Matcha tea is taking the world by surprise. It is making a big name for itself with its old traditional ritual setting and with good reason.
Matcha originated in China around the 10th century and were a staple ingredient in Japanese tea ceremonies around the 12th century. It has great health properties with visual appeal and because of its distinct flavor and texture, it makes a good tea. Matcha comes from the Tencha leaf and is grown in the southern half of Japan, which is de-stemmed, de-vined and stone ground to a fine dark green powder.
The tea is traditionally prepared in a ceremonial setting that is known as “Chanoyu”. The powder is placed in a hand painted bowls that is mixed with warm water and whisked with a bamboo whisk. It is usually made in two different forms, Usucha and Koicha. Usucha means a thin tea and commonly seen in cafes and restaurants. Koicha means thick tea and is made from the highest grade of Matcha.
Matcha has energy boosting properties because of the caffeine content. It has been shown to increase the metabolism and helps the body burn fat four times faster than average. It has strong detoxifying properties which makes it able to clean the toxins and heavy metals from the body. Matcha tea leaves are covered about 20 days before they’re harvested because it increases the production of chlorophyll in the plant that makes it darker in color.
When matcha is harvested at different times, it results in different leaf colors. The best grade matcha is the ceremonial is usually the most expensive. There is a premium grade which is high quality and more available at decent prices. Then there is a culinary grade that is a lesser quality but is cheaper and can be used to make cakes and smoothies.