M A T C H A
WHAT IS MATCHA?
Matcha is an amazingly popular Japanese green tea that is made by milling a shade-grown tea leaf called tencha into a very fine powder. The ritual of matcha tea preparation is the foundation of the reverential Zen-based Japanese tea ceremony known as chanoyu. The unique cultivation of matcha produces a tea that provides a long-lasting, natural energy buzz and heightened mental clarity. This is achieved by shading the tea plants for 20 days prior to harvest, boosting the chlorophyll, vivid green color and central nervous system stimulating amino acids like L-theanine. Tencha tea bush cultivars are intentionally bred to have high contents of caffeine and amino acids with low contents of bitter tannin, which makes matcha very energizing and stimulating with less bitterness and astringency than other teas. A traditional, 2-gram shot of matcha bestows the drinker with 6 hours of enhanced alpha brain waves, mental clarity and calm alertness that feels more energetic and less jittery than the coffee buzz. ALL THE HEALTH BENEFITS
35%
TRADITIONAL PREPARATION
ESPRESSO OF TEA
Sugars
100%
Matcha
Unlike steeped leaf tea, where only 35% of the tea leaf phyto-nutrients transfer into the cup, matcha is consumed in its entirety so 100% of tea’s health benefits are consumed.
Traditionally prepared and served in a tea bowl called a chawan, matcha is first sifted to break up any clumps, then whisked into a smooth, frothy, vivid green emulsion using hot water and a bamboo whisk called a chasen.
Milk
Today, baristas can think of Matcha as the “espresso of tea,” with a Matcha Shot being the foundation of a range of café drinks from lattes to Americanos to hot chocolates. The traditional yield of a 2-gram matcha preparation is in fact the similar volume of an espresso shot, making it easy to incorporate into any café.