In Part 1 we discussed common or trendy diets that people are combining with fasting. Also, in Part 2 we talked about interest in fasting being mistaken in the rapid growth of keto, paleo, carnivore, or vegan diets.
Taken together, we learned how dietary triggers can hasten access to a fasted state. Importantly, these trends do offer insight about metabolism (and nutrition), but they’re hard to follow and often with side-effects.
Quick Summary
When you alter your metabolism, or suddenly avoid entire food groups, you may add to the problems you’re trying to help. People interested in a healthy change end up confused, unable to discern benefits between fasting or food choices. It’s also unclear how to safely moderate these changes.
Side effects include extreme metabolic conditions, renal dysfunction, or malnutrition from popular diet changes. We can avoid harm through adequate knowledge and reasonable expectations, opposite a common worry of ‘not doing enough.’
The good news is we can count on fasting (and matcha) rather than an obscure or strict diet. Especially since doctors may only recommend short-term keto diets. [1]
Why Mimic Fasting?
Averse to today’s paradigm of three (high calorie) meals per day, we evolved with fasting. Our survival required it and we know it kept our ancestors healthy. ‘Breakfast’ is supposed to be our daily reminder, literally to break your fast.
Matcha to the Rescue
Implying a once longer time each day without food, today we know metabolic syndromes like diabetes may be caused by eating too much, too soon — disrupting this daily rhythm. [2]
Fortunately matcha is synergistic with any balanced diet, regardless of restricted eating times, food choices, or metabolic state. In fact, matcha is a renowned fasting-mimetic, and has been documented to help recover metabolic balance. Hold on, this gets sciencey.
A Cellular Trick?
The natural compounds in matcha are small (and tasty!) hinges that swing big doors for health, every single day. One advantage over popular diets is that matcha is a daily drink which encourages fasting metabolism, without the narrow food choices.
Core to our evolutionary survival, that primarily includes elevated levels of autophagy. Autophagy is the body’s way of recycling resources and healing. It’s good to know that anytime we mimic fasting, we’re bringing autophagy’s benefits along with it.
That includes the release of stem cells to combat autoimmunity, certain cancers, and diseases related to chronic inflammation. Research has looked at Alzheimer’s and other cognitive degeneration. Autophagy also elevates neurotrophic factors and protects against oxidative stress. [3] [4] [5]
During glucose metabolism, autophagy is suppressed by nutrient and hormonal pathways. This is one reason that the keto diet and intermittent fasting have become popular. They circumvent autophagic-suppression by avoiding the insulin response to carbohydrates. They also avoid other nutrient pathways which trigger more suppression.
Jack of All Trades
When it comes to autophagy, matcha is a jack of all trades. The antioxidant EGCG found unique in matcha is studied to activate its own pathways for autophagy. That means that it mimics fasting by promoting pathways of cellular repair and disease prevention. [6]
Equally important, matcha does not interfere with the pathways involved in diet-based autophagic responses. That includes keto food choices and intermittent fasting.
Matcha is able to work independently and in combination with these diets. It is synergistic by elevating thermogenesis and ketone levels, and bringing it’s own autophagic pathways.
When it’s consumed plain it does not spike blood sugar like other energy drinks, which are known suppressants of autophagy. [7]
Many Benefits
Matcha will help you achieve autophagy and other benefits from fasting. Overlap in these healthy habits improve cellular renewal, endurance and heart function, and immunity. [8] [9]
Matcha combats unbalanced glucose metabolism, and elevates thermogenesis, ketones, and cellular repair. That's how matcha and a healthy diet are believed to fight cancer, cognitive health disorders, and metabolic syndromes. [10]
Maybe most amazing, unlike research which suggests a 3-5 day minimum of intermittent fasting to elevate autophagy, the compounds in matcha are reported to start working right away. [11]
The Bottom Line
Don’t be dissuaded by hard to follow diet guidelines. Matcha gives us greater freedom to balance what we eat, and when.
Successful diets combine dietary choices with limited eating time. Even better, they combine matcha for added benefits with no set-backs to metabolism.
Regardless of your dietary choices or metabolic state, rest assured that this coveted daily fuel will NOT throw off your hard work. Instead it will make everything you do for health go that much further. Enjoy!
