WHEN Naomi Halili tried matcha for the second time, she felt as if she had made the biggest mistake in her life by hating matcha at first.

Halili was among the many who summoned the taste of matcha on their first try.

For those who don’t know matcha, it is a powdered version of green tea leaves.

Following her “love on the second try,” she began making matcha a part of her system. Halili ensures she’s eating or drinking matcha food and beverage every week. 

On average, she consumes any matcha food or drinks about three to five times a week.

“I don’t fear eating or drinking matcha because it’s healthy, and I make sure I’m consuming organic matcha,” said Halili in mixed English and Filipino.

According to the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, drinking matcha at least four cups daily resulted in a notable decrease in both the individual’s weight and systolic blood pressure.

Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure of the person’s arteries when the heart beats. According to experts, it is also a predictor of strokes, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease.

But despite the benefits that matcha brings to its consumers, matcha eaters and drinkers should also be mindful of the right timing in consuming the tea. 

When is the right time to drink matcha?

According to UK-based online wellness brand Teaologists, which provides health information about the proper way of consuming matcha said, drinking matcha before working out was proven to be one of the drivers to lose weight

Those who get into the habit of having a cup or two of matcha in the morning before they start their regular exercise routine are already doing everything just as it should be. 

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking green tea dramatically enhances the body’s power to burn calories, up to 35-43 percent. Matcha can also increase your physical endurance by up to 24 percent.

Drink matcha before work.

A separate study by the National Library of Medicine found that consuming matcha, whether in the form of a drink or sweetened, can help you become more active at work.

About 23 matcha consumers who participated in the study’s four-test session reported “improvements in tasks measuring basic attention abilities and psychomotor speed in response to stimuli over a defined period.”

When not to drink matcha?

However, matcha also poses certain risks when consumed at the wrong time.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that just like coffee drinks, consuming matcha before bedtime can also affect the sleeping pattern of consumers as matcha also contains caffeine compounds. 

Some individuals, particularly those who do not routinely consume tea or other caffeinated beverages, may experience a laxative effect after consuming matcha because of its high caffeine and fiber content. 

It should not come as a surprise, given that matcha is consumed in such high volumes compared to other teas, that the laxative effect may be even more potent than the typical portion sizes of brewed green or black tea, it said.

Matcha can cause dehydration.

It also said that since caffeine is a diuretic, it will speed up the rate at which you go to the bathroom to urinate. It could result in losing more fluid than usual, ultimately leading to dehydration.

Avoid drinking matcha on an empty stomach.

Experts said matcha could cause abdominal distress when taken on an empty stomach. It is essential to avoid drinking Matcha tea at the same time as your primary meals because doing so will inhibit the absorption of vitamin B1 in your body, which can result in a condition known as beriberi.

It said that people lacking in thiamine are more likely to suffer from this condition, which impacts the circulatory and nervous systems.

Just a reminder, while for some people it’s #Matcharap, matcha consumers should be mindful of its effects on the body. 

For Halili’s part, since she is now seriously following her #BalikAlindogProgram after the holidays, it also includes the lessening consumption of matcha. Despite the sound effects, she knows that everything too much is not beneficial for her, regardless of how much she loves matcha.