Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Mindfulness App Used With Matcha Green Tea in Generally Healthy Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.

A randomized controlled trial compared guided tea meditation (GTM)—using matcha green tea and a mobile app with audio guidance—to traditional breathing meditation (BM) without an app over 8 weeks in 100 healthy American volunteers. No significant differences emerged between groups in total meditation time or frequency. The GTM group maintained at least 50 minutes of meditation per week and 4 days per week, and over half of GTM participants accepted the prototype. GTM reduced stress at weeks 4 and 8 and improved mood, similar to BM. Long-term GTM practitioners may feel more relaxed and calmer in a premeditation state than BM practitioners.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness practices, such as breathing meditation (BM), reduce stress and enhance mood. One such practice is mindful eating, where a practitioner focuses on the five senses while eating or drinking. A novel set of prototypes has been developed, incorporating principles of mindful eating. These prototypes include matcha green tea and a mobile app that provides audio guidance for meditation during the preparation and consumption of the beverage (hereafter referred to as guided tea meditation [GTM]). This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of GTM, evaluating meditation time, frequency, and prototype acceptability over 8 weeks, alongside changes in stress and mood. Additionally, other benefits of GTM were explored. A comparator group was established in which participants performed traditional BM without an app or audio guide (active control). This unblinded randomized controlled trial involved 100 healthy American volunteers (n=49 GTM, n=51 BM). During the 8-week study period, participants were encouraged to perform either GTM or BM for 10 minutes daily. The meditation activity was self-reported the following day. Only the GTM group assessed the prototype acceptability. The Perceived Stress Scale-10 was used to measure stress levels, while the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale was used to evaluate mood changes. Other meditation benefits were explored using a questionnaire. All questionnaires were presented and completed via an app. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. No significant between-group differences were found in total meditation time (P=.15) or frequency (P=.36). However, the weekly time and frequency of the GTM group remained above 50 minutes per week and 4 days per week, respectively. Over half of the GTM participants (≥28/49, ≥57%) accepted the prototype. The GTM group exhibited significant stress reductions at weeks 4 and 8 (both P.08). We believe that GTM exhibits good feasibility. Meanwhile, GTM reduced stress, improved mood, and let the practitioners feel other benefits, similar to BM. Long-term practitioners of GTM may even feel more relaxed and calmer in the state of premeditation than those who practice BM. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05832645; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05832645.