Matcha brewing

Brewing Ceremonial Matcha:

Prepare tea bowls by warming them with boiled water. 2). Prepare your Matcha whisk by soaking the tip in the boiled water in one of the bowls for about 10 seconds. 3). Pour the water out and dry the bowl with a paper towel. 4). Using your tea spoon, add 2 scoops of Matcha to each bowl. 5). Pour 1/3 of a cup of your hot water into each bowl. 6). In a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea. 7). Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy. 8). Consume immediately.

Brewing Cold Matcha:

1g Matcha, 8 oz cold water, lemon, and sugar to taste. 1). Add 1g of Matcha to a little water and mix until you have a nice paste. 2). Add your paste to the rest of your glass of water and stir well. 3). Squeeze a lemon into to the mixture and add sugar to taste. 4). Add ice. Enjoy.

Iced Matcha latte:

4g Matcha, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp hot water, 10 oz milk, ice. 1). Blend dry Matcha and sugar in a glass. 2). Pour in the hot water and whisk into a paste. 3). Pour cold milk over the Matcha mixture. 4). Add ice.

Health Benefits of Matcha

The health benefits of matcha tea exceed those of green tea because when you drink matcha you ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water.

One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content.

Matcha Tea – A Nutritious Beverage

• Rich in Antioxidants and Chlorophyll
• Contains Catechins Only Found in Green Tea
  
• Naturally Mood Enhancing
  
• Zero on the Glycemic Index - will not raise insulin levels
• Sugar-free, High in Fiber

Matcha Tea – For Antioxidants
Exponentially Higher in Antioxidants than Blueberries and Spinach

Green teas contain a high amount of antioxidants, chemically compounds known to forestall aging. Antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables – even chocolate. A testing method known as ORAC – short for oxygen radical absorbance capacity, evaluates the antioxidant levels found in food. According to research done by Tufts University, the ORAC capacity of matcha green tea is exponentially higher than other foods known for their high antioxidants levels such as blueberries and spinach.

The ORAC rating of matcha is 1300 units/g, compared to 105 units/g for pomegranates and 91 units/g for wild blueberries.

Matcha Tea - For Renown Cancer Fighting Catechin EGCg
Renown Cancer Fighting Catechins are Only Found In Green Tea

Not all antioxidants are created equal. Antioxidants are found in many foods including fruits and vegetables. There are many types of antioxidants, however, the class known as catechins are only found in green tea, and these maybe the most potent of all. And of the catechins, EGCg (epicgallocatechin gallate) is the catechin with broadest and most potent cancer-fighting properties. Sixty percent of the catechin content of matcha tea is EGCg.

One gram of matcha contains 105 mg of total catechin content, or roughly 61% EGCg.

Matcha Tea – For Cleansing the Body of Toxins
Rich in Chlorophyll, A Renowned Detoxifying Agent

Chlorophyll, the pigment which gives leaves their green color, helps to remove heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body. Because matcha powdered tea is fully ingested when consumed, unlike tea leaves which are infused then discarded, and because matcha is shade grown, a process which increases the chlorophyll content in the leaves, matcha tea is a chlorophyll rich food.

Matcha Tea – For The Amino Acids
Naturally Mood Enhancing

Matcha contains L-theanine, an amino acid known to relax the mind. For this reason, matcha is also known as a mood enhancer. Buddhist monks drank matcha to assist in meditation, as matcha’s amino acids, combined with caffeine, offer a sustained calm alertness over time. Amino acids are also what gives matcha is distinctive taste. They contribute to what is known as the fifth taste, or umami, characterized by a rich creamy mouth feel. Kama matcha, ceremony grade tea, made from the youngest, tenderest leaves, contains the highest levels of amino acids. The delicate flavor profiles of Kama Matcha and Morning Matcha are best observed when prepared in the traditional style, with a bamboo whisk and whisked in a matcha bowl.

Matcha Tea – Suited for Meditative Practice
Create Your Own Ceremony and Relieve Stress

The Japanese Tea Ceremony known as Chanoyu is a highly ritualized practice of drinking matcha tea. The Zen monks were the first to introduce matcha to Japan, and their influence is seen throughout the ceremony. Most notably is the emphasis on a calm mind, serene settings and awareness of nature. Drinking tea alone will not convert you a Zen monk, but adding a tea ritual to your day, however you choose to create it, will increase the possibilities for calm and serene experiences in your life. For inspiration we recommend the Tea Ceremony by Sen’o Tanaka with detailed descriptions of Chanoyu rituals, artifacts and philosophy.

matcha preparation

When drinking matcha tea, you consume whole matcha leaves, unlike other green teas. Because of this reason matcha contains, by volume, higher concentrations of catechins and vitamins and is therefore extremely healthy.

There are 2 types of matcha; "Koicha" and "Usucha". These are chanoyu (Japanese Tea Ceremony) terms and literally translate as "thick" tea and "thin" tea.

Usucha comes from the leaves of tea plants that are less than 30 years old. Koicha comes from the first harvest of plants that are a minimum of 30 years old.

In tea ceremony koicha is brewed with less water than usucha. Koicha has a naturally mellower and sweeter taste and the tea is made thicker for that reason. In the japanese tea ceremony Koicha is served right after the meal. Then the guests of the tea ceremony are served more sweets and then they are offered thin tea called Usucha.

Prepare Matcha Your Way

Matcha preparation is personal, and there are no rules outside of Tea Ceremony. the water used to make the matcha with should be around 80 to 90 degrees centigrade but not boiling. the matcha green tea powder is grounded super fine so that it solves completely in the water.

If you are new to green tea it may take you 2 or 3 attempts to find the concentration that is right for you. Koicha when prepared in tea ceremony is very thick, like syrup. If you use usucha for this the tea would be somewhat bitter.

Most people do not prepare matcha to the syrupy thickness of tea ceremony koicha. While there is a qualitative difference between the 2 (thick tea is composed of the highest quality leaves) there is also a significant difference in cost. If you have not tried matcha before it is recommend that you purchase some inexpensive usucha first and see if you like matcha.

Matcha comes from gyokuro leaves that have been steamed and dried. All stems and veins are removed from the leaves. The pure dried leaves (tencha) are then stone ground into a super fine powder that is the consistency of talc. Matcha is uniquely Japanese.

Matcha

Matcha green tea is the most popular drink in Japan. Matcha is served on both formal and informal occasions. Matcha can be prepared in a ritual way, such as the Japanese tea ceremony. Preparing Matcha for less informal situations is becoming a common practice. Japanese green tea powder is very healthy and contains vitamins, minerals, and some caffeine. for more information on Matcha click the following link: Matcha