{"id":34626,"date":"2020-10-03T00:26:27","date_gmt":"2020-10-03T07:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=34626"},"modified":"2020-10-02T15:27:36","modified_gmt":"2020-10-02T22:27:36","slug":"matcha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/matcha\/","title":{"rendered":"Matcha"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have matcha at least once a day. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Not in the morning \u2013 usually in the afternoon, as a way to take some time to enjoy the little moments in life. It\u2019s energizing, packed full of antioxidants, and is so incredibly delicious. It brings me back to when we lived in Japan and I would try to slow down and savor the seasons even though we were in ever-so-bustling Tokyo.<\/p>\n

Matcha green tea<\/h2>\n

Matcha is taking over the world \u2013 from matcha lattes to cake, bread, ice cream, croissants, popcorn, cookies \u2013 there seems to be no end to the world\u2019s love of matcha flavored things. It\u2019s no surprise that matcha is the number one favorite flavor of sweets in Japan. From the traditional tea ceremony to more casual lattes in hip cafes, matcha is integral to Japanese culture.<\/p>\n

Matcha green tea is the purest expression of this.<\/strong> I miss the matcha culture in Japan so much. I never realized how much matcha green tea I drank until we left! From the twist cap cold matcha from convenience stores to the cute matcha cafes, I had so much matcha that I\u2019m surprised that I didn\u2019t turn green.<\/p>\n

\"matcha<\/p>\n

What is matcha?<\/h2>\n

Matcha is a powdered green tea made from dried green tea leaves. The powdered tea is made from leaves that have been shade grown and doesn\u2019t contain any stems or veins. Matcha is an incredibly vibrant green color, due to extra high chlorophyll levels.<\/p>\n

What does matcha taste like?<\/h2>\n

Matcha has a sweet vegetal grassy note, with a hint of nuttiness, and gentle bitter undertones. It\u2019s like next-level green tea!<\/p>\n

\"matcha<\/p>\n

Is matcha good for you?<\/h2>\n

Incredibly so! Green tea is an antioxidant, but matcha is on another level, benefits-wise, since you consuming the entire tea leaf. The antioxidants in matcha help reduce the risk of heart disease, boost metabolism, and lower blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Does matcha have caffeine?<\/h2>\n

Matcha contains more caffeine than regular green tea and just about the same as coffee. Unlike coffee, it doesn\u2019t give you a jittery buzz because matcha has a specific amino acid (L-Theanine) that slows the release of caffeine and provides a sense of relaxing calmness.<\/p>\n

Which brand should I buy?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re looking to drink your matcha with just water, go for ceremonial grade \u2013 we like Ippodo brand from Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you want to enjoy your matcha with milk or sweetener and use it in desserts, culinary matcha is cheaper and will do the trick. Ito En culinary matcha<\/a> is a good choice – I love their bottled cold green tea, so it makes sense that their culinary matcha is good too.<\/p>\n

\"ippodo<\/p>\n

Culinary vs ceremonial matcha powder<\/h2>\n

Not all matcha is created equally and it can be quite confusing. Generally, the more expensive the matcha, the higher the quality. The main difference is the youth of the green tea plants: the youngest plants produce a more sweeter, intense, rich and mellow flavor which is used for ceremonial matcha. Older plants are used to make culinary matcha.<\/p>\n