All about Matcha!

What is matcha? 

Matcha is a Japanese speciality derived from the green tea plant, which is specially harvested in the shade and finely stone ground into a powder.
It is a tea powder rather than tea leaves, which means that it contains more nutrients than other forms of green tea. 

 

Ceremonial grade matcha is a more luxurious and rarefied grade of matcha. It is recommended for drinking and enjoying! This is the kind of Matcha that is used in Japanese tea ceremonies. 

Matcha is like wine: the better the matcha the more expensive it is.
There really is no comparing a Bordeaux to a Box Wine, and ceremonial matcha would be the finest Bordeaux of them all!

Our culinary grade matcha is still higher quality than most other culinary grades on the market. It can be used for drinking, but we recommend it as an ingredient for baking, smoothies, lattes or homemade ice-cream. Don't worry, it's still delicious, but not quite as fine as the ceremonial grade matcha.

Health benefits of matcha

Each cup of matcha has the following health benefits:

  • High in antioxidants
  • Helps to prevent cancer
  • Increases energy levels
  • Stimulates the metabolism
  • Promotes weight loss
  • Improves concentration
  • Strengthens memory
  • Boosts your mood
  • Reduces anxiety
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Anti aging
  • Improves dental health
  • Regulates heartbeat
  • Improves exercise performance
  • Boosts your immune system
  • Detoxifies the body

Let's break this down a little bit:

Antioxidants:

Matcha is known to have 137 times more antioxidants than regular green tea, and 20 times more than blueberries or pomegranates. What do antioxidants do for you? They are substances that help to protect your body and cells from free radicals which can cause things like heart disease, cancer and other illnesses. 

Matcha helps prevent cancer and high cholesterol:

Matcha is high in catechins, which help prevent cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. This combined with other chemicals and minerals within the tea, allows matcha to unblock arteries, prevent high cholesterol levels. They also promote weight loss and are anti-bacterial properties, which promotes healthy gums and prevents bad breath. 

Matcha & Caffeine:

Matcha contains a natural, mild form of caffeine, which boosts the body’s energy levels without the jittery feeling. This aids in both mental alertness and focus, and physical energy, which means that matcha is not only great for everyday mental functioning, it also add a great boost to your workouts.

Boosting your immune system:

The water-soluble vitamin-c within matcha loses none of its potency or efficacy in the brewing process. It helps to reduce blemishes, wrinkles and sun damages, as well as works to keep you healthy year round.

Detoxifying the body:

Matcha contains a lot of chlorophyll as it is shade grown before the harvest. This helps the body to detox and rid itself of toxins and heavy metals.

12 benefits of matcha and fitness


  

How can one cup of matcha do all this?

As matcha is not ‘steeped’ from tea leaves like other teas, none of its nutrients and goodness are lost when the tea bag is disposed. This is because matcha is literally a powdered tea, and every mineral and nutrient is dissolved into what you drink, and none of it is wasted. 

Where does The Little Matcha Master get his matcha?

In order to bring you the finest matcha in the world, owner and creator, Karen Schneid, travelled to Japan where she sourced this exceptionally high quality matcha from the renowned Nishio region. She discovered a farm with the highest standards and people with the highest ethics. We work directly with the farm, who freshly mills our matcha for us. The Little Matcha Master can guarantee that you are receiving the highest quality, freshest matcha in the world.

How to make the Perfect cup of Matcha:

Using a bamboo matcha scoop, place 2 sifted scoops (or 3/4 of a teaspoon) into a matcha bowl or cup.
Slowly add 80ml of hot water (not boiling) into the tea whilst briskly whisking in a zigzag motion.
Continue to whisk until the matcha is smooth, with a frothy surface. Drink and enjoy!

Some frequently asked matcha questions:

How do I Store Matcha?

Store in a cool, dark place away from any light. It’s best to try to consume the matcha as soon as possible for freshness. Always keep the lid on, or keep it in an airtight container.

How can I tell a good matcha from a bad matcha?

The colour:
Good matcha is a bright and vibrant green colour. The vibrant green of matcha comes from it being a shade grown plant which is high in chlorophyll. If a matcha is a pale or khaki green, it is usually of a lesser quality because it either wasn't shade grown or is blended with something else.

The Ingredients:
If a matcha has any other ingredients other than 100% Matcha, it is a poorer quality matcha.

The Texture:
High quality matcha is made from baby tencha leaves that have had the stems and stalks removed. It is then stone ground into a fine powder, similar to the texture of baby powder. If a matcha is clumpy or grainy, it is not a high quality matcha

Why is matcha so expensive?

Karen has personally sourced all our matcha from the pristine, fertile Nishio region of Japan. All of matcha is hand picked on the 88th day of spring in the lunar calendar and is stone ground. We also import the highest quality of our two grades of matcha, which are naturally more expensive. But, each cup of matcha only requires 1g of matcha powder, thus even our small tins can make up to 30 cups.