What is Matcha?

Matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. It is special in two aspects; farming and processing. The green tea plants for Matcha are shade-grown for about three weeks before harvest, and only the finest tea buds are then hand-picked. After harvesting, the leaves are laid out flat to dry (instead of being rolled up), to eventually become what's known as tencha (碾茶). Then, tencha will be de-veined, de-stemmed, and slowly stone-ground to the fine, bright green, talc-like powder known as Matcha. This whole process is a delicate art and labor intensive process, and the quality of the final powder is greatly influenced by the soil, the climate, and the farmers.  

Matcha is the favorite of centuries-old Japanese tea ceremonies, and its pleasant taste and health benefits make it a favorite of many tea-lovers today. Matcha powder is whisked in a bowl with hot water to create a frothy, bright green, and nourishing beverage. Matcha green tea is even a more powerful than regularly brewed green tea; Instead of steeping and removing the tea bag, one would be consuming the entire tea leaf that was ground up into fine powder.

It’s important to know where to buy the best quality Matcha powder. Not all Matcha powders are made alike. Look for premium "Ceremonial" quality Matcha that has a deep jade color. For more information on how to buy Matcha powder, click here.

 

INCREASE ENDURANCE
Matcha has significantly less caffeine than coffee (around 34mg per serving of matcha compared to 90-200mg per serving of regular coffee), but the caffeine in matcha is believed to be slowly absorbed into the body producing long lasting energy (up to 4-6 hours) with less likelihood of jitters.

ENHANCES CALM AND PROMOTING FOCUS
Matcha is also rich in the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine is believed to promote alpha waves in the brain[3], and possibly raise the levels of Dopamine, Serotonin and GABA[4], and those are neurotransmitters that play a very important role in determining mood and mental state. This is the reason why L-theanine is believed to have the ability to reduce stress[5], boost mood, and get you closer to that sense of cognitive synergy, and that pared with the caffeine effect will produce what is called a "calming focus"

HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Matcha contains significantly more antioxidants than regular green tea, and more antioxidants than any super-foods. [6]

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1- Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70(6), 1040-1045. [PubMed]