Matcha green tea is currently experiencing a surge in popularity in the west. Unlike normal green tea, it is a fine ground green powder made from leaves that have been grown in the shade for a period of time prior to harvest. This boosts the chlorophyll content of the leaves, and which in turn gives the powder its deep green colour. Traditionally Japanese Zen Buddhist monks would drink matcha tea to maintain mental clarity and focus when meditating— think of it as the ‘expresso’ of green teas.

As well as keeping you alert, matcha tea could also provide another welcome benefit—it could also help you to lose weight.

The evidence is particularly striking. A study carried out in 2000 showed that rats that were injected with the same antioxidant that’s found in high levels in green tea—EGCG— lost up to 21% of their body weight in just one week. Another study in 2005 showed that people who drank a catechin-rich green tea lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t.

When taken as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, green tea could help maximise your weight loss and help you shift those extra pounds.

Most types of green tea are naturally high in this powerful antioxidant, but levels are particularly higher in matcha green tea.