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Matcha For PCOS- The Surprising Benefits (and recipe!)

I talk about matcha for PCOS a lot!  But it’s only because I’m on a mission to get every person with PCOS drinking a daily dose of matcha.  Besides the implementation of my favorite PCOS supplement, NAC, there’s nothing I’ve added to my PCOS lifestyle that has helped more.

I’ve been consistently having a matcha latte every morning for the last 3 years (this is my favorite brand).

What really got me curious about matcha was the supposed health benefits for PCOS.

Matcha is not only delicious (when you learn to make it right!) but also helps balance PCOS hormones, reduce anxiety, reduce cravings, helps with PCOS facial hair, and even has anti-carcinogenic properties through the included EGCG.  Matcha helps with PCOS gut health and hormone metabolism as well!

In fact, there are a lot of health benefits for PCOS with matcha, as I’ve discovered through my research since falling in love with it.  It’s now such a part of my routine, and something I discuss so frequently that I joke it’s now my whole personality!

What is matcha?

Matcha is just powdered green tea!  This makes it higher concentration than green tea since you directly drink the full leaf and you get an extra dose of any of the benefits that people typically discuss for green tea and pcos.

Here are some of matcha’s benefits for PCOS:

Health benefits of Matcha for PCOS

Slow releasing matcha caffeine is easier on stress hormones.

Let’s face it, almost all of us drink some caffeine and despite warnings to the contrary, a small to moderate amount of caffeine can be just fine for PCOS, even when overactive adrenals are at play.  That said, not all caffeine is created equal.  Though coffee does have some health benefits, I’m not a fan of the way the caffeine in coffee hits you so quick, it’s stressful on the body and can lead to crashes later (and the need for another cup).

Matcha, on the other hand, hits your system slowly.  It has a natural slow release that gives you steady energy for much longer without crashes.

Coffee is also very caffeinated, about 300mg per cup compared to the approximate 70-140 mg you’d get in an average matcha latte.

If you’re trying to reduce your caffeine intake with PCOS, switching to matcha can be really helpful.  I recommend starting by replacing your afternoon caffeine and work your way towards replacing your morning caffeine as well if you’re already a coffee drinker.

Should you start drinking matcha if you drink no caffeine for your pcos?

If you’re very sensitive to caffeine, you may or may not find matcha helpful.  Aside from the caffeine releasing slower, matcha does have a lot of health benefits for PCOS if you drink it regularly so I do typically recommend incorporating it if you tolerate the caffeine.

Matcha Helps Reduce Facial Hair/Hair Loss in PCOS

Green tea (matcha is powdered green tea) is what’s called a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor.  This means that it helps block the conversion from testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT is the most potent form of testosterone in the body and is the real culprit behind PCOS facial hair and hair loss.  The conversion happens via an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase which green tea helps to block.

I’ve noticed marked improvements in my PCOS facial hair since regularly drinking matcha and so have many of my clients.

Matcha helps lower testosterone in PCOS and also helps with more balanced insulin levels.

Matches Reduces Cravings in PCOS and Suppresses Appetite

This one seemed too good to be true but I actually have noticed this myself.  On mornings I drink a matcha, I’m sometimes not even hungry for breakfast.  I’ve gotten to the point that I make matcha my breakfast by incorporating protein with it and it’s all I need!

I do this by adding collagen or protein powder to my matcha.  I’ll show you my go-to matcha recipe below.

Matcha has an appetite suppressing effect that can be super helpful when you are trying to stick to any kind of nutrition plan.

Matcha Supports Immune Health and Hormone Balance in PCOS

Another wonderful benefit of matcha contains lots of antioxidants.  It’s one of the best sources, in fact, and much better than traditional green tea.  All those antioxidants help with hormone metabolism by supporting our liver’s natural detoxification pathway.

Matcha reduces aromatase, which is an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. This helps keep estrogen dominance in check and helps progesterone levels as well.

Matcha also contains lots of polyphenols, plant components that feed good gut bacteria.  Did you know that about 80% of our immune health is dependent on the health of our gut bacteria, called our microbiome?  Here’s more on that.

One polyphenol, epigalocatechin gallate EGCG has anti-carcinogenic properties (did you know those with PCOS are at higher risk of endometrial cancers?) and also helps clean up oxidative damage from free radicals.

All of these benefits mean that matcha can help with PCOS inflammation as well.

Matcha helps anxiety in PCOS

Matcha contains a component called l-theanine that helps us produce a neurotransmitter called GABA.  GABA is your body’s natural anti-anxiety neurotransmitter and those with PCOS are often deficient in it.

A daily dose of l-theanine may help you feel calmer and more balanced which could also help your adrenal function.

Matcha improves acne/skin health

Matcha reduces the amount of sebum we produce which helps to cut down on acne.  It also really does give the skin a pretty glow (all those antioxidants!) and I’ve heard that from many people.  I can attest that with my aging skin, it’s made a world of difference.

How to make matcha taste good (and still be PCOS friendly!)

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The biggest question I’m asked whenever I share about matcha is how can we make it taste good?  So many have tried it and found it too bitter, grassy, or just plain gross.  Honestly, I get it because I used to have that experience but I promise if you give it a chance, you’ll likely end up loving it!  Here are my best tips:

Buy high quality matcha.

• Matcha is grown to be savored and just like wine or coffee, not all matcha is created equal.  High quality, organic matcha will be more green and have a better flavor profile.
• You want a culinary grade matcha (not ceremonial) if you are going to make lattes, which I highly recommend.  Culinary grade sounds like it’s inferior but for mixing with other items, it actually has a better flavor.  If you are going to drink straight matcha tea, ceremonial grade is made for that but I wouldn’t recommend it starting out!
• I prefer Aprika Life’s matcha.  I fell in love with it long before i ever had a link to give you guys and have been repping it since.  It’s the best I’ve tried and comes from a small family farm/family business, is double organic (Japan and USA) and is affordable.  You can find it here, use code AMBERFISCHER for 10% off.

Make it in iced latte form.

• The latte and ice part are both important here- matcha is bitter and ice cuts bitterness.  It mellows out the flavor so you can enjoy it more and I personally love an iced matcha in the summer, so refreshing!  Use a milk you like, I love coconut, cashew, or oat milk in mine.

Start with a teensy amount.

• Usually you’d put about 2 tsp in a matcha latte but when I got started drinking them unsweetened, I used less than half a tsp.  That gave me the flavor of matcha, but more subtley and since I already like the taste of the oat milk, my taste buds began to crave the flavor of the matcha and I began to increase the amount little by little.
  

  Sweeten if you must (but lightly).

  • Many of the great health benefits of matcha are somewhat negated if we drink one packed with sugar like they typically serve at coffee chains.  At local coffee places, I’ve found that you can often ask for it unsweetened because they make it the traditional way, and this is what you ideally want.
  • If you need sweetness, try a little stevia or monk fruit (you can find my recommendations for sweeteners in my Amazon store) and if that fails, a tsp of honey should be enough.  Try to work your way down with sweetener because sweet tastes are very numbing for the tongue and they prevent you from enjoying the full range of flavors in not just matcha but other food as well.

Matcha Latte for PCOS Recipe

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Here’s how I make mine daily.

You’ll need:

• 1 tsp organic matcha (my favorite- you can use code AMBERFISCHER for a discount)
• 2 Scoops collagen (this is a high quality brand)
• A large glass or cup (12-16 oz) (I always use this glass spill proof cup)
• Hot water (boiled then slightly cooled), about 2 oz.
• Ice
• Your favorite milk, preferably a creamy kind like coconut, cashew, oat, etc.

In a matcha mixing bowl or mug, mix matcha, collagen, and just enough hot water to dissolve them (usually an ounce or two).

I make a thick sludge and whisk well until I’ve gotten all the clumps out.  A bamboo whisk really helps with this but it can be done with a spoon or fork.  The hot water is key for this though.

Using a bamboo whisk, froth the matcha.  (Here’s a matcha tool set that helps a lot- the bamboo whisk cuts down on bitterness too!  A barista taught me that!)

In your drinking glass, fill halfway with ice and fill with milk, leaving room at the top for your matcha mix. Pour on top and enjoy!

How matcha helped my pcos

I’m a professional nutritionist but I’m also a woman with PCOS and I’ve seen a ton of benefits to my PCOS from regular incorporation of matcha into my routine.

Things I’ve noticed:

• Brighter skin
• Slowed aging on skin (check videos of mine from 2021 vs today!)
• Reduced cravings
• Steadier energy
• Less facial hair growth
• Easier time managing weight
• More regular bowel movements

Sure, I do other things to help my PCOS but matcha has been a big part of these!  I hope adding matcha to your daily routine helps you just as much and more!!

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Sources:

• • Tehrani HG, Allahdadian M, Zarre F, Ranjbar H, Allahdadian F. (2017). ‘Effect of green tea on metabolic and hormonal aspect of polycystic ovarian syndrome in overweight and obese women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome: A clinical trial.’ Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 6, 36. [DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_67_15] [PMID: 28584836] [PMCID: PMC5441188]
  • Xu, R., Bai, Y., Yang, K. et al. (2020). ‘Effects of green tea consumption on glycemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.’ Nutrition & Metabolism, 17, 56. [DOI: 10.1186/s12986-020-00469-5]
  • Liu K, Zhou R, Wang B, Chen K, Shi LY, Zhu JD, Mi MT. (2013). ‘Effect of green tea on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials.’ The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 98(2), 340-8. [DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.112.052746] [PMID: 23803878]
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  • Colonetti L, Grande AJ, Toreti IR, Ceretta LB, da Rosa MI, Colonetti T. (2022). ‘Green tea promotes weight loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis.’ Nutrition Research, 104, 1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2022.03.009] [PMID: 35504067]
  • Maleki V, Taheri E, Varshosaz P, Tabrizi FPF, Moludi J, Jafari-Vayghan H, Shadnoush M, Jabbari SHY, Seifoleslami M, Alizadeh M. (2021). ‘A comprehensive insight into effects of green tea extract in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review.’ Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 19(1), 147. [DOI: 10.1186/s12958-021-00831-z] [PMID: 34551795] [PMCID: PMC8459558]
  • Sokary S, Al-Asmakh M, Zakaria Z, Bawadi H. (2022). ‘The therapeutic potential of matcha tea: A critical review on human and animal studies.’ Current Research in Food Science, 6, 100396. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.11.015] [PMID: 36582446] [PMCID: PMC9792400]
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