Ever resisted a fad for a long time because you didn’t like it or it seemed frivolous only to try it later and discover that you had been missing out the whole time?
I have a list of things that I resisted to my own detriment (yoga pants and sushi top the list) but one that I’ve known and loved for years is Matcha Tea. I had a friend in high school who was from Japan and she introduced me to this amazing powdered green tea known as Matcha.
It has gained popularity lately, though many modern mentions of Matcha ignore the rich culture and traditional preparation that typically accompany matcha tea brewing.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a special type of powdered green tea that is grown and produced in Japan (in most cases). The green tea leaves are shaded from the sun for the last few weeks of their growth, increasing the chlorophyll content and creating a gorgeous green color. Then, the leaves are carefully ground with stone grinding wheels to produce a fine powder.
The powder can then be used to brew an antioxidant rich frothy green tea or in recipes like smoothies or baking. Unlike other types of teas, the green tea powder is not strained out before consuming, so you are consuming the entire leaf, making Matcha more potent than other tea varieties. In fact, only 1/2 tsp is needed to brew a traditional cup of Matcha.
History of Matcha
In the Tang Dynasty in China, green tea was powdered and dried into bricks for easy use. People could then break off a small piece of the dried tea brick and stir into hot water. This provided a shelf stable green tea that was easy to travel with.
In the 1100s, a Japanese monk brought the idea of powdered tea to Japan, and this eventually evolved into the traditional chanoyu ceremony. Though the tradition of drinking powdered green teas has lost popularity in China until recent years, the tradition has persisted in Japan. Though originally only royalty and Samurai warriors were given Matcha because it was so time consuming and expensive to produce, it is now a popular drink throughout Japan.
For Matcha, the best tea bushes are selected and shaded from the sun for 3 weeks before harvest. Then, the best leaves are selected and ground by hand to produce a fine, bright green powder.
Benefits of Matcha Green Tea
Energy + Calm
Matcha tea is unique because the process of shading and harvesting increases the content of L-Theanine, an amino acid that helps balance the caffeine. While matcha may contain the same caffeine as other types of tea, the L-Theanine is known to create calmness without drowsiness.
Antioxidants
Another benefit to Matcha is the high concentration of antioxidants. One study found that Matcha has 137 times the polyphenols (notably, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) than regular green tea. (1) In fact, this type of green tea contains over 60x the antioxidants of spinach and 7x the antioxidants of high quality dark chocolate.
There is some evidence that these polyphenols may have a protective effect against some types of cancer.
Weight Loss
EGCG, found in high concentrations in Matcha, has been shown to increase the rate of burning stored fat as energy, as well as decreasing the formation of new fat cells. Other studies have shown that the catechins in Matcha increase the body’s rate of calorie burning each day and offered additional fat burning benefit during exercise.
Healthy Heart
A 2011 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the catechins in green tea had a significant effect on lowering LDL cholesterol. A 2013 Cochrane review also showed that regular green tea consumption was associated with lower blood pressure and an decreased risk of stroke.
Brain Power
The L-Theanine in green tea is known to help stimulate alpha brain waves. These waves are known for their ability to help increase focus and concentration.
Chlorophyll Source
The process of shading the Matcha leaves creates an increased amount of Chlorophyll, which some preliminary research has shown may help the body eliminate heavy metals and other harmful buildup. Research is still lacking in this area, but many alternative doctors recommend Chlorophyll for this purpose.
Skin Health
The same antioxidants that make green tea protective, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), may also help support skin health by reducing inflammation and free radicals that accelerate skin aging. This green tea facemask is a great example of that.
All That Glitters…
Is not gold, or green, as the case may be. Matcha has some amazing benefits, but one important caution and potential downside: lead.
All green teas, even organically grown ones, contain trace amounts of lead and fluoride. When brewed as traditional green tea, the leaves are removed, and most of the lead (and some of the fluoride) is removed with the leaves.
With Matcha, since the whole leaf is consumed, there is a higher concentration of lead. From everything I’ve read, this is not a reason to avoid this type of tea, since the levels are still low, but I would exercise more caution when pregnant for this reason.
Pique Tea offers an amazing Matcha tea, that is the only Matcha to be triple screened for any toxins and is free of heavy metals and fluoride, pesticides, toxic mold and radioactive isotopes.
How to Brew Matcha Green Tea
Though Matcha can cost $4 or more in a cafe, you can make it inexpensively at home. We enjoy Matcha as a treat about once a week, and I’ve also enjoyed experimenting with adding it to foods for color. Though in Japan, a tea ceremony is an elaborate practice that involves special cups, tea pots and bowls, there is a simplified process that you can use at home.
There are two ways to brew, as usucha or koicha. Usucha is a thin tea, while koicha is a thicker tea.
Needed Equipment:
- A bamboo whisk and spoon (not absolutely necessary, but creates a much smoother and frothier drink than a regular whisk) TIP: in a pinch, use a blender.
- Fine mesh strainer or sifter
- A glass bowl for whisking
- Small cups for drinking tea
Matcha Green Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 1 cup water (at 175°F)
Instructions
- Sift the powder into the glass bowl using a fine mesh strainer or sifter.
- Slowly add the hot water.
- Whisk with the bamboo whisk in a "w" shape until frothy and well mixed.
- Drink immediately.
Notes
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
Ever used Matcha? What is the most unique way you’ve used it?
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I Loved it and bought some from her and started drinking all the time both hot and cold. Water and air are horribly toxic there, that anything grown, organic or not.
~I HAVE BEEN DRINKING MATCHA TEA TWICE A DAY (½ TSP EARLY IN THE AM AND ½ TSP IN THE MID AFTERNOON) FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND I LOVE IT. I’M ALSO CONFUSED BECAUSE I HEARD THAT IT CAN AFFECT YOUR THYROID FUNCTIONS. COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT?
THANK YOU 🙂
I would LOVE to drink matcha tea!!!
I know of it’s wonderful benefits, and have several recipes calling for it.
The horrible downside: Matcha only comes from either China or Japan.
China is SO polluted, I can’t even contemplate consuming anything from there. And yes, that INCLUDES organic. Water and air are horribly toxic there, that ANYTHING grown, organic or not, is tainted. You should look at actual photos from fields of crops! yuk.
And as for Japan: well, it has been documented that MANY foods grown in the region of Fukushima are making their way into other countries, despite the ban on doing so rather than being destroyed, and they are being faked as to actual location and country.
You mentioned the lead issue. Tea plants actually thrive on some nasty organic components in the soil, lead, arsenic being two of them.
It really ‘bites’ that many wonderful, healing foods are not consumable due to issues like this. Ocean foods from the Pacific are all toxic due to Fukushima and it’s continuing, ongoing pollution.
Please, if you are thinking of consuming something, CHECK the SOURCE! Be aware of conditions where your food is grown, better yet, only consume foods grown in your own gardens, or those of farmers you KNOW to be untained by pollution or toxic practices.
I am sorry to be so negative, but reality is what it is, and knowledge is important in order to make choices as to what we eat and drink and serve our families. What we choose to feed our families, KNOWING the good AND bad, and accepting that it might not be so great for us, is a choice, not something we do thinking it is all good, oblivious to the dangers.
I started drinking a Green Tea that is a Power about 10-15 years ago. I bought the green tea at a show at the fairgrounds that was delicious!
It was from Japan and was the whole leaf ground to powder and the lady was from Japan and she was telling me you get All the benefits from the tea because it is in powder form.
I Loved it and bought some from her and started drinking all the time both hot and cold. I drank most of it in the summer because I would just add it to my water bottles and shake it before I would take a drink as the powder would always settle to the bottom. In the winter I drank it hot and kept a little wooden wish in my cup to stir before I drank it as again the powder would settle on the bottom.
I lost 30 lbs in first three months of drinking this tea. I didn’t change anything I was doing. I never had the jitters that so
Stinks I would and still do from drinking coffee.
I still drink it and absolutely Love it.!
But I am wondering now if it is a matcha.
I have known for a long time that matcha tea is very good for you. However, I am reluctant to use it now as a result the Fukushima nuclear accident. How can you verify that the tea you have gotten from Japan does not have radiation? By the way, I love your website and think you do an amazing job educating us all on health and wellness. Thank you for all your wonderful research.
Curious about this as well.
Good question… it is on my list to update this post, but there is some concern that it could be in tea but most regions seem to be safe “Yes, most of Japan’s tea is safe. Tea from the Uji region, and the Yame, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures have not been found to have any radiation to date; they are all west of areas where radiation has been found. There technically is detectable cesium in all Shizuoka’s tea, though it seems that most does not exceed government standards. The jury is still out on how much of Shizuoka’s teas have been affected and whether it is localized to certain areas of the prefecture or certain processors. For what it’s worth, the acceptable radiation levels being used by the Japanese government are far more stringent than both United States and WHO standards, which can only benefit tea consumers. Obviously, pregnant women and children need to be extra cautious about radiation exposure in general. We should all consistently make informed decisions about what we put in our bodies – not just tea.”
The specific tea you say you buy that you linked to comes from China and is not grown in the shade. The company answers these questions in the questions section.
I just got an the tea bandwagon. I’ve been drinking oolong tea, which tastes (IMO) much better than regular green tea. Matcha looks interesting though.
I love matcha mixed with a little water into a paste as a face mask. Really incredible difference after 1 mask. Relaxing with the smell of tea too. I used it over stretch marks too with a noticeable difference. I don’t like hot tea so my favorite way to get matcha in the morning was to blend some frozen bananas, cacao nibs, raw honey, and matcha. Like ice cream for breakfast. 🙂
Hi Katie,
I’ve read that too matcha green tea can be no good for thyroid concerns, which I have. It this why you only have it once a week?
Do you know if a few times a week would be too much for thyroid related concerns?
Hi Katie-
I like you have Hashimotos. I have read in various places and was told by a nutritionist that people with thyroid issues should not drink green tea. I miss it and I really like kombutcha as well that is made with green tea. I know you have done extensive research and work with a Dr. regarding your thyroid issue.
Would love to know your take on green tea consumption with a thyroid issue etc.
Thank you so much in advance for any help and info with this!
I just got a really cool matcha maker that doubles as a travel mug and can also brew normal tea from David’s Tea. Yay birthday presents!
https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/site-catalog-us/matcha-maker-stainless-steel-solid/902695US01.html?cgid=root&dwvar_902695US01_color=115002