If you’re a tea lover, you may be wondering: is matcha good for PCOS? There are many known health benefits of tea, but what about this popular Japanese tea?

As a registered dietitian, I’m here to provide you with the facts. This article will dive into how matcha may benefit PCOS, potential downsides, and also some ways to incorporate it into your day!

Before we dive into matcha, let’s lay the foundation and review what PCOS is and why what you eat or drink could impact your PCOS. 

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PCOS: Why Your Diet Matters

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age. Some common symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, infertility, hair loss, hirsutism (excessive body or facial hair), cravings, weight gain, fatigue, oily skin and acne. 

PCOS is linked with insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation, and high androgen levels (aka male hormones such as testosterone). Unfortunately, because of this link, women with PCOS are at a higher risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and fatty liver. 

The good news is that what you eat and drink (along with lifestyle changes!) can directly impact insulin sensitivity and inflammation…which will help to manage your PCOS symptoms. 

So now that we briefly reviewed that, let’s dive into what matcha actually is. 

What Is Matcha?

Matcha is a powdered type of green tea. The benefits of green tea are well known, and while matcha is similar to green tea, it’s not entirely equal. 

The cultivation process is what makes matcha different from traditional green tea. The tea bushes (scientifically known as Camellia sinensis) are kept in the shade during the majority of the growth period. After harvest, the tea leaves are quickly dried to prevent oxidation, which can damage nutrients. Ultimately, this cultivation process boosts the nutrient composition of the tea leaves that are ground into matcha powder. 

Theanine, caffeine, chlorophyll, and phytochemicals called catechins are some of the nutrients that are found in higher quantities in matcha. Chlorophyll is responsible for the vibrant green color of matcha powder (1).

Essentially, matcha is a high quality, concentrated form of green tea with a higher nutrient profile. Because of its’ growth process, matcha tends to have a stronger, more earthy flavor than green tea. Now that you know what matcha is, let’s talk about how it may benefit your PCOS.   

Benefits Of Matcha For PCOS

Matcha has a lot of impressive benefits that have been examined in many clinical studies. These benefits can extend to many of the ailments that we, as women with PCOS, struggle with. 

Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes

High insulin levels, or insulin resistance, is present in up to 80% of those with PCOS (2). Further, up to 50% of those with PCOS will go on to develop type 2 diabetes before the age of 40 (3). So it’s only natural to want to consider whether matcha can help with improving insulin sensitivity and regulating your blood sugar levels. 

The answer: yes! Matcha can lower blood glucose and fasting insulin levels. One study that showed this even found positive changes to the gut microbiome, which is linked to an improvement in gut health and overall health (4, 5). 

While it didn’t examine matcha specifically, a recent meta-analysis looked at green teas and green tea extract (aka concentrated green tea supplements in tablet or pill form) specifically in those with PCOS. It examined both human trials and animal studies and found that green teas can lower fasting glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity (6).  

Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is another core component in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Including anti-inflammatory foods is one way to help combat inflammation levels. 

Matcha and green tea contain polyphenols called catechins, which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The most abundant catechin in these tea beverages is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). 

Polyphenols, like EGCG, can help in neutralizing free radicals and inflammatory cytokines. Free radicals are unstable molecules found naturally in the body that can cause cell damage. They contribute to aging, illness, and chronic diseases. Matcha can help reduce oxidative stress that contributes to inflammation (1, 7).

Weight Management

Weight gain is a common symptom of PCOS, with weight loss seeming extremely difficult to achieve and maintain for some women. 

If you struggle with your weight, matcha may help with weight loss efforts. A recent study looked at 60 overweight or obese women with PCOS. It found that consuming green tea for 12 weeks led to a significant reduction in body weight.

Hair Loss & Hirsutism

High androgens, such as high testosterone levels, are commonly seen in PCOS. This is usually the root cause of many unpleasant outward PCOS symptoms such as hair loss or hirsutism (aka unwanted hair growth on the face and body). 

Research studies have found that green tea consumption lowers free testosterone levels in women with PCOS. We can only assume that matcha (a concentrated form of green tea) would also lower testosterone levels and help reduce associated symptoms such as hair loss and hirsutism. 

If you want to know about other ways to lower your testosterone levels, check out this blog article: How To Lower Testosterone In Women With PCOS.

Anxiety & Stress

For reasons not yet understood, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety occur more frequently in those with PCOS.

Matcha has high amounts of the amino acid theanine, which has known stress-reducing properties. In a recent clinical trial, the experimental group who consumed matcha had significantly lower levels of anxiety than those in the control group. 

Cons Of Matcha For PCOS 

Now that we’ve reviewed all of the positive effects that matcha can have on your health and PCOS symptoms, let’s talk about some potential downsides of matcha tea. 

Caffeine

Green tea naturally contains caffeine. Since matcha is a concentrated form of green tea, the caffeine content tends to be relatively high compared to other herbal teas or coffee when you’re comparing it by weight. 

The caffeine content of green tea ranges from 11 to 25 mg of caffeine per gram, while matcha ranges from 19 to 44 mg of caffeine per gram. To give you an idea of how this compares to coffee, coffee beans contain 10 to 12 mg of caffeine per gram (1). 

While this may seem like matcha is much higher in caffeine than coffee or other green teas, the serving size for matcha is much smaller than the others. The serving size of matcha is usually ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon (or 1 to 2 grams), which would provide about 40 to 88 mg of caffeine.

Some people get jittery or have increased anxiety with caffeine intake. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you’ll need to be aware that matcha does contain caffeine. 

How Much Is Too Much? 

While reading through all the positive benefits of matcha for PCOS, matcha and green tea lovers may be rejoicing…and for valid reasons! But that doesn’t mean it should be a free pass to drink unlimited amounts of matcha (or green tea for that matter). 

Like so many things, too much of a good thing can have negative consequences. Consuming too much green tea or matcha daily can provide you with large amounts of ECGC, which can cause adverse health outcomes. It’s recommended to limit your matcha intake to no more than 4 grams (or 2 teaspoons) of matcha daily. 

Green Tea vs Matcha: Which Is Better For PCOS

Green tea and matcha are both great options for improving your PCOS symptoms. Matcha may be a better option since it can provide you with more benefits in a smaller volume since it’s concentrated. 

Are you wondering about other teas such as spearmint tea or cinnamon tea? Learn more about different types of tea for PCOS in this blog post: 5 Best Herbal Teas For PCOS.

How To Drink Matcha + Matcha Recipes

Matcha is super simple to incorporate into your PCOS diet. This is one of my favorite organic matcha powders.

From drinking it as a tea, to mixing it into your food. Here’s some of my favorite ways to incorporate matcha into your daily routine: 

• Matcha tea can be consumed hot or iced
• Matcha latte can also be consumed hot or iced. I love using oat milk in lattes but other milks may work better for you. Learn more about milk, dairy, and PCOS: The Best Milk For PCOS.
• Matcha yogurt
• Matcha smoothies
• Matcha chia pudding
• Matcha muffins

For more information on a balanced diet to manage your PCOS symptoms, check out this blog: A Dietitian’s 7-Day PCOS Diet Plan (PDF Included).

The Bottom Line

Matcha is a traditional Japanese tea. The tea bushes are kept in the shade during the majority of the growth period. This allows certain nutrients to increase abundantly making matcha very nutrient dense.   

Matcha can lower insulin, blood sugar, and inflammation levels. It also can help with reducing testosterone levels, which is a culprit in common PCOS symptoms such as hair loss. Matcha may also reduce stress and anxiety levels. 

It’s advised to not exceed 4 grams of matcha (or 2 teaspoons) daily to prevent adverse health effects. 

It can be consumed as a tea or latte, either hot or iced. Matcha powder can also be mixed into many different food products such as yogurt, chia pudding, and muffins.  

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