Can I drink matcha before working out?
- 4 min reading time
Your best gym buddy is here and always ready to give you that extra push. Forget about that friend that always seems to bail on you, matcha is what you need to bring to your next workout. Matcha has the nutrients you want and need with none of the sugar or calories. Besides the plethora of health benefits and boost of creative energy, your new best friend might also have a special fitness reward in store for you. Read on to find out!
Vitamins, minerals and caffeine
Matcha is a great choice both before or after a trip to the gym. Matcha naturally has vitamins, minerals, and caffeine so it gives you the energy you need before a workout and helps you feel refreshed during recovery. Why buy expensive supplements when one serving of matcha has the same amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (which are called catechins) contained in 10 cups of brewed green tea as well as a healthy dose of dietary fiber. Since 3 Leaf Tea’s matcha contains zero sugar, it can easily be added to any diet plan.
Matcha has about 70mg of caffeine. For comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 200mg of caffeine. You might think that more caffeine means more energy for longer. However, too much caffeine can be overstimulating, causing jitteriness and an eventual drop in energy. Unlike coffee, matcha contains a special amino acid called L-theanine. This unique molecule works by slowing the absorption of caffeine into the bloodstream resulting in a lower but longer boost of energy with no crash at the end.
L-theanine and Catechins
One other secret workout reward is from the catechins contained in matcha. Catechins are a type of antioxidant, which are well known for their ability to fight cancer causing free radicals. However, they are thought to have other abilities as well. Scientists think that the catechins in green tea can help lower blood sugar levels and maybe even have an anti-diabetic effect. Say you have lunch and drink matcha with it. After drinking matcha, the catechins in the tea stop some of the starch from your lunch from being broken down and absorbed into your body. This is how matcha is thought to help keep blood sugar levels low. Unabsorbed nutrients then pass through the body as waste. Consuming matcha is theorized to help with weight loss by essentially tricking your body into thinking it isn’t getting enough energy and prompting it to start to break down the fat where it stores its extra energy. It is difficult to measure how effective drinking matcha is for weight loss because results can vary so widely from person to person. More research is necessary to get any definite answers but the current studies show promising results. In the meantime, investigating and judging for yourself is the best course of action.
One other secret workout reward is from L-theanine. The magic amino-acid L-theanine might do more than just slow the absorption of caffeine. Combined with caffeine, L-theanine is thought to increase your fat burning capacity, especially during a workout. L-theanine could potentially slow the absorption of other nutrients as well. Science is still not sure about how big a role L-theanine plays in matcha’s ability to help control weight but there is lots of anecdotal evidence. Again, since results can vary from person to person, we recommend you make your own judgements.
Deciding to work out is an excellent way to care for yourself. Why not make another healthy decision and choose a workout buddy that will help you meet your fitness goals? Soup up your protein shake, smoothie, or prework out meal with a scoop of any of 3 Leaf Tea’s great tasting flavored matcha for an energy, nutritional, and maybe even a metabolic rate boost. Make matcha a part of your exercise routine to help you feel your best and most vibrant self.