of matcha are not immediate, they come slower and steadier and are more permanent in nature. One serving of matcha ranges from ½ to 1 teaspoon of matcha tea and is ideal to be consumed 2 to 3 times a day, every day. Research says that by consuming matcha at this rate, endurance can boost up to 20 to 25%.
Note: Your body is cleaner and emptier in the morning than at any other time of the day. You can move up your workout regime in the morning for it has been proven to be more effective than working out any other time of the day. You will obviously need some sustenance before you work out. This is when you can have your favorite kind of smoothie with just a serving of matcha added to it.
Things To Learn Before Knowing When To Drink Matcha Tea For Weight Loss
How To Prepare Matcha Tea At Home
Preparing matcha tea is really as simple as making your green tea.
Things You Need
- Traditional Japanese Matcha tea bowl – Chawan
- Bamboo whisk – Chasen
- Bamboo scoop or spoon – Chashaku
- sifter
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon Matcha tea powder
- 80-100 ml of boiling water
How To Prepare Matcha Tea
- Sift ½ teaspoon Matcha tea powder or two bamboo scoops of matcha tea powder in the matcha tea bowl.
- Carefully pour the hot water.
- Use the bamboo whisk to whisk matcha until a layer of froth has formed.
- When you see froth, slowly stop whisking and lift the whisk from the center.
- Matcha tea is ready.
Matcha Tea Vs. Green Tea
Trying something new you will always wonder if it’s really better or is it just another experiment product you are trying. Well, as we already know, matcha tea contains 10 times more antioxidants than regular green tea. Also, it doesn’t taste like green tea and it’s much more refreshing in taste. No doubt green tea is great and works for many of us but a quick and greater result comes with matcha tea.
Why You Should Drink Matcha Tea Every Morning
Everything from your energy, weight loss, health are affected directly by what you put in your body, and especially your breakfast. The food you consume during this time is very important, not only because your body depends on it for energy for most of the day but also because it’s your first meal of the day. Matcha tea is not only a superfood but also is alkaline in its natural form, food that is alkaline can help your body in many ways like helping the body heal and allowing unnecessary stored fats and toxins to be flushed.
A Lot of research has shown that alkaline food and drinks in the morning can boost your body to burn fuel more efficiently and you also get less craving for junk and unhealthy food throughout the day. A plus is that your body receives good energy and nutrients throughout the day just by adding matcha tea to your morning. If you think about it, giving your body a high-energy drink like matcha is not only good for your body physically but also satisfies you mentally and keeps stress at bay, plus a happy tummy.
Keep in mind that it’s a marathon, not a sprint so you will have to keep matcha in your morning every day to see results.
Matcha Helps Increase Your Metabolism
If increasing your metabolic rate is one of your goals then matcha tea is one of your best natural options. Matcha tea naturally helps your body to perform better in cardio and resistance training exercises, also it gives your body more energy to perform better and also heats up your body. Also, the extra exercise tells your body to burn more calories and specifically fat calories, which will result in weight loss. When using matcha one can burn more than four times the calories they would normally do in a workout session.
Research has also shown an increase of 35-40% in your metabolism just by adding matcha in your daily life. But also don’t expect one drink to change your life and drop your weight instantly. Having said that, if you are looking to lose weight drink 1-3 cups of matcha a day to see a visible difference, which is also a boost for your metabolism.
Matcha Misconceptions And Half Truth
If It’s Not Japanese, It’s Not Good
Matcha has been a part of the Japanese culture for over 800 years, but this doesn’t mean that matcha from anywhere else is not good matcha. Matcha didn’t even originate in japan. It is originally from China and Japan had to wait for almost 200 years for matcha to be discovered. There are a lot of factors that are involved in the process of matcha cultivation. Several aspects come hand in hand to make high-quality matcha. Looking for the “made in Japan” tag on matcha is not as useful as you’d think it is.
Instead, look for lab-tested matcha brands and ask to see a copy of their tests. Matcha is very absorbent in nature, it soaks up a lot of nutrients from the environment. It also soaks up heavy metals and other harmful substances along with radiation. Good quality matcha can be defined as 100% organic, tested for heavy metals, and is also radiation-free. Looking for these aspects present in matcha is a much wiser and safer route to choose while picking out which matcha brand you want to go for instead of buying matcha which is made in Japan.
Drinking Matcha At Night Will Keep You Awake
Although matcha contains caffeine, its 1 gram is almost 1/4th of one single espresso shot. It is understandable why people might fear and restrain themselves from drinking matcha at night / before bed for they have a fear of not getting sleep. There are people out there who can drink a single shot of espresso and still get a good night’s sleep. If you are still afraid that consuming matcha before bed can keep you up, try to think of drinking 1/4th of an espresso shot, will you still be sleepless?
But here is the twist, matcha works nothing like coffee. There is a component called L-theanine in matcha which works alongside matcha. This combination makes sure that one does not experience a sudden and high increase in energy. Matcha will rather give you a gradual and calming sort of an energy boost. Matcha calms and soothes the drinker while also giving them the energy they need.
Greener Is Better
Upon discovering matcha the initial thing that we all hear, read, and learn about is the color aspect of matcha. It is believed that one can identify the type of matcha and its quality by simply looking at the color of the matcha powder. Good quality matcha has a vibrant green color. The more vibrant the green color, the better the quality of matcha. Although this is true to an extent, it’s a more valid argument if the matcha in question is organic.
The reason being that when the match isn’t produced organically, pesticides and other fertilizers are used during the production period of the matcha which results in the leaves developing a greener color without getting any superior in quality. Pesticides and fertilizers are used to increase the chlorophyll content in the matcha tea plant. This may sound like a good idea but it turns out that it does more harm than good. Matcha is grown in a shaded area for a month. Hence not being able to depend on the sun for its energy consumption.
This results in the plant absorbing its necessary nutrients, along with the pollutants present in its environment. Matcha needs to be as pure as possible since we consume the entire leaf and in the process, we ingest whatever the leaves soak up in their growth process. Comparing organic matcha to non-organic matcha is almost next to useless. We do not achieve anything by comparing the green color of organic matcha to the green color of non-organic matcha.
Only Buy Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Matcha is a very delicate plant. It needs to be handled with a lot of attention and care or we may very easily kill a lot of its nutrients. It is used for other purposes than just drinking it in tea form, for example, cooking or baking. While cooking we use a lot of high heat which is usually too harsh on the matcha.
The reason for the existence of a cheaper price variant of matcha is the same exact reason. Using ceremonial grade matcha for cooking can result in it losing a lot of its valuable nutrients. If you want to consume matcha as a tea and only that, then purchasing ceremonial grade matcha is a wise decision. If you wish to use matcha for other purposes like cooking or baking, then going with the cheaper variant is the wiser move.
