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Matcha is having a moment. What are the health benefits of this green tea drink?

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Matcha’s popularity has increased in recent months, resulting in reports of: global shortages and price increases.

If you are not crazy yet, matcha is a powdered version of green tea. On the cafe’s menu, chances are you’ll see a hot or iced matcha latte, and even a matcha-flavored cake or cookie. A fast Google appears countless recipes containing matcha, each sweet and spicy.

Retailers and cafe owners they suggested The predominant reasons for matcha’s popularity are its Instagrammable appearance and alleged health benefits.

But what are the health benefits of matcha? Here’s what the evidence says.

First of all, what is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves that come from the plant. It is the same plant from which green and black tea are produced. However, production process distinguishes matcha from green and black tea.

In the case of matcha, the tea is grown in the shade. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed and dried, and the stems are removed. The leaves are then fastidiously ground at a controlled temperature to acquire a powder.

The production process for green tea is simpler. Leaves are collected from unshaded plants, heated and dried. We then soak the dried leaves in hot water to make tea (whereas with matcha, the whole leaf is consumed).

In the case of black tea, the leaves are exposed to air after being picked, which results in oxidation. This turns the leaves black and offers the tea a different flavor.

In countries similar to Japan, matcha is traditionally whipped with water and served in a stone bowl.
Charlotte May/Pexels

Source of phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are chemical compounds present in plants which have a number of benefits for human health. Matcha comprises several.

Chlorophyll gives plants, amongst others, green color. There is some evidence that chlorophyll can have health benefits – amongst others anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-obesity – as a result of its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage our cells.

Theanine has been shown to improve sleep AND reduce stress and anxiety. Only other known Mushrooms are a dietary source of theanine.

Caffeine is a phytonutrient that we all know well. In addition to increasing alertness, caffeine has also been shown to extend alertness antioxidant effect and a few protection against a range of chronic and neurodegenerative diseases. However, an excessive amount of caffeine can have negative unwanted effects.

Interestingly, the plants seem like shading during cultivation change the dietary composition leaf and should result in higher levels of these nutrients in matcha in comparison with green tea.

Another compound value mentioning are catechins, of which there are several differing types. Matcha powder similarly comprises more catechins than green tea. They are powerful antioxidants that have been shown have a protective effect against bacteria, viruses, allergies, inflammation and cancer. Catechins are also found in apples, blueberries and strawberries.

What are the real health benefits?

We know that matcha comprises a variety of phytonutrients, but does this translate into any noticeable health benefits?

A review published in 2023 identified only five experimental studies that gave people matcha. In these studies, participants received roughly 2–4 g of matcha per day (reminiscent of 1–2 teaspoons of matcha powder) in comparison with a placebo, in the form of a capsule, tea or food. Matcha reduces stress and anxiety and improves memory and cognitive functions. It had no effect on the mood.

AND newer study showed that 2 g of matcha in elderly people aged 60 to 85 improved sleep quality. However, in younger people aged 27 to 64, in one other study matcha had little effect on sleep.

AND research in individuals with obesity found no difference in weight reduction observed between the matcha group and the control group. This study didn’t randomize participants, and other people knew which group they were placed in.

One could hypothesize that, given that you’re going to eat the whole leaf and that levels of some nutrients could also be higher as a result of growing conditions, matcha can have more dietary benefits than green tea. However, to my knowledge, there has not been a direct comparison of the health effects of green tea versus matcha.

Matcha latte in a black cup on a brown table.
Matcha has gained popularity, but evidence of its health benefits is still limited.
Usanee/Shutterstock

There is a lot of evidence about the effects of green tea

Although a limited number of studies have examined matcha to this point and none have compared matcha to green tea, there is quite a bit of research on the health benefits of drinking green tea.

AND systematic review of 21 studies on green tea showed similar benefits to matcha in improving memory, in addition to evidence of improving mood.

There is also evidence that green tea provides other health benefits. Systematic reviews have shown that green tea results in: weight reduction in individuals with obesitylower level some types of cholesterolAND lowered blood pressure. Green tea can too reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

So for those who cannot reach for matcha right away, drinking green tea may be a good option to get your caffeine fix.

Although the evidence for green tea gives us some clues about the health benefits of matcha, we cannot ensure that they will probably be the same. Nevertheless, in case your local coffee shop has a large supply of matcha, there is nothing to say that you should not still enjoy matcha drinks.

However, it is best to save lots of the matcha croissant or cronut for special occasions. Adding matcha to foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat may negate any health benefits which may be attributed to matcha.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

US communities phase out fluoride use in public drinking water

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fluoride, water


There is a battle raging in American cities over whether to proceed using fluoride in water.

This is a process generally known as fluoridation that began around 1945. According to to the American Cancer Society became popular across the country after scientists noticed that individuals living in water with higher concentrations of fluoride had less tooth decay.

In 1962, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) advisable adding fluoride to public drinking water supplies to forestall tooth decay. The American Cancer Society estimates that fluoride is currently used in public drinking water supplied to roughly three in 4 Americans.

However, opponents have been warning for years that fluoride in drinking water is unsafe to devour. One of the organizations leading this initiative is Fluoride Action Network (FAN). The organization, whose mission is to lift awareness of what it claims is the “toxicity of fluoride compounds,” says many of the world’s developed countries don’t use fluoride in drinking water at the identical levels as America, or in any respect.

The organization says yes it helped over 500 communities successfully reject fluoridation, and there could also be more.

Federal leaders have gotten increasingly vocal in their support for ending the use of fluoride

While FAN says communities have rejected fluoridation for the past few a long time and the method has stalled in consequence, the fight has been thrust into the highlight over the past few months.

First, the National Toxicology Program, a federal agency throughout the Department of Health and Human Services, reported with “moderate certainty” that there may be an association between communities with higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in children. According to the Associated Press, these communities use greater than twice the advisable limit.

A month later, a federal judge apparently ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because higher levels could affect children.

Robert F. Kennedy, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to direct the Department of Health and Human Services, announced an end to fluoridation.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Health and Wellness

WATCH: Cynthia Erivo on the importance of being a sister – Essence

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This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Phenergan is no longer recommended for children under 6 years of age due to the risk of hallucinations. Here’s what you can use instead

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The Australian Drugs Regulatory Authority has issued an order safety warning over Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine promethazine.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has stated that over-the-counter products shouldn’t be given to children under six years of age due to concerns about serious unwanted side effects akin to hyperactivity, aggression and hallucinations. Breathing may turn into slow or shallow, which can be fatal.

When high doses are administered to young children, difficulties in learning and understanding, including reversible cognitive deficit and mental disability, may occur. – said the TGA.

The latest warning follows international and Australian concerns about the drug in young children, which is commonly used to treat conditions akin to hay fever and allergies, motion sickness and for short-term sedative effects.

What is promethazine?

Promethazine is a “first generation” antihistamine that has been sold over the counter in Australian pharmacies for a long time for a spread of conditions.

Unlike many other drugs, first-generation antihistamines can cross the blood-brain barrier. This means they affect your brain chemistry, making you feel drowsy and sedated.

In adults, this will likely be useful for sleep. However, in children, these drugs can cause serious unwanted side effects on the nervous system, including those mentioned on this week’s safety alert.

We’ve known about this for a while

We have known about the serious unwanted side effects of promethazine in young children for a while.

Advice regarding 20 years ago In the United States, the drug was not recommended for use in children under two years of age. In 2022, an Australian Medicines Advisory Committee made its own suggestion to increase the age to six. New Zealand released similar warnings and advice in May this 12 months.

Over the last ten years, there have been 235 cases of serious unwanted side effects from promethazine in each children and adults reported to the TGA. Of the 77 deaths reported, one was a toddler under six years of age.

Reported unwanted side effects in each adults and children included:

  • 13 cases of accidental overdose (leading to 11 deaths)
  • eight cases of hallucinations
  • seven cases of slow or shallow respiration (leading to 4 deaths)
  • six cases of decreased consciousness (leading to five deaths).

TGA security alert comes after an internal investigation by the manufacturer of Phenergan, Sanofi-Aventis Healthcare. This investigation was initiated in 2022 advice from the Medicines Advisory Committee. The company has now updated its information for consumers and healthcare professionals.

What can you use instead?

If you have allergies or hay fever in young children, non-sedating antihistamines akin to Claratine (loratadine) or Zyrtec (cetirizine) are preferred. They provide relief without the risk of sedation and other disturbing unwanted side effects of promethazine.

If symptoms of a chilly or cough occur, parents must be reassured that these symptoms will normally subside with time, fluid intake, and rest.

Saline nasal sprays, adequate hydration, a humidifier or elevating the child’s head can relieve the congestion related to hay fever. Oral products containing phenylephrine marketed for nasal congestion must be avoided because evidence shows that this is the case This article was originally published on : theconversation.com

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