You can’t open a magazine or Facebook these days without being bombarded with Matcha products. Matcha smoothies, Matcha lattes, Matcha cakes, etc.
But what do we really know about Matcha?
It is a fact that all Matcha is powdered green tea, but not all powdered green tea is necessarily Matcha, despite the name on the can.
Matcha is a Japanese word that means powdered tea. However, the word Matcha means much more to a Japanese person. It tells something about how the leaves are cultivated and processed.
The concept of terroir, which comes from the world of wine, refers to soil, climate, and location, and it contributes to giving the tea its unique flavor and characteristics. There are many tea-producing regions in Japan, but the original area for Matcha is Uji, which is said to have the best terroir.
To produce genuine Matcha, Tencha is used, and its production is reserved for very strict measures in Japan.
In the weeks leading up to the harvest, the leaves are shaded from the sun, and it is during this time that the most important nutrients, such as chlorophyll and amino acids, are developed. In early May, the leaves for Matcha tea are hand-picked.
To stop the enzymes that cause oxidation and to protect important nutrients, the leaves are steamed shortly after being picked. The steaming process protects chlorophyll A, which gives the leaves their beautiful jade color and retains the magnesium content. At the same time, the content of L-Theanine is increased, which contributes to the tea’s sweetness and its invigorating/calming properties, making Matcha tea truly unique.
After steaming, the leaves are dried, and all stems and veins are removed to avoid any bitterness. What remains is pure Tencha, which is refrigerated for a minimum of 9 months to rest and mature.
The tea is only considered Matcha when the dried leaves are ground on a handmade granite stone into a very fine powder. The finer the powder, the higher the quality.
In Japan, the Matcha label is a quality assurance for these high standards, and all other powdered teas are simply “Powdered Tea.” Outside of Japan, there are no standards for Matcha, so what you buy in Denmark is not necessarily Matcha as the Japanese define it.
Does it matter? The answer is yes, absolutely! Try genuine Matcha here.
Would you like to learn how to make Matcha tea? Then watch this video: