On a bit of a wellness kick this January? Then matcha green tea is your new best friend!
Whether you’ve been on the matcha hype for a while or you’re just starting out, we're here to answer some of our frequently asked questions to make sure you’re clued up and getting the most out of the bright green good stuff.
what is matcha?
In short… matcha is the super hero amongst teas!
Ours is made from 100% organic green tea leaves from the Nishio region in Japan. The tea leaves are grown under cover to produce lots of amino acids and chlorophyll (that’s what gives it the lovely bright colour!) and are then dried and slowly ground by granite into a very fine powder. The powder is then packed and sealed immediately, so all nutrients are locked in.
how is matcha different to regular green tea?
When you drink regular green tea, you throw away the leaves after, which is a bit like boiling spinach, throwing away the spinach and just drinking the water - you’ll get some of the nutrients, but you’re throwing away the best bit. As matcha is a fine powder, you’re ingesting the actual tea leaf meaning you’re consuming every single bit of its goodness.
what do I do with matcha?
First things first… how to mix it! To make sure your matcha drink is lump free, pop 1g of matcha into a cup (around half a teaspoon), add just a little bit of water or milk to start and whisk into a paste… then top it up with more liquid (our matcha whisk definitely comes in handy for this!) Matcha lattes are all the rage at the moment, and we love them both hot with frothy milk, and iced in the summer…they’re also fab with dairy-free milk alternatives, if you're taking part in veganuary this year.
There are so many other ways to enjoy matcha too; you can add it into smoothies, stir it into porridge, and even bake with it! Matcha & chocolate layer cake, anyone? Okay, okay… not the healthiest, but definitely tasty!
what are the benefits of matcha?
Drinking one cup of matcha can be like drinking 10 cups of regular green tea for its nutrient value – pretty impressive stuff! It provides a steady, sustained release of energy throughout the day, helping to keep you calm and focused. While it naturally contains caffeine, it’s about half the amount coffee has, so you can wave goodbye to any jitters and crashes!
how do you know if a matcha is good quality?
Matcha falls broadly into 3 categories, the first being genuine drinking matcha – this one comes from Japan and is sometimes called ‘premium’, ‘ceremonial’ or ‘high grade’... and it is the fab bright green colour we love! The second is lower quality/ingredient grade matcha – this one is a murky green yellow colour, which means there is less chlorophyll and it will taste more bitter as a drink, but it can work well in baking. And finally, there is matcha that comes in a teabag – this isn’t proper matcha at all (cries) it’s usually green or white tea with a teeny tiny quantity of matcha... so it's a no from us for sure!
Pssst, you should also avoid glass jars and paper pouches of matcha as, while they might look pretty, they won't keep it as fresh!
what does matcha taste like?
Good quality drinking matcha should be smooth with a natural sweetness – it shouldn’t be bitter or harsh.
is it safe to drink matcha everyday?
You only need 1g (half a teaspoon) to reap all the benefits! One of our 30g tins has 30 servings, so it’ll conveniently last you one whole month if you have it once a day. We also have pre-portioned matcha sachets which are perfect for on the go.
Let us know how you enjoy your matcha - share your matcha snaps with us @teapigsus!
you might also be interested in:
- Find out the answers to more frequently asked matcha questions here
- Check out our full matcha range here
- 3 simple breakfast recipes with matcha
- How to make the perfect matcha latte
