Matcha, the powdery green tea that has become synonymous with Japan, the land of the rising sun, has exploded in popularity in the past few decades. The reason is quite simple; it boasts major health benefits, is versatile, tastes delicious, and is a solid alternative for coffee.
History
The practice of making powdered tea has a rich history in China, tracing all the way back to the Tang dynasty (618-907). However, the Japanese matcha we are concerned with wasn’t introduced to Japan until 1191, when Zen monk Eisai brought some compressed tea over from China, and wrote about its medicinal powers in his ‘Kissa Yōjōki’, or ‘Book of drinking tea for curing.’
In time, as Japanese tea plantations started adopting the production process of Matcha the tea became a mainstay in Zen monasteries as the calming, yet alert feeling the tea provided became part of the religious ceremony and helped monks attain enlightenment. It is said that Samurais even drank matcha to get themselves ready for battle. Initially, Matcha tea was seen as a luxury item, available only to the upper echelons of society. However, in time the use of Matcha became more readily available to all, and in the past 30 years has exploded in popularity, especially in the Western world, because of its proposed medicinal benefits.
Production Process
Like all true teas Matcha is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. However, how these plants and leaves are processed make a big difference. Up to 20 days before harvest the tea plants are covered from direct sunlight. This shade-growing process augments the chlorophyll levels of the leaves, giving them a darker green color, and producing higher levels of amino acids, specifically theanine.
After the leaves are hand-picked in spring (mid-May at the latest), the tea leaves are quickly steamed to prevent oxidation and left to dry, becoming what is known as ‘Tencha;’. The leaves are then roughly crushed to allow for de-stemming and deveining to make sure only the highest quality leaves are used. Finally, the Tencha is pulverized and ground on a stone mill until it has its signature smooth texture.
Grades
It is important to note that not all types of Matcha are made equal, as the variance in quality depends heavily on harvesting time as well as the production process, as described above.
Essentially there are three different grades of Matcha, all serving their own specific purpose. First, there is ‘Culinary grade’ Matcha. This form of Matcha is the most prevalent, and is used in cooking, baking and mixing drinks. As it is made from older tea leaves the color is less vividly green and instead has a more yellowish hue, and the taste is slightly more bitter.
Second, there is ‘Premium grade’ matcha, a high-quality tea made from young tea leaves harvested from the top of the plant, that have not been fully shaded. It has a bright green color, has a balanced flavor profile, and is used as a normal cup of tea or in other beverages like smoothies and cocktails.
Finally, the crème de la crème: ‘Ceremonial grade’ matcha. This is the vividly jade-like green powder, smooth and silky as it’s made from the youngest leaves of shade-grown tea plants, and with a sweet and delicate flavor profile. Ceremonial grade matcha is the highest quality Matcha there is to find.
Medicinal properties
Like all green teas, Matcha contains high levels of antioxidants, which provides the consumer with a number of proposed health benefits. Some of the medical benefits Matcha has been linked to range from weight loss, protecting from liver disease, improving heart health,
preventing cancer and more.
However, there is also something that sets Matcha apart. As the title of this article indicates, Matcha is sometimes considered to be the ‘espresso of tea’ because it contains more caffeine than other green teas as a result of the shading process. Even so, while it doesn’t nearly contains as much caffeine as coffee, the caffeine that is released however, is done so more slowly and smoothly, providing you with alertness over a longer period of time. This is because Matcha contains up to five times as much L-Theanine (an amino acid) as other green teas. L-Theanine linked to a number of health benefits including brain power, sleep quality and improved focus.
