Matcha Mania

 Written By: Madeline Mohlman; SLU Dietetic Intern

        Matcha’s popularity in the US has been increasing in recent years. This beautiful green powdered tea from Japan has been added to menus at coffee shops all across the country. From basic lattes to matcha lemonades, there are many ways to drink this tea. Not only is it pretty to look at with an earthy flavor, the tea also contains some health benefits. However, are there any negatives to drinking matcha?

        Matcha contains antioxidants and phytochemicals within the tea that are very beneficial. The caffeine content is about 38-89mg per cup. For comparison, coffee contains about 100-120mg. With a rise in popularity, it is only a matter of time before people start bringing up negatives. Recently on Tiktok, I have seen some videos saying that there are nutrient interactions with matcha that can lead to iron deficiency. While it is true that there can be an interaction that limits iron absorption, it depends on how much and when you drink your matcha. If you are concerned about this, avoid drinking matcha within an hour before or after an iron rich meal or if you are taking a supplement. Drinking one cup of matcha a day is considered generally safe for most people.

        This leads to another discussion about social media and taking a post from a stranger as truth. Social media is a great resource for information; however, navigating these platforms is another skill. It can be easy to believe that what that person is saying is the truth because they appear knowledgeable in the topic. But it is important to remain a little skeptical about things, especially nutrition information. People love to give you a quick fix to something, but it may not work for everyone or even be evidence-based. So if you see anything, it won’t hurt to dig a little deeper into the topic and find some other evidence to back it up before filing it away in your brain as fact.

        Let’s go more into the positives! Social media really helped to boost the consumption of matcha within the US by showing recipes to try with matcha and understanding the different origins and flavors of matcha. The traditional way to make matcha is by whisking it in a bowl of hot water with a bamboo whisk, chasen. The whisking motion should be in the shape of a “W” or “M” until frothy on top. It is then consumed immediately. There are many other ways to try. Some big trends were the matcha cloud latte or a strawberry matcha. I haven’t tried the cloud, but I have tried strawberry and the earthy, nutty flavor of the matcha with the sweetness of the strawberry is amazing! You can’t beat a classic matcha though. Because you are drinking the leaves, the flavor is much stronger, so you don’t need to add much to the tea and let the flavor shine through.

        Matcha is overall not going to be the reason you become iron deficient. Moderation is key for everything. Drinking tea should be a pleasure, so enjoy!