icon-account icon-glass

Popular Searches

Popular Products

The Lean Protein
Whey protein powder for weight-loss.
The Energy Booster
Pre/intra-workout powder with BCAAs.

CATEGORIES

Matcha: The History and Benefits

14th May 2021

Health Nutrition

14th May 2021

By Innermost

Green tea has been a popular beverage in China for thousands of years, but matcha, pronounced “mah-cha” was developed and popularised by the Japanese just a few centuries ago. Zen monks say that it helps them remain calm but alert whilst meditating and tout it as their secret to living long, stress-free lives.

So, let’s get with the times and see why you should be having your daily dose of matcha green tea, shall we?

What is matcha?

Matcha, which is whole leaf green tea ground into a fine powder, is a centuries old Japanese staple. Traditionally in Japan, the green powder, which has numerous health benefits that promises not only to increase energy levels, but also boost metabolism and detox the body, is mixed into hot water and enjoyed as a tea drink. Matcha is a real healthy hero, and it should be incorporated into all of our diets.

Why? We’re about to show you.

What are the health benefits of matcha?

Matcha health benefits are extensive and have a great regulatory effect on the body. Matcha is higher in antioxidants than normal green tea because the whole leaf is ingested  rather than just thrown away after being steeped in bags. In fact, a 2003 University of Colorado study confirmed that 1 unit of matcha green tea has 137 times the amount of antioxidant EGCG compared to a conventional green tea. Other health benefits include…

  • Rich in antioxidants
  • Easy to prep
  • Helps your heart
  • Boosts brain productivity

If that wasn’t enough, the antioxidant levels of matcha are so amazing that they are 17x greater than blueberries and 60x greater than spinach. Amazingly, matcha also has the potential to boost weight loss! A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the link between matcha for weight loss is strong. This is because the green tea extract is rich in catechins and has thermogenic properties which can promote fat oxidation by increasing energy expenditure. As well as a thermogenic effect, their consumption reduces fat absorption and energy intake due to their effect on their gut microbiota.

How can I incorporate matcha in my diet?

Matcha is a green powder with a kind of fresh, grassy taste, which makes it an interesting addition to any recipe- sweet or savoury. But be wary, quality is key, so opt for pure matcha, which although expensive, has more health benefits than cheaper alternatives. 

Whilst on the go, you can now buy pretty good matcha lattes from many coffee chains and stores. These can help you feel ‘balanced’ whilst offering stable but large caffeine highs. What’s more, why stop at matcha lattes? If you’re not too keen on these, or maybe you’re looking for suitable supplements to incorporate this ingredient into your diet, matcha can be found in The Tone Capsules.

Summary

So from this quick introduction to matcha, we’ve learned that matcha is packed with antioxidants and has potential metabolism-enhancing, stress reducing, cholesterol lowering, and immune boosting effects. With all these benefits and the delicious taste of matcha green tea, we wholeheartedly recommend you give this one a go.

References

  • Cardoso, Gabrielle Aparecida, et al. "The effects of green tea consumption and resistance training on body composition and resting metabolic rate in overweight or obese women." Journal of medicinal food 16.2 (2013): 120-127. Click here.
  • Egert, Sarah, et al. "Simultaneous ingestion of dietary proteins reduces the bioavailability of galloylated catechins from green tea in humans." European journal of nutrition 52.1 (2013): 281-288. Click here.
  • Heinrich, Ulrike, et al. "Green tea polyphenols provide photoprotection, increase microcirculation, and modulate skin properties of women." The Journal of nutrition 141.6 (2011): 1202-1208. Click here.
  • Hodgson, Adrian B., Rebecca K. Randell, and Asker E. Jeukendrup. "The effect of green tea extract on fat oxidation at rest and during exercise: evidence of efficacy and proposed mechanisms." Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal 4.2 (2013): 129-140. Click here.
  • Hursel, Rick, and Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga. "Catechin-and caffeine-rich teas for control of body weight in humans." The American journal of clinical nutrition 98.6 (2013): 1682S-1693S. Click here.
  • Weiss, D. J., & Anderton, C. R. (2003). Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A, 1011(1-2), 173-180. Click here.
< Older post Newer post >

Product Spotlight

The Tone Capsules. These nootropic capsules contain research-backed ingredients that gently raise your metabolism, reduce cravings and promote sustainable fat-loss.

The Tone Capsules
Our daily Innermost The Tone Capsules gently raise metabolism, increase energy levels, reduce cravings and promote sustainable fat-loss. Start your journey.
Best seller

Need Expert Advice?

Take the quiz

Take the quiz

If you're not sure where to start, take our 5 minute health consultation to get product recommendations tailored to your goals.
Read more

Other Insights

The Myth of Optimal Health

The Myth of Optimal Health

We live in an age obsessed with the idea of “optimal.” The optimal diet. The optimal supplement stack. The optimal training split. Scroll through Instagram or YouTube for five minutes and you’ll find someone with a 17-step morning routine, a kitchen cupboard full of powders, and the confidence that they’ve cracked the code to human performance. But here’s the truth: Chasing “optimal” is one of the fastest ways to fall short in your health. The Illusion of Optimal Health culture has a way of dangling perfection in front of us. Big food companies do it when they market the “perfect” meal replacement shake. Biohackers do it when they promise that cold plunges, red-light therapy, and nootropics are the missing links to peak performance. But research paints a different picture. Studies on diet adherence consistently show that most people abandon strict or extreme health plans within weeks.  Fad diets, whether keto, paleo, or juice cleanses have dropout rates as high as 50–70% in the first two months. That’s not because people are weak. It’s because perfection is unsustainable. When you aim for “optimal,” you’re often aiming for something that doesn’t exist outside of a lab study or a heavily edited social feed. Consistency beats Intensity If you strip away the noise, the science is clear: the best plan is the one you can actually stick to. A Stanford University study looked at exercise adherence and found that people who built moderate, consistent routines were far more successful over the long term than those who went all in with aggressive, “optimal” plans. Think about it: Walking 8,000 steps daily is far more powerful than hitting 20,000 steps once a week. Sleeping 7–8 hours a night consistently beats the occasional marathon lie-in after a week of late nights. Eating balanced meals most of the time will always outperform the perfect, but impossible, “clean eating” schedule. Consistency doesn’t look flashy on social media. But it’s what drives lasting change in real life. The Perfection Trap The bigger danger of chasing “Optimal Health” isn’t just that it’s unrealistic. It’s that it creates guilt and paralysis. Psychologists call this all-or-nothing thinking. If you miss your “perfect” 5am workout, you write the day off. If you slip up on your diet, you feel like you’ve failed. Over time, that mindset burns people out. A review published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine highlighted how rigid, perfectionist approaches to health goals were strongly linked to higher stress, lower motivation, and worse long-term outcomes. In other words: aiming for perfect often leaves you worse off than if you’d just aimed for “good enough” consistently. The Simplicity Advantage At Innermost, this is the philosophy we’ve always stood behind: better health should be simple, not overwhelming. We don’t believe in flashy shortcuts or marketing gimmicks. We believe in science-backed products designed to slot seamlessly into your life so you can actually stick with them. A few examples: The Hydrate Blend makes staying on top of electrolytes effortless — without the sugar, fillers, or artificial aftertaste you’ll find in the big sports drinks. The Rise Blend gives you clean energy and focus, without adding another complicated ritual to your already busy day. Our protein powders support your health and fitness goals with nutrients you and your body recognises, instead of pushing the latest overpriced fad ingredient. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. Progress, not Perfection So here’s the takeaway: you don’t need the “optimal” plan. You just need a plan you’ll actually follow. If you focus on moving most days, eating whole foods when you can, sleeping properly, and staying hydrated, you’re already ahead of 90% of the population. It’s not sexy. But it works. And it’s sustainable. So the next time you feel the pressure to add another step to your routine, ask yourself: does this make my life simpler or more complicated? If it’s the latter, it probably isn’t worth it. Health isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about building momentum. An imperfect plan, done consistently, beats the “optimal” plan abandoned after a week.
Read more
Folate Blog Image

What is Folate? Uses and Health Benefits

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a pretty important nutrient no matter who you are. Here, we cover the benefits of folate and some tips on working it into your diet.
Read more