Abstract
Free amino acids, catechin content, and inhibitory effects against carbohydrate absorption in rats were assessed for “matcha” of
different qualities. Among the tested matcha from three different companies, low-quality matcha was found to have more powerful
inhibitory action on carbohydrate absorption than high-quality matcha. With regard to the structural components of matcha,
free amino acids were more abundant in high-quality matcha, and were less abundant in low-quality matcha. On the other hand,
catechin content was lower in high-quality matcha, but was higher in low-quality matcha. These results indicate that low-quality
matcha, which has a higher catechin content, has greater functionality than high-quality matcha. It may therefore be possible to
increase the utility of low-quality matcha by using it as an ingredient in functional foods.
