MATCHA

Matcha tea is in line with the trend. Matcha is the most exciting rediscovery in the tea world of the 21st century. For more than 800 years created as a drink for meditation by monks, the premium Japanese green tea is today known as the most precious and rare tea of Japan.

Matcha is exquisite: just a few dozen tea farmers possess the complex knowledge to produce this tea. Matcha tea leaves grow slowly in shady plantations, then the freshly dried leaves are slowly ground in stone grinders to create a fine, jade-green powder. To drink the tea, you pour water onto it and serve it with a bamboo whisk. The result? A uniquely creamy, rich and delicious green tea, which you can order in our shop.

THE MATCHA EFFECT

Anyone who drinks matcha consumes the tea leaf in its entirety (as a powder dissolved in the water) and thus also all the substances contained within the tea leaf. This represents a crucial difference from other varieties of tea. The caffeine contained within matcha provides a gentle energy kick for a clear, alert mind. It harmonises perfectly with the L-Theanine exclusive to the tea. With their calming properties, the amino acids moderate the stimulating effect of the caffeine. The benefit? A perfect balance of invigoration and relaxation.

What’s more, matcha also offers the highest known value of cell-protecting antioxidants in any natural product, making it a true fountain of youth. The antioxidant capacity of matcha tea is many times greater, for example, than goji berries, pomegranates or blueberries. With an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbing Capacity) value of 1.711 units per gram, it therefore occupies an undisputed leading position among the so-called “superfoods” and is a natural weapon against free radicals.

In the kitchen, the unique aromatic components of matcha make it an extraordinary ingredient in cooking and baking. Its taste is described as “umami”, meaning “flavour”, considered the fifth taste sensation after sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Matcha is therefore suitable as a special ingredient in both desserts and savoury dishes. On our “Matcha recipes” page you can find numerous delicious ideas – from matcha latte to matcha ice cream, and you’ll find all the matcha you need to make them in our shop.

MATCHA TEA QUALITIES – ORIGINAL AND FAKE

Just like all tea varieties worldwide, matcha tea also has different levels of quality. The quality of the matcha tea depends on the quality of the initial product, the tencha tea. Depending on the region of cultivation, position and elevation (plains, mountain regions or hill country), the specialisation of the tea farmers and the variety of the tea plants, different grades of tencha tea are achieved. Ground in stone grinders, these produce the different qualities of matcha.

There are three main criteria to distinguish between qualities: aroma, appearance and ingredients. In our shop you can purchase organic matcha in five different qualities: Cooking, Beginner, Ceremonial, Premium and Super Premium.

AROMA

Matcha is sweet, creamy and soft with just a hint of herbs. The sweetness comes from the high concentration of amino acids, in particular the L-Theanine and plant fibres.

The matcha quality is particularly significant when it comes to comparison with cheap imitations: simple green tea powder barely contains any amino acids, meaning the herbal aroma comes strongly to the fore with the result being an intensely bitter taste.

APPEARANCE

Matcha has a brilliant jade-green colour. Simple green tea powder is yellowy-brown. The reason for this difference is the initial material: for the production of matcha, only tencha tea is used – a tea that has developed a deep, rich, dark green colour thanks to the long-term shading of the plants before the harvest. Matcha is milled exclusively in granite stone grinders to create an ultra-fine powder. The particle size amounts to between 5 and 17 micrometres, making it finer than the hand or tongue can feel.

In contrast to this, green tea powder consists of conventional tea varieties that have been shaded either barely or not at all and whose initial material is a simple tea leaf including the stem and veins. What’s more, these products are not milled in stone grinders but in a wide variety of machines. A fine particle size, like that of matcha milled in stone grinders, is therefore impossible to achieve. These imitations are coarse and rough, which can easily be felt on the hand and tongue.

INGREDIENTS

Matcha tea contains amino acids, including L-Theanine, which develops during the long period of shading. These amino acids have a calming effect and give the invigorating character of the tea’s caffeine a gentle note. Simple copies like green tea powder have barely noticeable effects and do not possess the comprehensive profile of substances of the original. Order the highest quality organic matcha in the aiya online shop!