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The health benefits of matcha, packed with antioxidants, may be worth incorporating into your diet

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The health benefits of matcha, packed with antioxidants, may be worth incorporating into your diet

When you walk into your favorite café for breakfast or to grab a morning coffee, you’ll likely spot a matcha option on the menu, too. 

Matcha has origins in China and became extremely popular in Japan.

More recently, it’s become a drink of choice in many other countries, including the United States. 

COFFEE VS. MATCHA TEA: WHAT DOES YOUR MORNING DRINK CHOICE SAY ABOUT YOU?

Matcha, which is green, offers consumers earthy notes in every sip. It’s a type of powered green tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is similar to green tea. 

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What really makes matcha different is the way the plant is grown, being protected by the shade leading up to its harvesting. When the plant is harvested, its stems and veins are removed, and the entire leaf is turned into a fine powder. 

Matcha is full of health benefits that make it a popular beverage to drink before a busy day. (iStock)

Matcha can be consumed in a variety of ways, most commonly in the form of a beverage. In order to make matcha tea, which can be enjoyed hot or iced, simply mix the powder into your water. You can also combine matcha powder with milk, for more of a latte-type drink. 

Alternatively, you can include matcha powder in baked goods or sprinkle it over oatmeal or a healthy acai bowl. 

Matcha isn’t famous for its taste alone, it’s also popular for its health benefits. 

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Matcha can be served hot or iced. You can buy matcha from your local café or make it yourself at home. (iStock)

Some of the health benefits, which are thought to stem from consumption, are as follows:

  1. Full of antioxidants
  2. Enhanced brain function
  3. Protects the liver

1. Full of antioxidants

Matcha is full of antioxidants, including catechins, which are plant compounds found in green tea that act as natural antioxidants, according to Healthline. 

The high amount of antioxidants found in matcha can be attributed to the fact that the whole leaf is turned into a fine powder, differentiating it from other green teas, which are usually brewed from the leaves. 

The high level of antioxidants in matcha may help prevent cell damage and lower risk for certain diseases, according to WebMD. 

2. Enhanced brain function

In a study published in 2017 by PubMed per the National Library of Medicine, a group of 23 individuals were examined for how they performed different tasks aimed at measuring brain performance. 

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Some of the individuals were given four grams of matcha in tea or a bar, while the control group had a placebo.

Matcha is prepared differently than the typical tea, being directly stirred into water instead of seeped. (iStock)

The study found that those who consumed four grams of matcha had improvements in attention, reaction time and memory compared to those that were given a placebo. 

Further studies are needed to solidify the idea that matcha improves brain function, as scientists have noted that the enhanced brain function could be a result of the caffeine in matcha, according to WebMD. 

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An average cup of matcha contains about 19 to 45 milligrams of caffeine per gram, which is about 38 to 176 milligrams of caffeine per cup on average, according to Healthline. 

For comparison, a cup of coffee has about 70 to 140 milligrams per brewed cup, according to the source. 

Matcha does contain caffeine, with the average cup ranging from between 38 and 176 milligrams. (iStock)

3. Protecting the liver

Matcha and green tea could reduce your risk of liver disease. 

In 2015, a review published by PubMed Central was done of 15 studies that found drinking green tea was associated with a decreased risk of liver disease. 

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In 2020, experts noted that the protective properties of matcha for the liver benefit those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition where fat builds in the liver, by reducing liver enzymes, but could have the opposite impact in those without NAFLD, according to Heathline. 

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Before trying to incorporate anything new into your diet, including matcha, always start with small amounts, so you know how your body will react. 

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Could ‘humanmaxxing’ actually help you live longer? Here’s what experts say

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Could ‘humanmaxxing’ actually help you live longer? Here’s what experts say

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We are officially living in the “maxxing” era.

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From “looksmaxxing” to improve appearance to “sleepmaxxing” for better rest, these viral terms all point to the same goal: squeezing every ounce of potential out of a specific trait or habit.

With a growing focus on optimizing wellness and maximizing longevity, the trend has evolved into what’s known as “humanmaxxing,” sparking a bigger question: How far can people go to optimize the human body?

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While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions.

While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions. (iStock)

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For some, the movement begins with biohacking. According to Dave Asprey, a Texas-based wellness expert who refers to himself as the “father of biohacking,” optimizing your body starts with changing your environment.

Asprey has defined biohacking as “the art and science of changing the environment around you or inside you so that you have full control of your own biology.”

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His public advice focuses on boosting cellular energy through everyday choices like intermittent fasting, high-fat diets, red-light therapy and supplement routines.

“My goal right now is 180 years, because I’m doing something about it now instead of waiting,” he once said.

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Clinical experts warn that extreme self-experimentation skips the rigorous safety checks that typical medical science requires. (iStock)

Others have embraced a more data-driven approach. Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint in Los Angeles, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data.

“Methodically, we sought to build an algorithm with science and data that could better care for me than I can myself,” Johnson wrote on his website. “My mind did not have the authority to override the algorithm.”

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Johnson’s routine involves tracking hundreds of health metrics, eating a precisely measured diet, taking dozens of supplements, and undergoing advanced medical treatments in an effort to reduce his biological age.

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At the far end of the spectrum are those investing in technologies aimed at pushing the limits of human performance.

London-based tech investor Christian Angermayer recently described humanmaxxing as a strategy toward human maximization.

Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data. (iStock)

“I don’t think we should become something different, because I think humans are awesome, but I think we can maximize the potential [that] is already in us,” he said in an interview with The New York Times.

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Angermayer’s investment firm, Apeiron Investment Group, focuses on technologies intended to help people “live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.” He also founded atai Life Sciences, a biotechnology company that develops psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

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As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions.

Public guidance from the National Institute on Aging notes that while some anti-aging therapies have shown promise in laboratory research, there is not yet sufficient evidence that they can safely extend human life.

As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions. (iStock)

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Clinical experts also caution that extreme self-experimentation can bypass the rigorous safety standards applied to conventional medical treatments.

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According to the Endocrine Society, taking substances such as testosterone or growth hormone without a medical need can lead to serious health risks, including cardiovascular complications and long-term disruption of the body’s chemical balance.

While many humanmaxxing habits overlap with standard healthy lifestyle practices, experts say consumers should be cautious of expensive or experimental interventions that promise dramatic anti-aging or longevity benefits without strong scientific evidence.

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New blood test detects 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases, beating current screenings

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New blood test detects 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases, beating current screenings

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A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.

The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men — mostly Swedish or European — aged 50 to 74.

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All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.

Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.

Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests. (iStock)

Stockholm3 missed “significantly fewer” serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.

Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are “truly dangerous.”

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“Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups,” she said.

“These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted,” the researcher added. “A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.”

“A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures,” a researcher commented. (iStock)

Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these “promising” findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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He confirmed that the PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s despite its “well-documented limitations.”

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“It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease,” Vigneswaran said.

When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival is close to 100%. (iStock)

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When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.

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Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that “we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch,” Vigneswaran said.

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“The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease,” he said.

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Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher. (Getty Images)

Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.

The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.

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The test estimates a man’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.

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The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will “generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data,” Vigneswaran said.

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This Protein Smoothie Trick Helps Women Over 40 Lose Twice as Much Fat

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This Protein Smoothie Trick Helps Women Over 40 Lose Twice as Much Fat


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This Protein Smoothie Trick Helps Women Lose Twice as Much Fat




















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