Is this why Zendaya’s smiling? Celebs’ favourite green drink matcha may ease period cramps and ward off gum disease, research shows… even if it does taste like ‘shredded grass’

Matcha tea is billed as a cure for menstrual cramps and gum disease, despite some people saying it tastes like ‘shredded grass’.

The drink, popular with celebrities like Zendaya, Kourtney Kardashian, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, contains a substance called catechin that can reduce hormones that lead to menstrual pain.

One user posted the claims on

But others weighed in, claiming that matcha – often made with milk to make a matcha latte – “tastes like dirt.”

One person wrote: ‘It’s so GROSS, it tastes like shredded grass.’

It’s because a new study has found that matcha mouthwash can kill bacteria that cause gum disease, tooth loss and other health problems.

The research, published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, shows that rinsing your mouth with matcha extract can destroy the bug porphyromonas gingivalis, which burrows on tooth surfaces and gum pockets, leading to periodontal disease.

In addition to dental problems, the condition is linked to diabetes, premature birth, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

Matcha tea has become popular among celebrities due to its purported health benefits.

Many claims have been made in the past about its effects, although many are based on little evidence.

A small study from the Netherlands suggested that matcha consumption can increase attention, reaction time and memory.

It is also claimed that the tea helps the body metabolize caffeine, avoiding the ‘crash’ reported by some after drinking a caffeinated beverage such as coffee.

The claims about matcha’s effect on menstrual pain, or dysmenorrhea, come from a 2019 study in China that looked at the effect of catechins in green tea.

Matcha has not been specifically tested, but matcha is known to contain high levels of catechins, along with oolong tea.

It found that 56.4 percent of college students suffered from menstrual cramps, while 6.5 percent reported very severe or unbearable symptoms.

Hormone-like compounds produced in the uterus called prostaglandins were said to be the cause of these cramps. Catechins from green tea have been found to help inhibit their production.

Black tea, such as that used to make the traditional British cuppa, was found to be ineffective.

The researchers warned: ‘Our study suggests that drinking green tea was associated with a lower prevalence of dysmenorrhea among women of childbearing age in China. On the other hand, drinking too much tea may not be advisable because tea can inhibit iron absorption.”

The viral tweet also claimed that the amino acid L-theanine, found in matcha, helps relax muscles – something matcha manufacturers often brag about. However, scientific research into this is limited.

The gum disease study, which involved 45 people, was conducted in Japan.

The participants were randomly assigned to 3 groups: one received mouthwash with barley tea, the second received mouthwash made from matcha extract, and the third received mouthwash with sodium azulene sulfonate hydrate, which is used to treat inflammation.

They were instructed to rinse twice daily, and saliva samples were collected before and after the study.

The researchers found that those who used the matcha mouthwash had significantly less harmful bacteria in their saliva samples at the end.

They wrote: ‘Matcha may have clinical utility for the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.’

Matcha is used in traditional ceremonies and as a seasoning in drinks and sweets. Even KitKats are flavored with matcha in Japan.

It is made from the raw leaves of the camellia sinensis plant.