Matcha Green Tea Powder – Organic

Matcha Green Tea – Rich in History, Tradition, and Nutrition

Matcha is a trendy drink in local coffee and tea shops, but this is not your grandma’s cup of Lipton black tea.

Unlike all the “internet gurus” who are using this exceptional grade of tea to make their trendy lattes and fun foamy drinks, we prefer to appreciate Matcha for its time-tested, colorful history and powerful nourishing qualities.

Matcha’s origin has been traced back to the Tang Dynasty, which spanned from the 7th through the 10th century. Initially, the leaves were steamed and made into bricks for ease of transportation and trade. The bricks were made by roasting and pulverizing the leaves, which were then mixed with water and salt. The Song dynasty (10th-13th century) is credited with creating this popular tea preparation.

Matcha has always been considered highly precious. For the longest time, it was only produced by a handful of approved merchants in tiny amounts, which were reserved for Shogun warriors and emperors.

Nagatani invented a new green tea processing method known as Sencha in 1738. This method, which is still in use, has allowed Matcha to be produced more efficiently, making it available to the general public.

The Greatest of Ceremonial Teas

For centuries, Japanese culture has used traditional tea ceremonies to bring family and community together to honor love, life, and culture.

Matcha is the centerpiece of these traditional ceremonies. Much like the preparation of Matcha, a traditional tea ceremony is done with grace, mindfulness, and respect to reminding the participants to focus on the moment.

Matcha ceremonies are traditionally performed by a Zen master or Buddhist monk trained in these ceremonial practices’ grace and wisdom. Unfortunately, you can’t exactly go to rentazenmaster.com, so if you are not trained in the art of tea ceremonies, it is most important to honor and respect the actual underlying aspects.

First are the four basic principles centered around a tea ceremony because each movement and moment have a specific meaning and purpose.

The four basic principles are:

1. Harmony
2. Respect
3. Purity
4. Tranquility

The other aspect is understanding the meaning of the inner and outer structure of where the ceremony itself takes place. The ceremony can be held almost anywhere as long as the inner aspect emphasizes simplicity and naturalness. This shows how we should all be living our lives (simple and close to nature). The outer portion emphasizes a traditional Japanese concept called “Sabi,” otherwise known as “the material life.” The exterior structure is often older and weathered, representing that our physical lives are only temporary.

Green tea vs. Matcha Tea- Is there really a difference?

Anyone who tells you that Matcha tea powder and ordinary green tea leaves are exactly the same doesn’t understand the value that Matcha brings to the table. While all common teas (green, black, and white) come from the same plant, many essential things separate Matcha from ordinary green tea.

While color, taste, and texture are quite different between the two, the most significant differences lie in the processing and preparation, which lead to a unique distinction in the nourishing qualities.

Standard green tea is processed and prepared by steeping parts of the leaves in hot water boiled over 220 degrees. Matcha is prepared by slowly stirring the fine silky powder into water that does not exceed a temp of 170 degrees. This one aspect is a significant factor in preserving important nutritional compounds. Based on tradition, it has been stated that:

To get the same nourishing benefits from Matcha, you would need to drink up to 10 times more traditional green tea.

Matcha may have as much as 100 times the available antioxidant abilities as standard green tea.

Here are three great examples of how Matcha has superior antioxidant qualities:

• More than double the catechin EGCG properties compared to standard green tea
• More than ten times the polyphenolic tannin levels compared to traditional green tea
• More than ten times L-Theanine levels compared to traditional green tea

Is all Matcha created equal?

Like any other traditionally great food, there is a “grading system” when looking at the quality of Matcha. To understand the different grades, it is essential to understand the factors that determine the grades. The following are the basic guidelines that define what grade a matcha powder is classified into.

• Color
• Texture
• Quality
• The fineness of the powder
• Storage
• Grinding process
• Treatment of leaves before processing

When you clear all the marketing fluff and smoke, the two main categories Matcha is classified into are culinary and ceremonial. All the other forms you read about are simply a version of the culinary grade.

The Ceremonial Grade

This is cream of the crop and top-of-the-line Matcha green tea powder. This powder is described as vibrant green in color, with a fine texture and soft/silky taste. This powder is made from the youngest hand-picked tea leaves where the stems and veins are completely removed and are stone ground (so you are left with 100% fresh young leaves). This grade of Matcha is made explicitly for whisking in hot water with no sweeteners added. The true traditional ceremonial grade matcha will leave you with a mild, sweet grassy flavor on your taste buds and your mind in a tranquil place.

The Culinary Grade

While this specific grade is used more for cooking and baking, it is also used to make those fun lattes, smoothies, and blender drinks. Culinary Matcha has a much stronger flavor with a hint of bitterness. It may look less vibrant than ceremonial grade but should still have a fresh and grassy smell.

When you look at all the different cultures around the world, they all have something special in common. Special foods are used in traditional ceremonies and events that bring families and communities together to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Matcha green tea powder is no exception to that rule. In fact, it is the gold standard for what made this rule in the first place. The next time you enjoy a silky smooth cup of our delicious Matcha green tea powder, be in that moment and allow the tea to remind you that life’s greatest pleasures are often the most simple ones.

Possible Nourishing Benefits of Our Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder

• May support mental clarity
• May support healthy lipid levels
• May support healthy blood sugar levels
• May support a healthy inflammation response
• May support a healthy immune system response
• May support a feeling of overall well-being and calmness.