Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea Comparison of Nutrients, Benefits

matcha tea vs green tea

You may have heard of matcha tea, but what is it? And what’s the difference between matcha and regular green tea?

In this Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea article I am going to explain what each tea is, compare their nutrient profile and generally provide content to better help you understand the connection between the two types of tea.

Matcha is a type of green tea that is made from whole, ground tea leaves. It has a bright green color and a slightly sweet taste.

Regular green tea is also made from whole, ground tea leaves. However, it has a bitter taste and a yellow-green color.

So, what’s the difference between matcha and regular green tea?

In this Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea article, we are going to answer just that.

Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea

Before we jump in, on the differences between Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea, let’s understand what they are.

What is Green Tea?

Green tea is a type of tea that is made from the Camellia sinensis plant.

Camellia sinensis plant
– Camellia sinensis Plant | Source
Camellia sinensis flower
– Camelia Sinensis Flower | Source

This plant is native to China and India. The leaves of the plant are picked, then they are dried and rolled. Next, the leaves are heated, which stops the oxidation process.

Green Tea is rich in antioxidants, which can improve your health. Studies have shown that green tea can help you lose weight, lower your risk of cancer, and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Here’s an article we wrote a while back ago with a more detailed list of green tea’s health benefits – according to science.

Also, here’s an interesting video I’ve found online showing the process of making Green Tea.

What is Matcha Tea?

Matcha tea is a type of green tea that it is too made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. However, matcha tea is different from regular green tea in a few ways.

First of all, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are shade-grown before they are picked. This helps to increase the chlorophyll content in the leaves, which gives matcha its bright green color.

After the leaves are picked, they are ground into a fine powder, packed and shipped. Green tea on the other hand is not grounded into a fine powder.

Shaded Matcha Tea Field
– Shaded Matcha Tea Field

Matcha tea has a higher concentration of antioxidants than regular green tea.

So, now that we know what matcha and green tea are, let’s take a look at the differences between them.

KEY TAKEAWAY
Matcha green tea is shaded during the last 2-3 weeks before harvesting. This increases its chlorophyll and antioxidant capacity. Matcha tea is grounded into fine powder while green tea is served as dehydrated leaves.

Differences Between Matcha Tea and Green Tea

The main difference between matcha and green tea is the way they are made. As we mentioned earlier, matcha tea is made from whole, ground tea leaves. This means that when you drink matcha tea, you are consuming the entire leaf.

Green tea, on the other hand, is made from dried and rolled leaves that are heated to stop the oxidation process. This means that when you drink green tea, you are not consuming the entire leaf.

Another difference between matcha and green tea is the color. Matcha has a bright green color, while green tea has a more yellow-green color due to the higher concentration of chlorophyll.

The taste of matcha and green tea is also different. Matcha has a slightly sweet taste, while green tea has a more bitter taste.

matcha green tea
– Matcha tea
green-tea-leaves
– Green tea leaves

Finally, matcha contains more caffeine than green tea. This is because when you drink matcha, you are consuming the entire leaf.

So, those are the main differences between matcha and green tea. Now, let’s take a look at the benefits of drinking each one.

Benefits of Consuming Matcha Tea or Green Tea

Consuming Match Tea or Green tea offers tremendous benefits towards our well-being.

Green tea can reduce your risk of cancer. This is because green tea is rich in antioxidants, which can protect your cells from damage. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage.

Green tea can reduce your risk of heart disease. This is because green tea contains catechins, which can lower your cholesterol and improve your blood vessel function.

Green tea can help you lose weight. Green Tea’s caffeine and catechins are proven to burn fat and boost your metabolism. There are multiple research articles that support it. Here’s one and here’s another that proves that Green Tea’s combination of caffeine and EGCG enhance thermogenesis in the body.

Green tea can improve your brain function. This is because green tea contains caffeine and L-Theanine. Caffeine has been shown to improve your attention span and focus. L-Theanine has been shown to improve your memory and reaction time.

Packed with antioxidants: Matcha tea has all of the benefits of green tea, plus more. This is because matcha tea contains more antioxidants and caffeine than green tea.

Boost Immune System: Matcha tea contains chlorophyll, which can help to detoxify your body. Chlorophyll has been also shown to boost your immune system and fight inflammation.

Helps you create new blood cells: Chlorophyll is also dubbed a “Blood builder” because in preliminary research published in 2004 found that wheatgrass, which has around 70% chlorophyll, decreased the frequency of blood transfusions required in persons with thalassemia.

Fights Odors: Finally, chlorophyll found in Matcha tea can help fight certain odors. For example, a new study of individuals having trimethylaminuria, a disorder that emits a fishy smell, discovered that chlorophyllin reduced the level of trimethylamines considerably.

Improves Your Mood: L-Theanine found in Matcha Tea and Green Tea can help you relax and improve your mood. According to one study, L-Theanine can help to reduce anxiety and improve cognitive function by increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain.

Improves Skin health: Matcha tea can improve your skin health. Chlorophyllin has been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties in skin wounds. Several trials on ointments containing papain-urea-chlorophyllin were included in a 2008 review of wound care research.

A 2015 research study of ten persons with acne and big pores found that using topical chlorophyllin gel for three weeks improved their skin.

This 2015 preliminary research with ten participants discovered that using topically applied chlorophyllin for eight weeks repaired sun-damaged skin.

So, those are some of the benefits of matcha and green tea. As you can see, both teas offer a variety of benefits. You might want to check this detailed article on the health benefits of Matcha Tea based on Science.

KEY TAKEAWAY
Both types of tea offer a variety of health benefits. However, matcha tea seems to offer more benefits than green tea. If you are looking for a healthy drink that can improve your overall health, then matcha tea is a great option.

Matcha Tea Vs Green Tea Nutrients (Table)

Now that we know the differences between matcha and green tea, let’s take a look at the nutrients they contain.

(per 100g)MATCHA GREEN TEAGREEN TEA
Energy500Kcal1 kcal
Protein0g0.22g
Lipid0g0g
Carbohydrate50g0g
Dietary Fibers50g0g
Folate1200mcg0mcg
Niacin40.03mg
Caffeine3.4mg12mg
Chlorophyll
Vitamin B10.6mg0mg
Vitamin B21.35mg0mg
Vitamin B60.96mg0mg
Vitamin C60mg0mg
Vitamin E28.1mg0mg
Vitamin K2900mcg0mcg
Beta Carotene29000mcg0mcg
Sodium6mg7mg
Potassium2700mg19mg
Calcium420mg1mg
Magnesium230mg0mg
Phosphorus350mg26mg
Iron17mg0mg
Zinc6.3mg0mg
Copper0.6mg0mg
– Sources:, myfooddata.com, Ilovematchatea.co.uk and usda.gov

As you can see from the table, matcha and green tea are similar in many ways. However, there are some differences in the nutrient content. For example, matcha contains much more nutrients rather than green tea.

👉 We’ve written an article a while ago on the Top 10 Matcha Green Tea’s on the market. Feel free to check it out..

Bottom Line

So, there you have it! Those are the differences between matcha and green tea. As you can see, they are similar in many ways but there are also some important differences.

If you’re looking for a healthy drink that will give you a boost of energy, then matcha or green tea would be a good choice. Both of them are rich in antioxidants and caffeine. However, matcha contains more chlorophyll than green tea.

Chlorophyll is a type of antioxidant that has been linked to health benefits like improved digestion and detoxification.

So, for me, Matcha is the better choice. But it’s up to you to decide which one you prefer! Thanks for reading and have a great day.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below and I’ll be happy to answer them.

👋 Hey, if this article solved your question, please give it a like and share it with your friends. It would mean a lot to me! 🙂

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