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With the help of modern science, understanding what truly makes Japanese tea powerful.

Matcha, Japanese Green Tea and its Health Benefits

Introduction

Let's start with a massive study of 313,381 persons conducted in Japan, which highlights the powerful overall health impact Japanese Green tea may possess.

In this study, men who drank five or more cups of green tea daily had a 10% less "all-cause" mortality rate, while women had an 18% less "all-cause" mortality rate. [1]


This overall statistic includes reduced heart disease mortality, cerebrovascular disease mortality, cancer mortality, and respiratory disease mortality.


You can see that Japanese Green Tea helps decrease disease mortality by improving health in several ways. While these results are powerful, the topic is quite complex. The health benefit may depend on the type of Japanese tea, the tea plant's cultivar, or even how you prepare the tea!


This complexity is because tea possesses several powerful nutrients. There are several active nutrients within the plant, each having different conditions to maximize their effectiveness.

In this section, we'll dive into the different health benefits of Japanese tea. We'll learn the science by pulling out reliable sources and running through them in easy English.


Are the health benefits a myth? Does it have a tangible-enough health impact worth incorporating into your daily life? And if so, what's the best way to implement it into your everyday routine? These will be some of the questions we'll be answering.


The study of tea and health is an ancient relationship that started several centuries ago. However, its science is still evolving.


We'll be jumping into the health benefits of Japanese tea based on human-based research as much as possible. Human-based research results are the best way to weigh the impact and effectiveness of this magical drink's health benefits. If human-based research is unavailable, I will be citing non-human-based research.

Japanese Green Tea and How It Helps Fight Diseases

Aside from the fantastic taste - the health benefits and nutrients are what makes us love Japanese Green Tea so much. Learn about these health topics and more.

How tea catechins support blood sugar control

How antioxidants in tea are studied for cancer prevention

How green tea may boost metabolism and fat burning
How tea supports healthy blood flow and heart health
How tea may help regulate blood pressure naturally

How catechins may help inhibit viral activity

How certain tea compounds may reduce allergic reactions
How antioxidants support your immune system

How tea may support liver health and fat metabolism

How tea is linked to brain and cognitive health

How tea helps reduce bacteria in the mouth

How L-theanine promotes calm and focus

The active compounds of Japanese Green Tea

Perhaps the most potent compound in Japanese tea, providing numerous health benefits.

An altered form of EGCG. More effective for some diseases compared to EGCG.

FAQ

Why do different cultivars have different health benefits?

Although all tea stems from the same tea plant, the Camellia sinensis, variations of the cultivars mean it possesses different nutrients in different volumes. That's why the health benefits will vary too.


For example, the Benifuki cultivar possesses a high volume of O-methylated EGCG. This substance is effective in reducing hay fever symptoms, as well as reducing high blood pressure.


On the other hand, the most common Japanese tea cultivar, "Yabukita," does not contain as much O-methylated EGCG. Hence, it does not reap this nutrient's health benefits compared to the Benifuki cultivar.

Why do different types of Japanese tea have different health benefits?

The cultivation and manufacturing processes determine the type of Japanese tea produced. These factors also alter the nutritional makeup of the tea.


For example, teas such as Matcha and Gyokuro are shaded from the sun during cultivation. This process enhances the Umami taste while reducing the tea's astringency.

The enhanced Umami is due to the increase in the substance called Theanine. Theanine is a powerful nutrient for relaxation and its anti-stress properties. It's great to take Theanine if you're feeling stressed.


However, this also reduces the various types of tea catechin. Tea catechins are one of the most potent nutrients in the tea leaf and can help improve or prevent other diseases such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Cancer, and others.

How can the preparation of the tea affect its health benefits?

When it comes to health benefits, the tea preparation method is an essential factor too.

For example, one of the vital nutrients of Japanese green tea that shows strong immunity effects is EGC. EGC is one of the tea catechins found in tea leaves and extracts well, even when the tea is infused in cold temperatures.


However, when you infuse tea in boiling water, EGCG, another type of tea catechin, will also be extracted. While EGCG is also an excellent health compound in its own right, it somewhat cancels the immunity-boosting effect of EGC.


Therefore to strengthen your immune system, cold brewing Japanese green tea shows higher effectiveness.

References


[1] Abe SK, Saito E, Sawada N, Tsugane S, Ito H, Lin Y, Tamakoshi A, Sado J, Kitamura Y, Sugawara Y, Tsuji I, Nagata C, Sadakane A, Shimazu T, Mizoue T, Matsuo K, Naito M, Tanaka K, Inoue M; Research Group for the Development and Evaluation of Cancer Prevention Strategies in Japan. Green tea consumption and mortality in Japanese men and women: a pooled analysis of eight population-based cohort studies in Japan. Eur J Epidemiol. 2019 Oct;34(10):917-926. doi: 10.1007/s10654-019-00545-y. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31392470.

About the author:

Yuki Ishii

Founder & CEO of Tealife

LinkedIn | YouTube

Yuki is the founder of Tealife, a Singapore-based Japanese tea company. He’s passionate about Japanese tea and spends his time testing, trying, and experimenting - then sharing what he learns through content to help people discover the depth of Japanese tea beyond just matcha.