Matcha is a powdered green tea from Japan used in the tea ceremony or added to food for flavor and color. It is made from specific tea leaves that are dried and ground into tencha, which can then become matcha. There are different grades of matcha, and it is used in various Japanese foods. It is also popular in the US as a health supplement, but its benefits may be negated when taken with milk.
Matcha, or maccha, is a powdered green tea grown and produced mainly in Japan. It can be part of the Japanese tea ceremony or it can be added to certain foods to provide color and flavor. Soba noodles can get their green coloring from this powder and it is also used to flavor green tea ice cream.
This tea is made with very specific tea leaves that have been covered a few weeks before harvesting, to slow down the growth and thus produce more amino acids. The leaves are then spread out on the ground to dry. Once dried, they are called tencha.
Tencha can then be made into stone ground matcha. Only tea that is first tencha can become matcha. Konacha is the name of other powdered teas which are not made from tencha.
There are several grades of this tea. The higher grades are very sweet and intensely flavored. This is due to the significant amounts of amino acids in tea. Less expensive versions can taste a little less intense and can sometimes be bitter.
Matcha used in a tea ceremony produces a thick drink called koicha. This is an expensive and highly regarded part of the tea ceremony. Generally the powder is mixed at a ratio of 6 teaspoons (about 30 cubic mm) to 6 ounces (0.17 liters) of water. A thinner tea called usucha is made with a much lower powder-to-water ratio. Even though matcha is considered sweet, koicha still has bitterness and can be served with a little candy to reduce the bitter taste.
This powder is used in a number of other Japanese foods and is particularly popular as a flavoring in desserts such as monaka. Monaka has sweetened bean curd, or in other versions, ice cream, sandwiched between two wafer-like biscuits. Matcha is also a popular additive to soy milk or milk, in which it is sweetened with sugar.
Since green tea has been shown to have antioxidant properties, matcha has become popular in the United States as a health supplement or as an additive in smoothies or other foods. Any possible benefits of green tea are generally negated when it is taken with calcium present in milk. Calcium tends to neutralize antioxidants. So green tea ice cream or a matcha smoothie may be delicious, but they may not be as healthy as many assume.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
