MatchaDB

Research topic

Matcha and the gut microbiome: the research

A growing group of studies asks how matcha polyphenols are digested, which of them reach the colon, and how they shift gut bacteria and the metabolites those bacteria make.

Most of this work is recent, and much of it is in animals. A few human studies, including protocol papers for trials still under way, are starting to appear.

66

studies

1997–2026

years covered

48

from the last five years

37

free to read

What kind of evidence is this?

  • Animal study16
  • In vitro / cell study14
  • Other / not stated14
  • Review6
  • Food science / processing4
  • Randomized controlled trial3
  • Agronomy / cultivation2
  • Systematic review / meta-analysis2
  • Observational (human)2
  • Chemical / analytical2
  • Clinical trial (non-randomized)1

Microbiome findings in mice do not automatically carry over to people; look for the human studies in the Study type filter.

Common keywords

green tea 26gut microbiota 18epigallocatechin gallate 15camellia sinensis 14theanine 13polyphenols 11antioxidant activity 11catechins 10anxiety 9sleep quality 9fatigue 9matcha tea 8antioxidants 8dopamine 8

Most recognized studies on this topic

Ranked by recency, citations, journal standing and study design.

2024Journal article

A comprehensive review of matcha: production, food application, potential health benefits, and gastrointestinal fate of main phenolics.

Ye JH, Fang QT, Zeng L, et al. — Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Matcha, a powder processed from tea leaves, has a unique green tea flavor and appealing color, in addition to many other sought after functional properties for a wide range of formulated food applications (e.g., dairy products, bakery…

ReviewGut and microbiomeCultivation and shadingProcessing, milling and qualityCited 33×
2023Journal articleFree to read

Matcha green tea beverage moderates fatigue and supports resistance training-induced adaptation.

Shigeta M, Aoi W, Morita C, et al. — Nutrition journal

Background: Resistance training adaptively increases muscle strength and mass, contributing to athletic performance and health promotion. Dietary intervention with natural foods provides nutrients that help accelerate muscle adaptation to…

Randomized controlled trialCognition, mood and stressMetabolism and weightGut and microbiomeCited 23×
2023Journal article

Polyphenol-fortified extruded sweet potato starch vermicelli: Slow-releasing polyphenols is the main factor that reduces the starch digestibility.

Li Y, Niu L, Wu L, et al. — International journal of biological macromolecules

To investigate the digestive behavior of extruded starch-polyphenols system, extruded sweet potato starch vermicelli (ESPSV) was used as a model. The multi-scale structure, starch digestibility, polyphenol release, digestive enzyme…

Food science / processingAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeFood products and applicationsCited 27×
2025Journal articleFree to read

Influence of Matcha and Tea Catechins on the Progression of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)-A Review of Patient Trials and Animal Studies.

Kosik-Bogacka DI, Piotrowska K — Nutrients

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic, non-communicable spectrum of diseases characterized by lipid accumulation. It is often asymptomatic, and its prevalence varies by region, age, gender, and economic…

ReviewMetabolism and weightAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeCited 5×
2021Journal article

Matcha-fortified rice noodles: Characteristics of in vitro starch digestibility, antioxidant and eating quality

Yun Li, Jianhui Xiao, Jin Tu, et al. — LWT

Matcha (MT), the finely ground powder of green tea leaves, is increasingly used as a nutritional food ingredient due to its large content of polyphenols. In this work, rice noodles were fortified with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% (w/w) of MT,…

In vitro / cell studyAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeProcessing, milling and qualityCited 66×
2024Journal article

Comparative study of the anti-inflammatory activity of etoricoxib and Matcha green tea against acute kidney injury induced by gamma radiation in rats.

Khateeb S, Taha EFS — International journal of radiation biology

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the anti-inflammatory activity between Etoricoxib (ETO) and Matcha green tea (MG) in the context of acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by ionizing gamma…

Animal studyCognition, mood and stressAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeCited 8×
2022Journal articleFree to read

Matcha green tea targets the gut-liver axis to alleviate obesity and metabolic disorders induced by a high-fat diet.

Wang Y, Yu Y, Ding L, et al. — Frontiers in nutrition

Obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) is an increasing global health problem, leading to many metabolic syndromes. As the emerging food additive rich in tea polyphenols, theanine, caffeine, and so on, matcha green tea has gained more…

Animal studyMetabolism and weightAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeCited 22×
2023Journal articleFree to read

A randomized, double-blinded study evaluating effect of matcha green tea on human fecal microbiota.

Morishima S, Kawada Y, Fukushima Y, et al. — Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition

Matcha green tea is made from powdered green tea leaves. Unlike regular green tea, Matcha green tea is believed to exert beneficial effects on the gut microbiota, as it is richer in nutrients such as tea catechins and insoluble dietary…

Randomized controlled trialAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeProcessing, milling and qualityCited 9×
2024Journal articleFree to read

Matcha alleviates obesity by modulating gut microbiota and its metabolites.

Luo Y, Wen Y, Huang J, et al. — Current research in food science

Matcha shows promise for diabetes, obesity, and gut microbiota disorders. Studies suggest a significant link between gut microbiota, metabolites, and obesity. Thus, matcha may have a positive impact on obesity by modulating gut microbiota…

Animal studyCognition, mood and stressMetabolism and weightL-theanine and caffeineCited 18×
2026Journal articleFree to read

Beyond Composition: Processing-Driven Transformations and Functional Trade-Offs of Matcha Tea in Foods.

Onder A, Warda M, Yılmaz O, et al. — Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Matcha tea, a powdered green tea produced from shade-grown Camellia sinensis leaves, has gained increasing attention as both a traditional beverage and a functional food ingredient. While previous reviews have focused on its phytochemical…

ReviewAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeProcessing, milling and qualityCited 1×
Search all 66 studies on this topic

Newest research

2026Journal articleFree to read

A Matcha Tea Formulation Containing Lachancea thermotolerans: Phytochemical Profile After In Vitro Digestion and Effects on Intestinal Epithelial Function.

Rucci C, Feliziani G, Agarbati A, et al. — Nutrients

Background/objectives: Matcha tea is widely recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its health-promoting benefits depend on the gastrointestinal bioaccessibility of its phytochemicals. This study evaluated…

In vitro / cell studyAntioxidants and polyphenolsL-theanine and caffeineGut and microbiome
2026Journal articleFree to read

Beyond Composition: Processing-Driven Transformations and Functional Trade-Offs of Matcha Tea in Foods.

Onder A, Warda M, Yılmaz O, et al. — Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Matcha tea, a powdered green tea produced from shade-grown Camellia sinensis leaves, has gained increasing attention as both a traditional beverage and a functional food ingredient. While previous reviews have focused on its phytochemical…

ReviewAntioxidants and polyphenolsGut and microbiomeProcessing, milling and qualityCited 1×
2026Journal article

Field-Aged Shade Nets Residues Disrupt Rhizosphere Microbiota and Nitrogen Metabolism in Tea (Camellia sinensis).

Wang K, Tong Z, Shen Y, et al. — Environmental science & technology

Plastic residues in agricultural production pose escalating risks to soil health and food security, yet the impacts of shade nets (SNs) residues in soil have received little attention. Here, we compared the effects of pristine and…

Agronomy / cultivationMetabolism and weightL-theanine and caffeineGut and microbiome
2026Journal article

From Green Tea Infusion to Matcha: Roles of Natural Polymer Matrices in Processing, Bioactive Compound Release, and Digestion

Mi Hyang Jang, Jun Yeol Park, Dae Ho Kim, et al. — 한국키틴키토산학회지

Green tea has traditionally been evaluated based on low-molecular-weight constituents such as catechins, caffeine, and theanine. However, tea leaves are structurally organized matrices comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin,…

ReviewGut and microbiomeProcessing, milling and qualityMetabolism and weight

Related topics

Metabolism and weightHuman, animal and cell studies on matcha and green tea for body weight, fat metabolism, blood sugar, cholesterol and fatty liver.Antioxidants and polyphenolsStudies measuring matcha's catechins, EGCG, chlorophyll and other polyphenols, how much they vary, and how they hold up in processing and storage.Inflammation and immunityCell, animal and human studies on matcha's effects on inflammation markers and immune function.

This page describes what published studies examine; it is not medical advice, and a study being listed is not an endorsement of its findings. Topic tags and study types are assigned automatically from each paper's text (see how the library is built). Library last rebuilt October 20, 2026.