What is Matcha
Matcha tea comes from the same plant as most other teas (black, green, oolong, etc.) but with a lot more of what makes tea so remarkable. In the “what’s good for you” category, matcha tea is the undisputed champion. The way its leaves are nurtured, harvested and finally processed makes all the difference.
Prior to harvesting, tea plants intended for high-quality matcha spend weeks in the shade beneath specially designed covers. Shading encourages this sun-loving plant to actually increase the amount of chlorophyll produced in its leaves.
It’s that invigorating supply of chlorophyll that gives matcha tea its vibrant green color, improves taste and aroma and, most importantly, dramatically increases matcha tea’s nutritional properties.
The leaves are gently hand-picked, lightly steamed to prevent oxidization then air dried, de-stemmed and slowly ground into a super-fine powder using traditional granite grinding stones. In fact, it takes a full hour of grinding to produce a single ounce of high-quality matcha green tea powder like ours.
What Makes Matcha So Amazing
Unlike regular steeped tea, matcha tea drinkers actually consume the entire tea leaf. This is not the infusion process (think tea-bag) regular teas employ. Matcha’s super-fine powder provides nutritional benefits far beyond those of ordinary tea. Matcha brims with powerful nutrients like L-theanine, a calm-inducing amino acid shown to also induce a keen mental focus. L-theanine is found almost exclusively in tea and most abundantly in high-quality matcha.
Another matcha tea benefit is how its amino acids, antioxidants and caffeine work together to boost energy levels without jittery side effects. Studies show matcha’s caffeine actually enhances the affect of L-theanine. So now you’re wide awake, calm and focused. How much of these effects you experiences depends on the quality of the matcha you’re drinking and how much you consume.
Matcha’s beneficial ingredients also include an array of potent antioxidants. If you search “green tea studies” online, you’ll discover the most active of these is a catechin known as “epigallocatechin gallate” or EGCG. Among other benefits, EGCG is most often associated with weight loss.
Calm well-being, heightened mental focus, more energy and all the benefits of robust antioxidant protection. Four excellent reasons to make a high-quality matcha tea part of your daily routine. Learn more about matcha’s many health benefits here.