There is a growing buzz around Matcha EGCG. No, it is not some super fruit or power vegetable or even a detox diet. It is actually a type of green tea, Matcha. The buzz, however, is not so much about the fact that Matcha is a green tea with antioxidants. The buzz surrounds the fact that Matcha contains EGCG, which is an abbreviation for epigallocatechin gallate. Here is more about the tea, the EGCG, and why it matters.

Matcha Itself

Matcha alone is a specific type of green tea. Instead of using just parts of the tea leaves or parts of the bush to make tea, Matcha uses the whole leaf. It tastes as you would expect green tea to taste, which is why many consumers sweeten it with honey or drink it iced. While it is mostly grown and produced in China, it is actually a Japanese stone-ground tea, which turns all of the leaves into a fine powder, much like cocoa, and yes, the tea (when brewed) is very green in color.

EGCG

Because of the very long chemical name, we are abbreviating it here, as its common EGCG. EGCG is very high in all teas, but is exceptionally high in green tea. It is a polyphenol, an antioxidant, which reduces a person's potential and risk of developing cancers by slowing cell growth. It also seems to reduce appetite in some people, acting as a weight control or weight loss supplement, although that does not seem to be the same for everyone. The exact mechanisms of EGCG are not fully understood, but there is some basis of truth to the health claims.

Matcha tea has a lot of EGCG, more than most other green teas. It also has higher amounts of caffeine and theanine, which makes it an excellent choice for an afternoon energy boost without jitters and with the cancer prevention benefits of EGCG. It is such a growing health trend that big-name coffee houses now offer both brewed Matcha and Matcha powder supplements to any drink on their menus. People who were consuming more than one cup of coffee a day are switching out cups of coffee for cups of Matcha tea.

Judge for Yourself

There is a lot more hype surrounding Matcha EGCG, of course, but it is just hype. The scientific facts above are reason enough to drink this tea. However, you can drink it and judge for yourself. There are more than enough coffee houses and restaurants serving it now, and many health supplement stores stock it too.

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