Anti-inflammatory Foods That Help Acne: Organic Matcha

by Alison Williams-Smith | Dec 1, 2021

What is Matcha?

You may have heard of the word Matcha, recently but not known what it is or what it does.  Or maybe you haven’t! 

So…what exactly is Matcha?

Although the term “Matcha” is Chinese in origin; where chá is a mandarin dialect meaning tea, it is more relevantly popular from Japan, in which they have invented a rather unique method than simply grinding green tea.

Like green tea, the leaves come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. However, to create Matcha the young leaves are put in the shade before harvest, to avoid direct sunlight. By keeping them in the shade, it increases the amount of chlorophyll content in the leaves This is what gives its colour a vibrant green and ensures that the Matcha is packed full of nutrients.

The leaves then go through a process of steaming, drying and grinding into a fine powder.  This results in the production of more antioxidants and more health benefits.

Can it help with Acne?

Due to my natural insane ability of being great at collecting hormonal adult acne & the hyperpigmented scarring that follows on my face, I tend to shy away from certain foods and drinks that I know are a trigger for me. Caffeine is a big NO NO for keeping my acne at bay, that is except for one very specific tea.

I’m sure you have guessed it by now… Organic Matcha Powder

A green tea that packs many powerful benefits for acne sufferers.

If you are an acne sufferer and want to continue consuming your daily caffeine, it is worth knowing that the antioxidant levels of Matcha powder are three times more than regular green tea?  It is an anti-inflammatory drink and also fights insulin resistance!  It is a high insulin level and inflammation in the body that can be acne triggers, therefore this drink is a BIG benefit for you!

When it comes to health, Matcha has been countlessly tested and researched.  It has been found to help prevent diseases such as; Type 2 diabetes, alzheimer’s and cancer.

Personally, I’ve only used Matcha in powder form and added it either to a non-dairy oat milk, to make myself a latte before I hit the gym or I’ve bought and used Matcha teabags. It definitely has the caffeine taste, that I personally don’t like, so there is a need for me to add honey.  But for those of you  who have made the move away from coffee and are used to the caffeine taste, you might be okay without the need of any natural sweeteners.

What I like about Matcha is that unlike coffee, tea or energy drinks, where you get that quick hit and then caffeine crash, Matcha is more like a slower release and so its effects last longer.  

Caffeine dense drinks like coffee or energy drinks can spike that hormone ‘Cortisol’. This is a stress hormone, and when the stress hormone cortisol spikes, this stress can then cause be a trigger for your acne. For that reason, MATCHA really is a better choice of drink!

If you keep up with our blogs and YouTube videos, you will already know by now how important consuming food and drinks that are high in antioxidants are for our overall health and specifically our skin’s health. Antioxidants help clear up those free radicals that are caused by the sun, pollution, our lifestyles, some of our not so natural skincare products and even our tap water. Thus, it is important to mention that Matcha contains an antioxidant called EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate. This antioxidant massively helps combat several of the root causes of acne:

• Decreases Inflammation in the body – If your body is constantly inflamed, this can contribute toward your acne.  By drinking Matcha it can be an aid toward decreasing the release of pro-inflammatory cells in the body
• Protection from free radicals and UV damage – Free radicals and UV damage can not only can add to scarring from your acne, but also ageing. Hence, there is a need for the protection it provides.
• Lowers or limits the production of sebum – You need enough sebum (the skins natura oils) to protect the skin, and prevent premature ageing but not too much so that your skins pores become blocked and causes acne.
• Decreased Insulin resistance – Naturally  reduces insulin levels and significantly helps with the absorption of glucose levels, so if you don’t have that insulin spike, you don’t create too much of the stress hormone cortisol that I mentioned earlier which again means you’re on the road to clearer skin!

Does the type of Milk make a difference?

If you’ve watched my previous video on cow milk and acne, you will have heard me talk about cow milk being researched and shown to increase your IGF-1 (Insulin like Growth Factor-1) hormone within the body. This can be a nightmare for acne sufferers and those with eczema, as it can have a direct impact on your skin.

In particular for acne, high levels of IGF-1 can cause your skin to produce too many skin cells. This then block pores, as these cells push up to the epidermis, the top layer of skin. The blocked pores cause the inflamed infected acne that we know only too well. The good news is that EGCG epigallocatechin gallate in Matcha tea can limit the effect that IGF-1 has to the skin.  It can prevent the skin cells from being over stimulated by blocking the actual IGF-1 receptors.

If you’re a lover of caffeine, then how is that not a win-win situation?

Just as a reminder I will say…REMEMBER, if you’re making changes to your daily diet, make one change at a time for at least 2 weeks, so you can see or feel the difference for definite.  That way if a new change hasn’t worked for your skin, or has made it worse, you know to eliminate it instead of second guessing whether it was the culprit.

For me I like my Matcha with oat milk and honey…a Matcha Latte. It isn’t horrible, but it is a completely different taste to coffee, so try it for a couple of weeks and give it a chance.

I have also combined Matcha Powder with Moringa Powder in a hot oat milk drink sweetened with honey, so I am getting even more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. 

My skin thanks me for it and I’m sure yours will too.

For more information, check our YouTube video;

Food & Drinks That Help Fight Acne: MATCHA

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