Matcha is one of green tea.
Matcha is powdered green tea (“Tencha”) grinded by a stone mill.
What is tencha?
We do not cultivate normal tea drying in shade.
However, as for matcha, we dry the whole tea plantation to foster the rich taste ingredient. By covering tea leaves, it becomes more expensive food than normal tea since it takes more labor and time.
When did we start cultivating matcha?
In Japan, we started cultivating tea around 1191.
Then in 1738, the way of making matcha called “Ujicha way” was introduced.
Today, matcha made by “Ujicha way” is drunk everywhere in Japan.
The grade of matcha
Matcha has various grades.
- Ceremonial grade
- Premium grade
- Cooking/culinary grade
These days, matcha is also made in China and the U.S. but
we feel that some companies sell matcha insisting that it is made in Japan illegally
Matcha’s color is green and its scent and quality are various.
We think it is difficult to for companies without long experiences keep offering a certain level of taste.
However, most of matcha we bought in the U.S was ocher-colored.
It does not reach the level of a product called matcha in Japan.
It is matcha just for cooking to add in snacks.
Even though it is matcha for cooking, many companies sell it as a premium grade. Therefore, you feel matcha you drink in Japan is delicious.
Matcha is very profound drink.
It requires water and soil full of nutrition.
Then, the taste changes depending on the way of harvesting.
Tea farmers work very hard without time to sleep during the harvesting season.
Helthy matcha’s ingredients
Tea has plenty of the ingredient called teanine.
Teanine is amino acid that provides the rich taste of tea.
Teanine is made in the root and moves from the root to the leaves.
When the sunlight pours there, teanine changes itself to bitter catechin and the taste becomes mild overall.
Matcha’s ingredients
- Tannin Caffeine
- Protein, amino acid
- Fat
- Carbohydrate
- Water content
- Ash content
Matcha has these ingredients and make you feel refreshed when you drink it.
Matcha was once used as medicine too.
