The £1.70 drink which can help ease period cramps and boost your mood

Matcha has become a staple at coffee shops and cafes around the UK, hailed for its physical health benefits. But now it’s believed to have a positive impact on those who drink it while on their periods.

Matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, much like green tea. It typically contains the nutrients from the entire tea leaf, meaning there’s more caffeine and antioxidants than found in your typical green tea.

Sustainable period product brand Lunette has explained how swapping out your normal cuppa for matcha could ease pain experienced on your period. Prolactin, a hormone responsible for lactation and breast tissue development, is produced when you’re on your period, causing the uterus to contract, ultimately shedding its lining.

The reason for the cramping feeling is due to the blood vessels getting cut off from oxygen supply. According to Lunette, L-theanine found in matcha can help relax your muscles, as well as your blood vessels, which in turn help your uterus to also relax and ease your period cramps.

Matcha also contains Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol compound which helps reduce inflammation, aid weight loss, and help prevent heart and brain disease. Another side effect of being on your period is the inevitable and unpredictable mood swings.

To help combat feeling down, matcha can help increase dopamine and serotonin production. So while it may not make you feel on top of the world, it can give you a little boost if you’re feeling blue.

Its antioxidant content may help reduce the risk of cell damage, as well as prevent the development of chronic diseases. Healthline also reported that matcha contains a number of components which could help boost brain function.

A study from the Netherlands of 23 people looked at how people performed on a series of tasks designed to measure brain performance. Some participants consumed either matcha tea or a bar containing four grams of matcha, while the control group consumed a placebo tea or bar.

Those that consumed matcha showed improvements in attention, reaction time, and memory compared with those consuming the placebo. It’s also been revealed that L-theanine, also found in the plant, alters the effects of caffeine, promoting alertness and helping avoid the crash in energy levels that can follow caffeine consumption.