What is MATCHA tea, dosage, preparation, quality, Matcha versus green tea

Nancy janssens
Sep 5
6 min read

We will discuss this:

-Foreword

-Origin

-What is Matcha

- What is the difference between Matcha grades: ceremonial and premium

How do you recognize real ceremonial Matcha?

-What is the difference between Matcha and green tea?

-Preparing Matcha Tea

-What is the dosage and use of Matcha tea

-TASTE: Matcha contains the umami taste

Foreword

We have split the blog about Matcha into 2 parts:

Part 1: What is MATCHA Tea, Dosage, Quality, Matcha vs. Green Tea

Part 2: Health Benefits of Matcha

Origin

The matcha plant is said to have originated in China. They mention the 7th and 10th centuries. But now, matcha is primarily made into tea in Japan.

What is Matcha

Matcha tea is a powdered green tea made from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis , an evergreen shrub in the Theaceae family. All matcha teas come from this plant, but variations in color and flavor result from processing differences.

The tea plants specifically grown and used to make Matcha are typically shaded for two weeks to increase their chlorophyll content before the leaves are picked. After harvesting, the green tea leaves are steamed, dried, and ground into a fine powder.

Green tea has been traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies for hundreds of years. Matcha is a concentrated powdered form of green tea that has been used for centuries in China and Japan. In fact, the term "Matcha" and its pronunciation (maa-chuh) are derived from Japanese words meaning "ground" and "tea."

In 2017, the top consumers of matcha tea were: the US, China, Japan, Germany, and England. This tea has also become more popular in Europe.

Nutrients

Unlike other types of tea, matcha contains whole tea leaves, which provides a more concentrated source of nutrients. It also has a strong, distinctive flavor, which many compare to spinach or wheatgrass. The secret behind matcha tea's superpower lies in the polyphenol compounds called catechins, a type of antioxidant found in superfoods like green tea, cocoa, and apples.

Matcha tea is prized for containing more catechins than most foods, but the health benefits of matcha tea are generally apparent to those who drink it regularly.

Matcha tea contains higher levels of: polyphenol compounds, rutin, vitamin C, fiber, catechin, chlorophyll, caffeine, and theanine. See article

The nutrients in Matcha are higher than any other green tea.

What is the difference between Matcha grades: ceremonial and premium

The different grades and quality depend on how long the matcha has been sun-dried and how it's further processed. Whether the leaves are young or older. The shorter the sun-dried time, the more nutrients it contains, the higher the quality and the more vibrant the color. But all grades of matcha are of good quality. All matcha are used for creamy, natural flavors.

Ceremonial Matcha tea

This grade is produced from the first harvest . The tea leaves are the youngest and receive the least exposure to sunlight, which increases their chlorophyll content. Ceremonial-grade matcha powder therefore has the most vibrant shade of green among the various grades.

The stems and veins are removed before the leaves are ground into powder. Therefore, the matcha resulting from this process has a naturally fine texture and a sweet flavor . It is thicker than other types of matcha and foams beautifully. Smooth and lush with just a hint of bitterness, it's perfect for everyday drinking.

Applications

-Brewed as a tea

-Tea ceremonies

-Smoothies --> Moringa and Matcha are a true nutritional bomb

If you want to detox, Matcha ceremonial is the best option, because the chlorophyll content is the highest.

-Recipes for food and desserts

-Can be taken as capsules

-You can mix it with almond milk --> do not use milk!!!

This tea is quite expensive. For 40g, it can easily cost between €25 and €40. Luckily, you don't need much for one cup of Matcha tea.

Premium Matcha tea (culinary)

This quality is harvested a little later. Premium is a little less vibrantly green. It's a little less soft and sweet, but a bit more bitter. Matcha premium still has good quality.

Applications

-Brewed as a tea

-Recipes for food and desserts --> even pasta sauces

-Smoothies

-You can mix it with almond milk --> do not use milk!!!

The price for 40gr of good quality premium is between €11 and €25

How do you recognize real ceremonial Matcha?

Color: High-quality matcha has a vibrant, clear green color. If the powder looks dull or has a yellowish or brownish tinge, it is probably not of ceremonial quality.

Taste: Ceremonial Matcha has a mild, slightly sweet flavor. If it tastes bitter or astringent, it's probably not ceremonial grade.

Price: Ceremonial-grade matcha is more expensive than lower-grade matcha because it's made from the finest leaves and requires a meticulous production process. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

What is the difference between Matcha and green tea?

Matcha and green tea both come from the Camellia sinensis plant. While they share a common origin, they differ in taste, texture, color, and preparation. The main differences lie in their production processes and the contents of the final product.

The final product creates differences in flavor between matcha and green tea. While green tea can have a light, refreshing flavor, matcha is often rich, with a stronger, grassy, full-bodied taste.

Caffeine content varies depending on preparation.

Green tea contains about 11-25 mg of caffeine per gram.

Matcha contains approximately 19-44 mg of caffeine per gram.

Matcha

Matcha undergoes a more careful growing and extraction process than other teas. Manufacturers don't shade-grow most green teas or protect them from oxidation. These extra steps help control the variables in production and give matcha its unique characteristics and flavor. Matcha is made from ground whole leaves. Matcha is a fine powder of green tea leaves and typically contains a higher concentration of nutrients and antioxidants.

Green tea

While regular green tea is made from soaked leaves.

Green tea is often available loose or in tea bags.

Matcha vs. Green Tea (Dr. Axe Josh-Arts)

One of the biggest differences between Matcha and green tea is the caffeine content.

Matcha green tea actually contains more caffeine than other green teas because it uses the entire leaf of the tea plant. While it contains significantly more caffeine than regular green tea, matcha still contains much less caffeine than coffee or yerba mate, at about 70 milligrams per cup.

Preparing Matcha tea

The green powder doesn't mix perfectly, so you need a whisk or mixer for matcha tea. The matcha whisk, also called a chasen, is traditionally handmade from a single piece of bamboo and is available in various thicknesses and thread counts.

Personally, I sometimes find it quite hard to whisk the tea until it froths. That's why I bought an electric matcha whisk .

Preparation

1- Put a little water at the bottom of your Matcha bowl

2- Put 1 scoop of Matcha powder in your bowl

3- Mix your tea powder with a Matcha whisk

4-Add warm water

5- You can mix again with the whisk.

What is the dosage and use of Matcha tea?

Dose of Matcha tea

2x per day 1.5gr in a tea bag or special Matcha bowl (1 or 2 Matcha spoons)

Tip: Don't buy a matcha bowl that's too large. The one in the photo below is ideal. A small matcha bowl is the perfect size. You can drink two cups of it a day. You can then put one spoonful of matcha in each bowl. Sometimes they sell large matcha bowls. However, if you drink too much at once, it can get a bit heavy.

Please note : do not drink too much Matcha, as it contains caffeine .

Dose Matcha capsule

You can take a 650mg capsule four times a day for a total of 2600mg. Start with a low dose and build up to a maximum of 4 capsules. Matcha and Moringa are a perfect combination. See Moringa benefits .

TASTE: Matcha contains the umami flavor

There are 5 main flavors

1-Sweet

2-Acid

3-Bitter

4-Salt

5-Umami --> Matcha

Umami occurs naturally in many Japanese products. You'll find the flavor in shiitake, kombu, nori, wakame (seaweed), bonito (tuna flakes), and Japanese tea, matcha.

Umami is also naturally found in ripe tomatoes, sardines, aged cheese, kombu (a type of seaweed), truffles, and mushrooms, as well as olives, anchovies, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and (fried) onions. See the blog post about what is umami .