Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder
What is organic matcha green tea?
Organic matcha green tea refers to finely-milled Japanese green tea, grown organically (naturally). Matcha is the tea used traditionally in the Japanese tea ceremony, where it is prepared, served and drunk using strict ancient rituals.
Nowdays, matcha is used to flavor and dye foods such as mocha and soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of Japanese confectionery (wagashi).
Powdered tea came to Japan from China in 1911, along with Zen Buddhism, via a monk named Eisai. It was highly regarded by the aristocracy in Japan and so plantation owners perfected techniques for growing superb teas for matcha production.
Matcha comes from leaves of plants grown in the shade – bamboo tents are erected over the plants for 3 weeks, and hand-picked. These leaves are sweeter than those grown in sunlight due to an abundance of amino acids. The leaves are laid out flat to dry and are then called “tencha”. Tencha is hand ground laboriously into green talc-like powder known as matcha.
It is important to know that there are many grades of matcha, from food grade used in various recipes to a large number of ceremonial grades and then everything in between. Some are very cheap and others very expensive. However, there are 2 basic types - koicha and usucha.
Koicha matcha is a thicker powder than usucha powder. It is made from older trees (at least 30 years old) and has a milder taste. Because of this the amount used can bre doubled, giving it a thicker consistency. As with any green tea, the fresher the better.
The matcha is sieved and placed into a bowl using a bamboo spoon called a chashaku. Hot water (below boiling point) is added and whisked using a small bamboo whisk. The tea is served with a small sweet to eat before drinking as the brew can be bitter. No milk or sugar is used traditionally.
The use of matcha in Western drinks is seen in cafes where, as in Japan, it is integrated into lattes, iced drinks, milkshakes and smoothies . It is also an ingredient in some alcoholic liqueurs. This is largely due to the numerous health benefits that green tea is now recognised by the West to have. Matcha green tea is also found in cereals, energy bars, pastries, desserts, mousse and ice cream all over the Western world.
In 2003, it was discovered by researchers from the University of Colorado that the amount of the antioxidant EGCG available from drinking matcha is up to 137 times more than the amount of EGCG available from other commercial green teas.
So find out where you can buy some of this great tea, and do your health a real favour!
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