You must have heard of the word matcha from a friend or read it somewhere on the menu of the coffee shop in your neighborhood. Widely known in Eastern Asia, matcha gained so much popularity in the Western world in the past few years. Let us tell you more about this magic plant!
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is a form of green tea that's been used for centuries in Japan. Unlike other teas, matcha is made from only the leaves of the tea plant and ground into a fine powder. It is made by grinding the leaves and stems of the Camellia sinensis plant, which contains antioxidants and nutrients that can help boost your health. It contains more antioxidants than any other kind of tea, and it has a reputation for boosting energy levels, increasing focus, and improving your mood.
How Is Matcha Produced?
Matcha is a finely ground powder made from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. The whole leaves are shade-grown for about three weeks, then steamed to stop the oxidation process, dried and de-stemmed.
The resulting leaf is then stone-ground into a fine powder. This means that all the nutrients remain in their natural state so they can be easily absorbed by your body. The process of grinding the leaves also creates a high concentration of catechin polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants.
Here are some of its most commonly cited benefits:
Matcha improves concentration and brain function by increasing blood flow to the brain and releasing dopamine (the "feel good" hormone).
It contains L-Theanine (an amino acid) which helps to relax both mind and body so that you can stay focused without feeling jittery or anxious. It also contains catechins which are known for
Full of antioxydants
Matcha is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on earth, and it's one of the few plant-based foods that contains more antioxidants than green tea. Antioxidants help to fight free radicals in your body, which can cause damage to cells and DNA.
Other benefits include:
It boosts metabolism by increasing the body's ability to burn fat.
It may help prevent cancer by reducing inflammation in the body.
How Can I Make Matcha?
Matcha is traditionally prepared by whisking hot water over the powdered tea leaves, which causes the tea to release its flavor compounds.
These days, it is very common to see matcha lattes in coffee which appeal to a larger audience in the Western world. For one cup of matcha drink where you can use hot water or your favourite milk, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of matcha.
Here are the steps to make your matcha drink:
warm up 1/2 cup of hot fluid (water of milk)
add 1 to 2 tsp of Kamifood matcha
draw zig zag with a matcha whisk
warm up the remaining hot fluid that would yield to the amount of your cup (around 2-1/2 cup of fluid)
pour the hot fluid to fill up your cup
Time to enjoy!
Note that sing hot water that is above 176F (80C) may cause matcha to become bitter. The best water temperature for matcha is usually specific to the blend of matcha
Other ways to enjoy matcha: iced matcha latte, matcha cake, matcha muffin, matcha smoothie, matcha croissant, etc...
You can our Matcha blend made in Montréal, Canada. The mix includes adaptogens such as rhodiola and moringa to help you stay concentrated and provide additional nutrients to your body.
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