Ever wonder why you feel different drinking matcha compared to coffee? This is thanks to the l theanine in matcha. In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into matcha l theanine.
We’ll compare the l theanine in matcha with other types of teas, and explain why this humble amino acid may be the source of matcha’s most potent health benefits.
Let’s get started!
What is matcha l theanine?
L theanine is a rare amino acid that is only found in tea and one other species of plant, ilex guayusa. This compound was discovered as recently as 1949, and it was isolated and extracted from the leaves of gyokuro, another high theanine Japanese green tea.
Researchers were interested in finding out why certain teas could produce a distinct savory, or “umami” flavor. This flavor is something you might find in a lot of Japanese cuisine, miso soup, dashi broth, etc. but oddly enough it was also found in tea.
The significance of matcha green tea l theanine
It seemed the scientists had found their answer - the l theanine in matcha and other green teas is a derivative of glutamic acid, which also produces a savory flavor in a lot of Japanese foods.
This l theanine was also found in abundance, making up around 2% of the dry weight of a typical Japanese tea. So it was more than enough to explain the unique savory flavor of Japanese green tea.
What is matcha l theanine good for?
The l theanine in matcha not only produces a savory flavor in the tea, it can also be responsible for a lot of its health benefits. This amino acid can cross the blood-brain barrier, where it helps modulate the activity of neurotransmitters involved in calm, focus, and overall mental clarity.
Matcha l theanine for calm
The l theanine in matcha is believed to increase alpha brainwave activity. These are the same brainwaves stimulated during long periods of meditation, and they are associated with feelings of relaxation, calm focus and creativity.
So next time you’re trying to get into a flow state and bang out that big project, you might want to whisk up a nice bowl of matcha rather than a coffee.
L theanine and caffeine - the matcha synergy
Matcha is relatively high in caffeine, but you won’t experience the same crash or jitters as you would with coffee. The l theanine content in matcha is believed to buffer some of the negative side effects of caffeine, leading to a longer lasting, “calm-alert” energy throughout the day.
You’ll still get an energy boost with matcha, and the caffeine content can reduce feelings of drowsiness or mental fog. You get all of the positives of coffee without the crash or jitters.
Why does matcha have l theanine
So why does matcha have l theanine? The plants don’t produce it so they can taste good, it actually serves a crucial function. L-theanine is used as a nitrogen reservoir in the tea plant. The tea plant draws in nitrogen from the soil, converts it into theanine in the roots and then transports it to the leaves, where it can be broken back down and used for growth.
How shading effects matcha tea l theanine
When the tea plant is exposed to sunlight, it converts l theanine into catechins as a protection against the UV light. These are the powerful antioxidants in the tea leaf, the only problem is they produce a very bitter flavor.
By covering the tea plants with netting to block out the sunlight, this process stops and the plant retains more of its l theanine. A farmer will use this shading technique when he wants to produce sweeter teas like gyokuro, matcha and kabusecha. For this reason, the l theanine in matcha and gyokuro will be the highest as these are the longest shaded teas.
How much l theanine in matcha compared to other teas
So now that we’ve talked about how the l theanine in matcha is increased thanks to the shading process, let's talk about how much l theanine is in matcha. Matcha has a whopping 5800mg of theanine per 100g, which is significantly higher than all other green teas.
Why so high?
So why is the matcha l theanine content so high? In addition to being shaded, matcha also is made from the young leaves of the first harvest and the stems are removed before grinding the leaves into a fine powder.
In addition to this, matcha is practically bred for a rich umami flavor, and many farmers use theanine rich cultivars and load their soils with nitrogen. More nitrogen means more theanine and more of that savory flavor!
Where to get high l theanine matcha
If you want a high l theanine matcha, you need to go for a first harvest ceremonial matcha. The tea plant stores up nutrients from the soil all winter long and releases them into the fresh sprouts of the springtime. This is why the spring harvest matcha is richer in nutrients than later harvests.
You also may also want to go for some high l theanine matcha cultivars like Okumidori, Gokou, Uji-hikari and Saemidori. These matcha varieties will give you a slight boost when it comes to l theanine, and they also produce a richer savory flavor!
