What even is Matcha?

The green drink

Okay so let me start off with saying I know this week isn’t coffee related as matcha is actually tea but it has two aspects that I feel are worth covering; it has caffeine but not in the same way as coffee and It’s confusing many people to what exactly this bright green drink is, so lets get into it.

What is matcha?

Matcha originated from Asia in China and Japan way back in the 12th century and started off as a ceremonial tea drink also know for it’s health benefits.

Matcha is green tea leaves that have been pulverised into a super fine powder, this powder is then mixed with hot water to make the drink seen above. Green tea is known for it’s antioxidants and health benefits but when making green tea the physical leaves are removed from the drink, whereas in matcha the leaves are consumed through drinking the powder when mixed in either water or milk.

Health benefits

Matcha has many health benefits ranging from improving brain function, promoting heart health and even boosting metabolism, but the main benefit is the high amounts of antioxidants, these are found in many natural produce and may help reduce the risk of many diseases.

Also due to the antioxidants, the caffeine in tea/ matcha is absorbed slower by your body than that of caffeine in coffee making the energy boost of drinking matcha a more mellow and less jitter educing experience.

Modern matcha

Matcha now has become a very popular drink all across the globe and has become a staple option in cafes everywhere.

Matcha lattes are what most cafes are making and simply consists of steaming milk of any kind, pouring a small amount into a cup with some matcha powder and whisking until smooth and the powder is fully integrated, then just pour the rest of the milk into the concentrate to fill the cup.

More matcha to try

Matcha is coming in many different forms as of late, a favourite is to try an iced matcha latte for these hot summer days and you can even find matcha ice cream and other deserts.

A recipe I enjoy iced and hot is a matcha latte made with coconut milk and honey, the honey sweetens the drink countering the slightly earthy taste of matcha on it own, and the coconut milk pairs well with the coconut sugar usually used in matcha mixes or provided in matcha cafes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week coving something slightly different, hopefully you’ll be inspired to try a matcha on your next café visit.

Hope you have a great week and some even better coffees!