What is Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea Powder?

Ceremonial matcha green tea powder

Matcha tea has been used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries. Matcha tea, derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, offers numerous benefits due to its high levels of antioxidants. This can potentially enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of cancer. The vibrant green color of ceremonial grade matcha powder comes from the high levels of chlorophyll in the finely powdered dried tea leaves.

Matcha Farming in Japan

1. Cultivation techniques: The highest quality matcha comes from shade-grown tea plants. Farmers cover the tea plants about 20-30 days before harvest, which increases chlorophyll production and creates the vibrant green color and umami flavor characteristic of high-grade matcha.
2. Stone-grinding process: The tencha leaves used for matcha are traditionally ground using stone mills. This slow process ensures the tea leaves don’t heat up during grinding, preserving the flavor and nutritional content.
3. Grades of matcha: Matcha is typically divided into three grades. Ceremonial grade, the highest quality, is made from young leaves harvested in early spring, typically May. Only the youngest, most tender leaves and buds from the top of the tea plant are used for this grade, which is traditionally used in tea ceremonies. Premium grade is high-quality matcha suitable for daily consumption. It’s made from the young leaves harvested in late spring to early summer, usually including the second and third leaves from the top of the plant. These leaves are slightly more mature than those used for ceremonial grade but still tender and flavorful. Culinary grade, used for cooking and baking, may include leaves harvested later in the season and from lower parts of the plant.

When drinking matcha, it is typically prepared by whisking the powder made from green tea leaves with hot water using a bamboo frother until it becomes frothy. In addition to traditional tea ceremonies, lower grades of matcha can also be used in other drinks and or food recipes e.g. Smoothies, lattes, sweets and cakes etc.

Matcha green tea is known for its rich umami flavor and is a unique type of green tea, cultivated in a specific manner to develop a distinct nutritional composition. Prior to harvesting, the tea leaves are shielded from sunlight for a period of 20 to 30 days. This process promotes the production of amino acids and deepens the green color of the leaves. Once harvested, the stems and leaves are finely ground into a powder, resulting in matcha.

This tea variant contains higher concentrations of caffeine and antioxidants compared to traditional green tea, but does not have steep stimulation profile like coffee, which can lead to feelings of anxiety and or in withdrawal when the effects wear off. Instead the stimulation curve of a good quality matcha green tea is more gradual and gentle in both directions, up and down.

(Kochman J, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, Mruk H, Janda K. Health benefits and chemical composition of matcha green tea: A review. Molecules. 2020;26(1):85. doi:10.3390/molecules26010085)