Green teas are immensely popular right now. But are you confused by the differences between the various types? Take matcha and green tea – are they the same? Do these teas have distinct health benefits? And should you choose matcha or green tea for your optimum wellbeing?

Here we investigate matcha tea and green tea, exploring the benefits and features of these delicious – and healthy – drinks.

All About Matcha and Green Tea

Did you know that both matcha and green tea come from the same place – the plant Camellia sinensis? This same plant is the source of other teas, too, like white and oolong. The most noticeable difference you, as a consumer, see between the two is that matcha comes in a fine powdered form and green tea is loose leafed.

Green tea producers heat the tea leaves quickly after harvesting, which helps to stop oxidisation and the leaves turning brown. They then dry the tea leaves after rolling them into their final shape. Green tea tastes grassy or earthy, and the leaves produce a clear yellowish brew. Green tea may taste quite bitter, although this depends on the brewing method.

Manufacturers grow tea plants in the shade to produce matcha leaves. They then dry the leaves rapidly after harvest, remove all the veins and the stems from the leaves, and pulverise them into a fine powder. This power is characteristically bright green. Matcha tea, when dissolved in hot water, is vibrantly coloured and it can have a slight foam.

Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea, a highly popular and widely available speciality tea, has a long history of health benefits. Experts suggest that green tea is an important source of antioxidants and health-giving minerals like manganese, magnesium, and others. Some of the health benefits of green tea include increased memory power and mental alertness, relief from headaches, improvement of digestive ailments, reduction in skin damage from the sun, and weight loss. Green tea may also help protect against certain major illnesses. Studies show this beverage can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. But you should be aware of the severity of your disease and know when to see a doctor for treatment. You can get cost-effective prescription drugs from online pharmacies in Canada.

Healthy Matcha Tea

Unsurprisingly, given their matching origins, matcha has many of the same health benefits as green tea. These include improved memory and cognition, anti-aging properties, reduction in oxidative stress, metabolic improvements including weight loss, improved blood vessel strength, and tumour-reduction powers.

Both matcha and green tea provide beneficial effects and are soothing, tasty drinks to enjoy every day. Since both provide health benefits, your choice depends on your personal taste. Matcha tea, however, may provide the most concentrated source of the compounds that promote health because it contains the whole leaf. The plant is also grown in the shade, which boosts antioxidant content. But consuming more antioxidants may not necessarily be better. Experts suggest green tea provides just as valuable a boost to the immune system as matcha, so there may not be much difference between them.