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Eight Essential Truths & Myths About Matcha
Michele LillieMatcha has become very popular during the last few years. You can find it in so many places. It may be challenging to know whether it is real matcha and whether it is of a good quality. We at English Tealeaves want to be your matcha experts. Here are eight essential truths and myths to help you understand all things matcha!
Matcha is green tea
This is true, but it is a special subset of green tea. As discussed in this Tea Primer blog post, all real tea (not herbal or fruit tea) comes from one plant, the tea plant or the Camellia Sinensis plant. There are different varieties and cultivars of that one plant. Although it is possible to make any tea from any of those varieties, some are better suited for certain types of tea than others. Three of the most common varieties for producing high-quality matcha are samidori, okumidori, and yabukita.
Another aspect of matcha is how the tea leaves are grown and processed. Green tea that is destined to become matcha is shaded for a few weeks before harvesting. This process leads to increased chlorophyll, resulting in the vivid green color of matcha. It also enhances the umami flavor and produces leaves with higher levels of caffeine and theanine.
Green tea is also an unoxidized tea. In contrast to black tea, where producers encourage oxidation to occur, heat is applied to the leaves destined to become green tea to inactivate the enzymes that cause oxidation. This blog post on Green Tea explains that the Chinese method uses dry heat, and the Japanese method uses steam heat. The latter results in a flavor with more umami and savoriness. This is the method used with high-quality matcha.
All matcha comes from Japan
This is a mostly true statement. Matcha is a Japanese word, and Japan is where matcha was perfected and popularized. Tea grown in other countries can certainly be turned into a ground form and may be called matcha, but it won’t be the same as Japanese matcha.
Any powdered green tea is matcha
This claim is false. To be called matcha, the green tea must be in a ground or powdered form. Other teas, however, may be ground up and are sometimes referred to as matcha. Some companies will even grind up herbs and call them matcha. For example, Peppermint Matcha may be made from powdered peppermint leaves, but this product is not matcha and does not contain any green tea at all.
All matcha tastes the same
Just as all black tea does not taste the same, different types of matcha will taste differently. Some suppliers categorize matcha into various grades, each with its distinct flavor profile. The highest grade is often referred to as Ceremonial Grade, followed by Premium, and then Culinary. The Ceremonial matcha will be the sweetest and most delicate and is meant to be enjoyed without any additives to the cup. As implied by the name, it is the one preferred for Japanese tea ceremonies.
Premium matcha will have a stronger flavor and may be slightly bitter. Culinary-grade is intended for use in culinary applications. Although ceremonial is often considered higher quality, this is not necessarily true. It is simply a different type of matcha than premium or culinary, and each type has its distinct uses. Another point about these grades is that there are no regulations defining what is necessary to be labeled in a certain way. So, one company’s ceremonial grade may not be the same as the next company’s product.
Since matcha is a green tea, it has less caffeine than other teas
This is most likely false. The caffeine content in tea is a complex topic. See this Caffeine blog post for more information. Apart from the various factors that influence caffeine content, there are two primary reasons why we believe matcha contains more caffeine than some other teas. One, as noted above, is that the green tea used to make matcha is shade-grown, a process known to increase the caffeine content. The second point is that matcha is dissolved in water, and thus, one drinks the entire tea leaf with all its contents. Other teas are brewed, and the leaves are removed. You drink whatever infuses from the leaves into the water.
Matcha is the healthiest kind of tea
This could be true. Matcha, like all other teas from the Camellia Sinensis plant, is considered a healthy beverage in its natural state, without anything added to it. As explained in this blog post on Tea: A Healthy Beverage , what makes tea healthy are the chemicals found in tea, such as polyphenols. These are found in the tea leaves. When those tea leaves are brewed, those chemicals infuse into the water, and we drink them. With matcha, we consume not just the water but the entire tea leaf. Therefore, you may consume more of the healthy chemicals by drinking matcha than by drinking brewed tea.
Of course, this only applies to matcha that is not mixed with any additives. Most of those tea house and coffee house specialty matcha drinks contain a significant amount of added sugar and fat. Take a look at the nutritional facts the next time you order that Matcha Latte.
Matcha is only for beverages
Matcha is a wonderful beverage, but that is not its only use. Matcha is a very popular ingredient in culinary applications. For some ideas, see these recipes.
It is difficult to find good-quality matcha
This is false. English Tealeaves is the solution for your matcha needs.
Our Chiyo-no-Shiro is a ceremonial grade matcha that comes in various sizes.
We also offer Matcha Sticks, which contain another excellent ceremonial-grade matcha in an easy-to-use single-serving size.
We can provide you a culinary-grade matcha that is exclusively available in our shop. Ask our staff for more information.
Have you become a Matcha aficionado? Are you just wanting to start drinking matcha? Check out this prior blog post on How to Brew Matcha. Stop by English Tealeaves and speak with our staff, who are happy to assist you. Try our selection of matcha, guaranteed to be authentic and of high quality!