Heard of matcha and wondering what all the fuss is about? Well it's been used for centuries, so it's nothing new - but more and more people are ensuring it's added to their routine lately. Which leads many people to asking the question - what is matcha?
In 2023 there was a 202% increase in the number of people purchasing matcha powder in the UK. And quite rightly, too. I've supplemented with it for years myself, and enjoy the benefits it offers me on a daily basis.
Here's everything you'll want to know about matcha, and why it's a good health and lifestyle routine to invest in.
What Is Matcha?
One of the most common questions I get asked is if matcha is a green tea. And yes, it is the same plant called the Camellia Sinensis; however, it is cultivated and processed very differently to green tea, and has a different nutritional value, too.
Here's how matcha is different to green tea:
It's Cultivated Differently
As you may know, green tea is grown in the sunshine. The difference with matcha is that the plant is grown in the shade, out of the sunlight, for around three to four weeks. They cover them with bamboo mats before they harvest them, and this increases the amount of amino acids and chlorophyll produced, especially L-theanine - a huge benefit from matcha.
This is also what gives matcha its super vibrant green colour and umami flavour.
It's Processed Differently
Matcha is processed very carefully. Where green tea is typically processed whole, the leaves for matcha have the stems and veins removed for the highest-quality matcha (called ceremonial grade matcha - though some lower-quality matchas still use some of these parts).
These soft areas of the leaf are the sweetest and smoothest, and are ground down with a stone until they become an ultra-fine powder.
The parts of leaves that are removed are the more bitter, which explains why green tea or low-grade matcha can have more of an astringent taste in comparison.
How We Prepare It
At home, we'd typically steep green tea in hot water and either remove them or leave them. With matcha, we whisk the matcha powder in hot water, which means we drink the leaf entirely, giving us all the best benefits and nutrients it has to offer.
Its Nutritional Content
Because of all the above, matcha has way more to offer us in terms of nutritional value. We get more caffeine with matcha and more L-theanine, which calmly balances out the caffeine effects so we don't suffer cranky jitters and crashes.
Matcha also has higher levels of antioxidants and catechins, vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll. What does this mean to us and our health? I'll cover this next.
Benefits of Matcha
There are lots of pretty awesome benefits that come with drinking matcha every day. And because you're drinking the entire leaf instead of just an infusion of it, you're getting a robust concentration of all its nutrients and compounds.
Here's what's making matcha so popular.
✔️ Energy and Focus
What most people turn to matcha for is the improvements it gives us in energy and focus. I replaced my morning cup of coffee for matcha, because with it you get the caffeine that gives you a boost, but also the L-theanine to calmly deliver this energy.
The L-theanine here also encourages alpha brain waves, which can help with our memory and alertness. Overall, you'll notice mental clarity and better focus that can last for hours.
✔️ Reduced Stress
Again the L-theanine is good for this, as it helps us feel calm without feeling lethargic. But as well as this, those high levels of catechins act as natural antioxidants that help neutralise harmful free radicals in our bodies. These free radicals can damage cells and encourage chronic diseases, so reducing them is important.
✔️ Detoxification
Matcha can detoxify the blood and clear heavy metals from the body.
✔️ Stronger Immunity
Those increased levels of chlorophyll in matcha can reduce inflammation in the body, which is great for our immune system among other things.
✔️ Heart Health
Because oxidative stress and inflammation is reduced with matcha, we could see better heart health, with less risk of heart disease.
✔️ Weight Management
First off, the caffeine content can of course help us along with more energy and desire to be active. Then we have the catechins in matcha – with special mention to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – which could boost our rate of metabolism and break down fatty acids more easily for fuel when we're physically active.
Matcha's thermogenic properties can help us burn calories more efficiently, while its natural compounds can help regulate blood sugar levels, which means we're less likely to give into those unhealthy cravings.
All these benefits are from the matcha alone. If you're buying a seriously good matcha powder like Matcha Flow, you'll be spoilt with a blend of matcha and some other wondrous ingredients, like Lion's Mane mushroom, Reishi, Tremella, ashwagandha, MCT oil, and more - though not all are as generous.
The History Of Matcha
We understand that matcha was first discovered as far back as the 7th century in China. To transport the tea, they'd steam the leaves, maybe salt them, and then compress them into bricks. They'd then break a piece off the brick and grind it down into a powder, before adding it to hot water.
By the 10th to 13th century, they began grinding them with stone and then whisking the matcha to make it frothy and more luxurious. And they did so to enjoy not only the taste, but for a calm energy that was perfect for Buddhist monks' long meditation sessions.
It was in the late 12th century when Japan adopted this ritual, when Eisai – a Japanese Buddhist monk - came back from a Chinese pilgrimage with it.
They too loved the sustained focus they got from the matcha, and it became an integral part of their Japanese culture and indeed their Japanese tea ceremony that continues today.
Types and Grades of Matcha
Don't worry, this doesn't make things complicated - but it helps to know the different types of matcha you can get. It's either ceremonial, or culinary matcha. Knowing the difference can help you choose the best matcha for the most obvious benefits.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha
This is what you want to be buying - a ceremonial matcha powder (like Matcha Flow). This is the highest quality you can get, and the only grade I'd buy personally.
For matcha to be ceremonial, it has to be made from the youngest tea leaves from the first harvest of the year - the freshest, at its best. The matcha powder will be a vibrant green colour, where its chlorophyll levels are high from being grown in the shade.
The leaves are carefully dissected so that we're left with only the softest, silkiest parts. This hugely refines the quality, nutritional profile, and taste - it'll have some sweetness and minimal bitterness, and a silky-smooth texture.
Culinary Grade Matcha
This grade is very different to ceremonial - don't buy it to drink. It's much more suitable for baking and cooking with, as opposed to drinking.
Consider culinary to be lower-quality matcha. It's made from tea leaves that aren't so young, and usually from the second harvest of the year. That vibrant green is lost to a darker shade from leaves that aren't as freshly cropped as, and older than, ceremonial matcha.
The flavour is also different, and can be stronger and more bitter. This is because they were grown for longer, but also some of the harder parts of the leaf can be added, which is where the bitterness comes from.
You'll still get some good benefits from culinary grade matcha. If you're planning on baking with it, you can get:
- Café grade - which is great for lattes and smoothies
- Ingredient grade - good for ice cream and desserts
- Kitchen grade - best for large-scale baking
- Classic grade - a good all-rounder
As a general rule of thumb, always go for ceremonial grade matcha for a daily drink (which is how most people enjoy their matcha), or culinary grade matcha for baking. Though remember, you can use ceremonial for baking too - in fact, we have some recipes that we used for Matcha Flow, from smoothies to muffins!
Conclusion
Matcha isn't new. You could say it's been 'trending' for centuries. But only recently, many more of us are fully appreciating just what a difference matcha can make to our productivity, health, and mindset.
More and more of us are pushing the coffee jar and all its jitters to the back of the cupboard. We're replacing it with something that steadily uplifts us and offers us more than the slumps and surges we get with just caffeine alone.
I've been enjoying matcha for years. Matcha Flow has been designed with ceremonial grade matcha, and plenty of other sensational ingredients - and it makes all the difference to me in everyday life.
I hope this guide has helped you understand all you need to know about matcha, and why it's such a brilliant addition for so many of us. In fact, it's more than just an addition; it's a ritual that gives our minds and bodies some much-needed nourishment, holistically, every day.
Sources:
- https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/uk-green-tea-market
- https://www.drinkmoontower.com/blogs/learn/how-the-chlorophyll-in-matcha-affects-your-body
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-matcha
