WHAT IS MATCHA TEA?

MATCHA TEA HAS ITS ORIGINS FROM CHINA THOUGH IT IS OFTEN CALLED STONE GROUND JAPANESE STYLE GREEN TEA, BECAUSE BASICALLY, THAT IS WHAT IT IS.

Matcha is a finely ground tea powder processed from the special tea leaves of green tea. The specially grown green tea leaves are covered or shaded from direct sunlight. This shaded growth stimulates an increase in the levels of chlorophyll and causes the production of amino acids or Theanine. This also causes the leaves to become a darker shade of green.

During harvest only the finest tea buds are hand-picked, but instead of just rolling out the leaves before drying, the leaves are laid out flat to dry. This causes the dried out leaves to crumble easily and can now be stone-ground to the fine, bright green, talc-like powdery tea that identifies as Matcha. To make 30 grams of matcha green tea powder can take up to an hour of fine grinding. 

HISTORY

Around 1191, Zen Buddhists brought green tea loose leaf tea drinking to Japan. It was the Japanese who perfected the methods to making matcha powder tea as well as perfecting the ceremonial tea preparation for important ceremonies and gatherings of the upper echelons of society from the 14th through the 16th centuries in Japan.

Today, it has been proven that the Zen monks were right after all and that drinking matcha tea can help to live a longer and stress-free lifestyle. It is no wonder that these monks were always calm and unstressed in their character. Matcha has the properties to enhance metabolism, reduce stress-inducing body chemicals, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol levels, and even fight cancer causing toxins.

THE WONDERS OF MATCHA

• Cancer fighter Green matcha tea contains potent catechins or antioxidants that seek out and devour free radicals in the body. Matcha tea is known to contain EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate, a powerful anti-carcinogen. Drinking just one cup of green matcha tea a day contains 137 times the amount of antioxidants compared to a conventional cup of green tea. 

• Lowers bad cholesterol levels Matcha tea is proven to significantly lower the total bad cholesterol concentrations in the body.

• Lowers bad cholesterol levels 

Matcha tea is proven to significantly lower the total bad cholesterol concentrations in the body.

 • Detoxifier

 The chlorophyll mentioned earlier from shade grown green tea is the pigment responsible for giving the matcha tea its bright green color. It is also the pigment that detoxifies the body. The toxins it

can normally remove or control are heavy metals, poisons, dioxins, and hormone disrupters.