Unlock the Power of Matcha: Top Health Benefits and How to Create Your Capsules

Introduction 

Today, we are talking about another superfood from nature's evergreen foundry — Matcha. 

In recent years, Matcha, the Japanese green tea, has become a sensation, not only in the world of supplement consumers but also among culinary and confectionery fans worldwide. From Matcha lattes to Matcha doughnuts, Matcha is making recipes green and crisp for millions globally. 

Tagging along, we have figured out how you can maximize the health benefits of Matcha with minimal mess or stress by using homemade capsules that also go easily with other supplements you might be taking.  

In this post, we will explore the top health benefits of Matcha and how you can make your Matcha capsules at home. 

What is Matcha? 

If you are new to it, Matcha is the whole-leaf tea preparation of the green tea plant (Camellia sinensis) that is uniquely cultivated and processed for that purpose. Differing from the traditional green tea extracted from the loose or bagged dried leaves of the plant, Matcha is prepared exclusively from shade-grown young leaves which are rapidly dried, destemmed, and powdered for holistic consumption. 

The uniqueness and wholeness of Matcha maximize its nutrient composition and health benefits compared to traditional green tea. For centuries, Matcha has been consumed as tea both routinely and ceremonially in Japan and has lately become popular in the US for its health benefits. 

Matcha has a bright green color due to its high chlorophyll content and a rich earthy roast, vegetal, umami flavor with a tinge of bitterness. Studies have shown that Matcha is a rich source of vitamins, caffeine, soluble and insoluble fibers, catechins, amino acids, and several minerals.  

Making your own Matcha Capsules 

Ready to tap into the benefits of Matcha? We believe you should supplement with it sustainably for the best outcomes. The best way to do this is by taking it in capsule form, especially if made at home. And here's why:

The regular mode of preparing Matcha requires considerable effort and mess, such as suspending and whisking the fine, easily clumping powder in warm water to make the tea. Also, many Matcha recipes, like lattes and desserts, involve added sugar, milk, or other ingredients that may dilute its health benefits or introduce unneeded calories.

However, when you make your Matcha capsule at home, you can: 

• Consume Matcha wholesomely without any additives, maximizing its health benefits. 
• Control the dosage and customize it to align with your other supplements. 
• Enjoy the convenience and portability of taking Matcha on the go, perfect for busy schedules. 
• Avoid the earthy taste of Matcha without resorting to sweeteners. 
• Save costs in the long term rather than buying commercial capsules or bulk powders with short shelf lives. 
• Optimize for better absorption by eliminating a heavier food matrix.

If you are excited about leveraging capsule elegance to exploit Matcha benefits in this way, here's a quick guide to DIY your Matcha capsules at home. 

Step 1

The first step is to source the ceremonial grade Matcha powder from a local or online store. Determine your dosage to get your fill volume and needed capsule size. (Hint: commercial Matcha capsules come in 500-1500 mg dosages in capsule size 0 or 00). Here also, consider if you are making a blend with other compatible ingredients. 

Step 2

Next, select the appropriate capsule size and type from Capsuline. 

Capsuline offers a range of empty gelatin and vegetarian capsule types of different sizes and flavors, to suit different consumer preferences and fill volumes. Our vertically integrated supply chain ensures consistent quality and traceability of our products, all manufactured in cGMP-certified facilities in North and South America.

For Matcha, we believe our chlorophyll capsules or transparent 100% vegetarian pullulan capsules are a good match! 

Step 3

Once you have your Matcha powder (and possibly other fills) and capsules ready, measure the ingredients on a digital scale, and mix them thoroughly to form a homogenous blend.

Step 4

You can fill the capsules either manually or with a capsule-filling machine. For small batches, the easiest way is to use a capsule holder and tamper. Simply place the capsule halves in the holder, fill them with your supplement blend, and then press the halves together. For larger quantities, a capsule-filling machine can save you time and ensure uniformity.

Step 5

After filling, store your capsules in a cool, dry place to maintain their potency. An airtight container can help protect them from moisture and contaminants.

Top Health Benefits of Matcha 

Consuming or supplementing with Matcha is claimed to offer many health-promoting benefits. In recent years, scientific evidence of Matcha benefits has come out to confirm the traditional use claims.

We highlight the top 3 health benefits of Matcha below:

Boosts brain (cognitive) health 

Results from many clinical trials have confirmed the positive cognitive effects of Matcha consumption. 

One randomized control trial among 54 Japanese seniors concluded that supplementation with Matcha (taken 1.5g for 12 weeks) significantly enhanced the cognitive functions of the subjects, especially the female participants. 

Another trial series comparing Matcha to caffeine in Japan found that continuous intake of Matcha enhanced the attentional focus, cognitive function, and performance under stress of the subjects, compared to continuous intake of caffeine but not at the first dose. 

These studies showed that Matcha decreases stress and anxiety, shortens reaction time, and improves memory and short- and long-term cognitive function among diverse people while having little effect on mood. These benefits were thought to be due to its bioactive contents like L-theanine, caffeine, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which activate many neural pathways in the brain. 

Enhances heart and metabolic health 

Although more human studies are needed, preclinical studies in animals have shown that Matcha effectively modulates lipid profile and glucose metabolism, douses inflammation, and reduces weight gain due to high-fat diets. 

In obese mice, Matcha also reverses fat-induced inflammation that can result in diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, its high catechin content supports its antioxidant activity against free radicals all of which protect cardiometabolic health. 

Can prevent cancer

In some early-stage studies, Matcha was demonstrated to exert potent inhibitory actions on breast cancer cell lines. The antitumor activity of Matcha is linked to its EGCG, caffeine, and L-theanine content. 

Compared to loose-leaf green tea, Matcha is shown to exert stronger tumor prevention in vitro acting on multiple checkpoints in the cell replication cycle. 

However, limited studies are showing the benefits of Matcha in other types of cancer. 

Getting the best out of Matcha 

Matcha is a beneficial superfood and its consumption is safe for the majority of people. Only a few mild side effects have been reported for Matcha among heavy users and these are reversible with withdrawal. The side effects are caffeine-related, including insomnia, restlessness, headache, diarrhea, and nausea. The antioxidant in Matcha may also limit iron absorption if taken together with iron-containing products, as used in anemia treatment. 

Hence, like any other supplement, it is important to speak to your healthcare providers before starting Matcha to ensure its appropriateness for your condition. 

Learn more 

Interested in Matcha, either as a nutraceutical manufacturer or enthusiast? Capsuline offers a vertically integrated supply chain model to ensure reliable long-term supply, complete traceability, and superior quality of raw materials.

We manufacture all our capsules in cGMP-certified facilities, based in North and South America. We offer both gelatin and vegetarian capsules.

Give us a call at 866.536.2277 or drop us an email; we’ll be happy to discuss your encapsulation needs. And if you are ready to purchase, contact Capsuline for the best selection of empty capsules in the industry!