Matcha and intermittent fasting are both very popular in the food and wellness community and have have gained widespread popularity in recent years. Matcha is a type of green tea that has originated from Japan. In fact, it has been used for many centuries in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. While, intermittent fasting is what I would call an eating pattern that you can adopt to help improve your lifestyle.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a type of Japanese green tea that is made from tea leaves that are grown in the shade. The leaves are then finely grounded to produce matcha powder. The matcha powder is then mixed with hot water to create the deliciously green drink. I love the taste of matcha, but some people might find it a bit too bitter for them. I find that matcha has a nice taste in which it is both bitter and has a slightly sweet taste. While it was originally used for Japanese tea ceremonies, it is nowadays used in many different types of drinks and food.
For those who are interested in health and fitness, matcha has become increasingly popular because of its potential health benefits. It is actually is packed with antioxidants, which is very good to help protect your body against the free radicals that can cause damage to your body and lead to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. In addition, matcha also contains a decent amount of caffeine and an amino acid called L-theanine, which help each other to boost energy levels and improve mental focus and concentration. Unlike coffee, matcha can help give you a slow boost and a slow withdrawal. Which means you are less likely to crash on matcha than on coffee.
Intermittent Fasting
Nowadays, intermittent fasting has become popular due to its ability to help you lose weight. In addition to losing weight, it can also help improve your insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation in your body, and boost your metabolism. There are many ways intermittent fasting can be done. Personally, I like to use the 16/8 method, this is where you fast for 16 hours and then eat within 8 hours. This can be easily achieved by skipping either breakfast or dinner. For example, I only eat or drink food with calories from 12pm to 8pm.
Drinking Matcha During Intermittent Fasting
I think you should drink matcha when you are intermittent fasting. In fact, I believe that drinking matcha while you are intermittent fasting can really help boost your fast and might even provide you with some health benefits. When you drink matcha during your fasting period, matcha can really help boost your energy levels and mental focus, therefore it will make your fasts easier. When you have more energy and can focus more, you probably can do more of your daily activities without being hindered from feeling hungry. Matcha has also the ability to help decrease your hunger pangs, which should make it easier to fast and also avoid eating too much during your eating period.
Not only does matcha provide you with energy and focus during your fast, matcha can also help improve your body’s ability to burn fat. Matcha leaves contains a type of catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which studies have shown that it can increase the fat oxidation in your body. Therefore, when combined with intermittent fasting, matcha in theory can actually help your body burn more fat for fuel during your fasted state, leading to more weight loss.
Matcha also contains a type of soluble fiber called catechins, that can help help promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria in your body. Intermittent fasting has also been shown to improve gut health by reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. Therefore, when combined together, you might be able to see improved benefits to your gut health.
Even if there are so many positive benefits to drinking matcha during intermittent fasting, it is very important for you to make sure you check with your doctor before you try something new. Intermittent fasting can be difficult for some people, especially for those who have health concerns. Therefore, I would always advise you to consult a doctor first before you try intermittent fasting.
In addition, drinking matcha is very safe for most people, it is a tea and therefore it does contain caffeine, which might negatively affect those who are sensitive to caffeine. Matcha also contains slightly more caffeine than regular green tea, this is because you are consuming the whole tea leave instead of just steeping the leaves. You should always start with small quantities of matcha and see how it affects your body before you try it out in bigger portions.
Drinking matcha while you are intermittent fasting have the ability to provide significant health benefits when combined. Because the calories are so low, it is negligible. While it also provide focus and energy during your fast, improve fat burning, and help gut health. But it is always best to talk to a doctor or a healthcare provider before you start trying out something new, especially for those who have health conditions.
It is also important to know that not all types of intermittent fasting may be suitable for everyone. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have medical conditions, you might want to skip intermittent fasting or try another type of eating pattern.
When you buy matcha, it is very important to choose matcha that is of high quality. In addition, a lot of matcha products contain added sugar or other flavoring. To optimize your intermittent fasting, it is best to drink matcha that is just plain matcha. This means that the product must contain only matcha in the ingredient.
Bottomline
While I have explained the potential benefits that matcha can offer those who practicing intermittent fasting, it is not a magic solution for weight loss or for an instant improvement of health. You still need to eat a balanced diet and do regular exercise to keep healthy. In addition, if you are trying to lose weight, calories still do matter. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will still gain weight.
In conclusion, drinking matcha during intermittent fasting can potentially improve your intermittent fasting. It can improve your energy, making it possible for you to focus harder while you are fasting. It also can help increase fat burning and even help balance your gut. However, it is important you do this in moderation and always consult a doctor or a healthcare provider when in doubt.
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