Matcha and Weight Loss

Before starting, it should be made clear that matcha will not enable you to spend all day sat on the sofa munching kebabs and lose weight, but, as part of a calorie controlled diet, matcha could really give you an edge!  Matcha is awesome and here’s why:

• Matcha enables your body to burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates when you exercise.
• Matcha boosts metabolism increasing fat oxidisation.
• Matcha increases energy expenditure.
• Matcha enables your body to burn calories naturally when dieting.
• Matcha reduces cholesterol.
• Matcha may suppress appetite.
• Matcha’s Sugar Destroyer Blend – Takes the benefits of matcha one step further.

How it Works

Matcha contains theophylline and caffeine which increase energy expenditure during rest.  This combination has also been shown to prevent the natural adaptive fall in resting energy expenditure that comes about as a result of diet restriction.  So if you’ve ever been on a diet and found that you’ve not lost the weight that you were hoping to, matcha could provide you with that extra boost that you need.

Matcha is high in catechin polyphenols which may boost metabolism by promoting fat oxidisation and increasing energy expenditure.  A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the thermogenic properties and promotion of fat oxidation in those consuming green tea were significantly beyond those that could be  explained from the tea’s  caffeine content alone.

Burn more fat

In theory the caffeine in matcha enters the body and forces it to utilise as much fat as possible.  This slows down the body’s depletion of glycogen by as much as 50% for the first fifteen minutes of exercise and forces it to burn more fat.  As a result, you can train harder and for longer, which is why the IOC saw fit to ban caffeine in 2000. 

Matcha as an Appetite Suppressant

Green tea contains the stimulants caffeine, theobromine, theophylline and the amino acid L-theanine.  Research from The University of Maryland indicates that L-theanine has a calming effect on the central nervous system and this, combined with the caffeine, may help you eat less.  Further research has found people who drank green tea as opposed to water when consuming their favourite food experienced less desire to eat more. 

Matcha reduces cholesterol               

Research has found that matcha reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.  You can read more about matcha and cholesterol on our Matcha and CVD page.

Matcha and Lifestyle

Matcha is clearly a great tool in the quest to lose weight and generally improve health.  It would also be beneficial to look more closely at your daily diet, exercise routine and overall calorie intake to ensure that you have the best fighting chance of achieving your target weight.      

Matcha: A Great Way to Start the Morning

We liked this metabolism boosting breakfast sundae from Dr. Oz

• 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• Unsweetened coconut, to taste
• Ground flaxseed, to desired consistency
• Matcha green tea powder, to taste

This recipe is so packed with lean protein, good fats and added punch of the metabolism boosting and energising properties of matcha, that it’s sure to make a great start to anyone’s morning!