The Matcha craze has been on another level. More people and restaurants around the world now know about matcha. Recently, some restaurants and food enthusiasts have embraced this ingredient and include it in almost any recipe, from cakes and desserts to creams and tea. Also, its health benefits have made it famous.
This post outlines everything about matcha, including where it comes from, types, benefits, and tastes.
What is Matcha, and Where Does it Come From?
Matcha is a finely-ground powder made from high-grade green tea leaves. It has a vibrant green color, a creamy texture, and a distinctively rich flavor.
Unlike typical green tea, matcha is made from a green tea called Tencha, which is covered to avoid direct sunlight during the last three to four weeks before the early harvest. The process of shading is meant to increase the nutrient content, chlorophyll, and L-theanine of the tea leaves.
Matcha is made from top leaves and buds because they contain the highest nutrient concentrations. Once the leaves are harvested, they’re dried and gently sifted to separate the stems from the leaves. They’re then deveined, de-stemmed, and ground into a fine powder using a ball mill or a stone.
Matcha has been used by the Chinese and Japanese for tea and medicinal purposes for centuries. More importantly, the Chinese, Japanese, and Zen Buddhism cultures practice tea ceremonies that entail the art of Matcha preparation, presentation, and sharing.
What are the Types of Matcha?
There are two types of matcha, and they’re similar. However, they have significant and unique differences based on their use and characteristics, such as quality, flavor, texture, color, and price. Matcha is mainly found in two grades or types, i.e., ceremonial and culinary grades.
A. Ceremonial Grade Matcha
It’s the highest quality matcha and comes from the most carefully cultivated buds and leaves of the first harvest. It’s given the most attention while growing the leaves and processing them.
It has a smoother flavor, a more robust green color, a finer taste, and is pricier than culinary grade Matcha. Often it should be consumed on its own rather than added to lattes and other confections
B. Culinary Grade Matcha
This type of matcha comes from the leaves of the second harvest called Nibancha. Culinary grade Matcha is a lower grade of matcha compared to ceremonial grade Matcha. It has a beautiful dull green color and a less nuanced flavor that stand to other ingredients. It’s often added to lattes, smoothies, baked goods, and other recipes. However, it can still be whisked into tea and sipped.
Notably, it’s still highly priced but less expensive than ceremonial grade Matcha.
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Have you tried matcha? Wondering how it tastes? At large, matcha’s taste is similar to green tea, but it’s amplified.
However, different people have unique ways they describe the taste of matcha. More importantly, matcha’s taste is affected by several factors, such as the method of preparation, its origin, and the grade used.
Below are various Matcha tasting notes:
- Vegetal grass: It’s one of the noticeable tastes of high-quality matcha.
- Sweet: Matcha has a light, natural, and lingering sweetness.
- Umami: Umami flavor is similar to the flavor found in miso soup or bone broth. High-quality matcha has an Umami flavor, described as a rich, savory taste that deepens the flavor. In Japanese, “Umami” means “essence of deliciousness.”
- Bitter: High-quality matcha tends to have a subtle earthy bitterness that complements other flavors. However, low-quality and improperly prepared matcha are unpleasantly bitter.
How is Matcha Different from Other Teas?
One of the distinguishing differences between matcha and other teas is the price and how it’s processed. Matcha is pricier, and the processing is exceptionally detailed to avoid compromising the quality. Additionally, it contains more caffeine than other types of tea. For instance, an average 8 oz. cup of matcha contains 70 mg of caffeine, while the same quantity of green tea contains 28 mg of caffeine.
What are the Health Benefits of Matcha?
Matcha is more concentrated with antioxidants and active nutrients such as amino acids, caffeine, and polyphenols that benefit your body. Below are five health benefits of matcha:
- According to a study, matcha may help support and improve the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Matcha contains up to 10 times more antioxidants than regular green tea; thus, it may significantly reduce inflammation in your body, promote cell repair and maintain healthy arteries.
- The L-theanine properties in matcha may boost relaxation and alertness. A study found that L-theanine increased alpha waves in the brain, thus promoting mental relaxation and countering stress signals.
- It may help in weight loss
- It helps you get healthy glowing skin.
Are you looking forward to trying a hot or cold cup of matcha tea at home? Check out Bluesea ceremonial grade matcha tea powder that is 100% organic. It’s handpicked from the mountains of Shaoxing, China. It’s one of the matcha that significantly boosts your energy, focus, and calmness with no jitters and crashes.
Header image: pexels.com
Image 1: pexels.com