Is Matcha a Longevity Protocol?

Matcha is pretty badass. 

People who regularly drink green tea tend to live longer, according to large observational studies.

But, it can also have naturally occurring heavy metals. 

In this blog post: 

• what’s matcha
• longevity association
• avoiding heavy metals

What is matcha?  

Matcha tea is a type of green tea that has especially high levels of: 

• antioxidants
• chlorophyll
• amino acids (especially L-theanine)

It has many health benefits…

• cognitive function and focus: Matcha is uniquely rich in L-theanine and caffeine. This combination can support focus and performance in demanding cognitive tasks. Matcha's naturally occurring active compounds, such as catechins and theanine, have been studied for their role in supporting cognitive function as part of healthy aging.
• emotional perception and sleep quality: Matcha consumption has been associated in research settings with improvements in emotional perception and sleep quality in older adults.
• stress management and attention: Matcha could help support attentional function during or after stress conditions.

One important supermolecule is L-theanine. 

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea that supports relaxation and healthy stress response. When combined with caffeine, it can also support alertness and focus. Preclinical research has explored L-theanine’s potential role in healthy aging, based on its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and its effects on cognition and mood. 

Our matcha contains 30mg of L-theanine per serving. 

Does matcha contain heavy metals?  

All plant-based foods, like cocoa and green tea, contain some heavy metals. The issue is chronic exposure to elevated or unmonitored heavy metals. Scientific literature has linked long-term exposure at elevated levels to adverse health effects. Things most people prefer to avoid.

The problem is many companies don't disclose how much heavy metal testing they do, or what the results are.

We know this because in sourcing our matcha, we tested supplies from 6 different vendors from around the world. We found one supplier that met our tight specifications. The other 5 failed with high levels of heavy metals.

When we learned how dirty the mainstream food supply was, we started sourcing and testing our own foods. That’s how Blueprint was born. 

This is why we publish our COAs (certificates of analysis). Whether you buy from Blueprint or somewhere else, make sure you know what you’re consuming. 

This is what Parvin, a Blueprint customer, has to say about Matcha…

“I love Ceremonial Matcha and have tried so many different brands before I settled with one few years ago. 

Was curious to try the Blueprint matcha and compare and I was pleasantly surprised! It’s great quality, smooth, vibrant in color, earthy and rich and much cheaper than the other brand I’ve been using for years. 

I’ll definitely be switching over. I’m also happy that it’s been lead tested and the report is accessible.” 

Enjoy your matcha hot, cold, or mixed in with your favorite smoothies.