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Is this why Zendaya's smiling? Celebs' favourite green drink matcha may ease period cramps and ward off gum disease, research shows... even if it does taste like 'shredded grass'
Matcha tea is being heralded as a cure for period cramps and gum disease — despite tasting like ‘shredded grass’ according to some people.
The drink, popular with celebrities including Zendaya, Kourtney Kardashian, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, contains a compound called catechin which may reduce hormones that lead to period pain.
One user posted the claims on X (formerly Twitter), amassing 4.3million views, adding: ‘I was wondering why my cramps immediately got up out of here wow.’
But others weighed in, claiming matcha — often made with milk to create a matcha latte — ‘tastes like dirt’.
One person wrote: ‘It’s so GROSS tho, s*** tastes like shredded grass.’
Euphoria star Zendaya has been pictured drinking matcha
Bella Hadid is known to enjoy a matcha tea
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker with their matcha teas
It comes as a new study found matcha mouthwash may kill bacteria that cause gum disease, tooth loss and other health concerns.
The research, published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, said that swishing your mouth with matcha extract can destroy the bug porphyromonas gingivalis, which colonises on tooth surfaces and gum pockets, leading to periodontitis.
As well as dental problems, the condition is linked to diabetes, preterm birth, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.
Matcha tea has become popular among celebrities for its supposed health benefits.
Many claims about its effects have been made in the past, though many of them are based on little evidence.
The viral tweet claimed matcha can cure menstrual cramps
Some who responded do not like the taste
Others said they enjoy matcha when it is flavoured with other things
A small study from the Netherlands suggested that matcha consumption may increase attention, reaction time and memory.
It’s also claimed the tea helps the body to metabolise caffeine, avoiding the ‘crash’ reported by some after drinking a caffeinated drink like coffee.
The claims about matcha’s effect on period pain, or dysmenorrhoea, come from a 2019 study in China that looked at the effect of catechins in green tea.
It did not test matcha in particular, but matcha is known to contain high levels of catechins, along with oolong tea.
Matcha tea is often made with milk to create matcha latte, either iced or hot
It found that 56.4 per cent of university students suffered period cramps, with 6.5 per cent reporting very severe or unbearable symptoms.
Hormone-like compounds produced in the womb called prostaglandins were said to be the cause of these cramps. Catechins from green tea were found to help inhibit their production.
Black teas, like the ones used to make the traditional British cuppa, were found to be ineffective.
The researchers warned: ‘Our study suggests that drinking green tea was associated with a lower prevalence of dysmenorrhoea among reproductive-age women in China. On the other hand, excessive tea drinking may not be advisable, either, as tea may inhibit iron absorption.’
The viral tweet also claimed that amino acid L-theanine, found in matcha, helps to relax muscles – something that matcha manufacturers often boast. However, scientific research on this is limited.
The gum disease study, involving 45 people, was carried out in Japan.
Paricipants were randomly assigned to 3 groups: one received barley tea mouthwash, the second received mouthwash made from matcha extract and the third received mouthwash that included sodium azulene sulfonate hydrate, which is used to treat inflammation.
They were instructed to rinse twice daily and saliva samples were collected before and after the study.
Matcha flavoured KitKats are sold in Japan
Matcha is one of several unusual flavours the iconic chocolate bar comes in
The researchers found that those who used the matcha mouthwash had significantly lower levels of harmful bacteria in their saliva samples at the end.
They wrote: ‘Matcha may have clinical applicability for prevention and treatment of periodontitis.’
Matcha is used in traditional ceremonies and for flavouring in drinks and sweets. Even KitKats are flavoured with matcha in Japan.
It is made from the raw leaves of the camellia sinensis plant.