Everything you want to know about Matcha green tea

Over the past few years, matcha tea has become so popular that it can be found in almost all cafes and restaurants. What is the reason for the popularity of green powder?
Matcha tea is so popular because it contains a rich blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids that can elevate mood and improve concentration.

The history of matcha tea begins in China, during the Song dynasty, when, in addition to medicinal properties, the invigorating and taste qualities of tea began to be appreciated. In this era, tea became a companion of the meditations of the followers of Ch’an Buddhism and the philosophical meditations of the court nobility.

However, the culture of powdered tea was brought to Japan in the second half of the 12th century by the Zen monk Eisai.

Today, the Japanese highly appreciate this type of tea and believe that it gives strength, boosts immunity and helps to stay young and healthy longer.

There are several peculiarities in collecting and growing tea. Green tea leaves are harvested only once a year. A very important feature is that two weeks before harvest, the leaves are covered to protect them from the sun’s rays. Thus, the tea retains its freshness, and the leaves have a rich dark green color. At the same time, the leaves are saturated with amino acids, and the tea acquires a sweet taste.

The taste of matcha tea depends on the presence of amino acids in it. The higher varieties harvested first have a deeper rich aroma and sweet taste than the lower varieties harvested later.

The quality of the future matcha is determined by very complex factors. For example, fermentation plays an important role, the taste of matcha deteriorates when raw materials come into contact with oxygen, and the powder itself acquires a brownish color.

The benefit of matcha tea is that it contains a hundred times more antioxidants than high-quality green tea, among them mainly catechins – these are the strongest warriors of our immune system. In addition, matcha has beneficial properties for women, helps to speed up metabolism and has a beneficial effect on skin condition. With a cup of Japanese green tea, the body receives a portion of sustained energy and does not face over-stimulation of the nervous system. For those who want to lose weight, matcha tea is ideal. Losing a few extra pounds will be due to the ability of tea to oxidize fats, thereby speeding up metabolism and lowering cholesterol levels. The benefit for women of the drink lies in the ability to stabilize hormones. Matcha normalizes androgen and testosterone levels, which are responsible for acne in women.

With matcha tea, you need to be a little careful, this incredibly healthy and safe drink, but the only serious contraindication can be personal intolerance. Also, due to the caffeine in the composition, if you drink tea in large quantities, unpleasant effects such as headaches, sleep disturbances, indigestion and irritability can occur.

How to prepare matcha tea

Step one
Sift 1-2 teaspoons of matcha into a cup using a small sieve.

Step two
Add 100 ml hot water. For best results use water just under a boil.

Step three
Beat vigorously in a zigzag pattern until the tea is frothy.

Step four
Enjoy matcha tea straight from the bowl.

Matcha green tea latte ( hot or cold)

Ingredients

1 tsp matcha green tea powder
2 tsp sugar
3 tablespoons warm water
250 ml cold milk or 300 ml hot milk

How to prepare

Step one
Place matcha green tea powder and sugar in a cup.

Step two
Add warm water and stir with a spoon or whisk until a smooth, dark green paste to prevent lumps from forming.

Step three
Heat the milk in a small saucepan and pour into the cup until it is almost full. Use cold milk for iced lattes.

Step four
Use a whisk to blend the paste and milk until a smooth, light green mass is obtained.

Step five
If you like, you can add some matcha green tea powder on top for garnish. Or add ice for a very cold iced latte.