A beginner’s guide to Matcha Tea
Matcha is a powdered green tea prepared from entire tea leaves. It is made from Camellia sinensis, the same plant as white, green, black, and oolong teas. Matcha lattes are certainly on the menus of your favorite coffee shops, and you’ve tried wonderful sweets painted brilliant green with this powdered tea. Matcha not only has an Instagram-worthy hue, but it also gives a continuous energy boost, a distinct flavor profile, a myriad of culinary alternatives, and a plethora of health advantages.
History of Matcha
Matcha’s origins trace back to China’s Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty ruled from the seventh to the tenth century. During this period, the Tang Dynasty steamed tea leaves to form bricks, making tea harvests easier to carry and trade. These tea bricks were made by roasting and crushing the leaves, then combining the tea powder with water and salt.
The earliest indication of green tea reaching Japanese coasts appeared during the Heian period (8-9th century). The Buddhist monks Kukai and Saicho are said to have introduced tea seedlings to Japan in 804. In 805, Saicho cultivated the first tea seeds, and in A.D. 815, a Buddhist monk known as Eichu presented green tea to the then-Emperor of all of Japan, Saga. Eichu made un-pressed and un-powdered green leaves and showed the raw presentation for the Emperor, which was unusual at the period. It was unlike today’s sencha-style green tea since the technique for producing it was eight hundred years away.
However, the subsequent Song Dynasty, which spanned from the 10th through the 13th centuries, is mainly credited with popularizing this method of tea preparation. Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist Monk, spent most of his life in China studying Buddhism. Eisai returned to Japan permanently in 1191, carrying tea seedlings and Zen Buddhist ways of producing powdered green tea. The seeds Eisai brought back from China were widely regarded for producing high-quality tea leaves in Japan.
The traditional method of preparing matcha tea
Sen-no, the Zen Master Rikyu is widely recognized for popularizing Juko’s tea ceremony procedure and has since become the most well-known historical persona in Japanese tea ceremony history.
Sen-no-Rikyu developed the four fundamental concepts of the Japanese Tea Ceremony:
- Harmony (wa)
- Respect (kei)
- Purity (sei)
- Tranquility (jaku)
‘Chado’ or ‘Sado’ refers to the Japanese Tea Ceremony, which translates to ‘The Way of Tea.’
To make matcha tea by the traditional method, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chashaku (pure matcha powder) in a tiny quantity (bamboo scoop)
- Chawan (tea bowl)
- Chasen (bamboo tea whisk)
- Hot water
To begin, scoop a tiny quantity (1-2 tsp) of Matcha powder into your chawan, or tea bowl, using the chashaku. Then pour 1/4 cup of hot water into the chawan. Remember that this water should be hot but not boiling. Then, whisk briskly in a zig-zag M or W motion with the chasen until the tea is foamy. Enjoy directly from the chawan.
Significance of drinking Matcha
Although the benefits of matcha tea were common knowledge, it provided the foundation for the refined art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Drinking matcha not only benefited Zen monks’ meditation efforts, but it also became a way of achieving enlightenment. Everyday temple rites included sacrificing a bowl of wine to Buddha. In the 16th century, a humble form of the tea ceremony arose, which has endured to this day and generated appreciation in the West for its message of beauty hidden in simplicity.
Monk Murata Shuko, who reached enlightenment when he realized that the everlasting law of the Buddha is revealed by a simple act of filling the bowl with hot water, was among those who supported radical simplicity. The beauty of the tea ceremony stems from the harmony that develops between the host and their guests’ brains. The tea’s ethos is reflected in the previously stated four concepts of serenity, purity, respect, and harmony. A suitable ceremony relieves stress and demonstrates the perfection of nature and human actions.
Benefits of drinking Matcha Tea
- High in antioxidants and nutrients
According to The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) Test, which analyzes antioxidant levels in food products, matcha tea has the highest antioxidant rating of any other superfood, with 1573 units of antioxidants per gram. That’s ten times the amount of conventional green tea!
Catechins are compounds that are extremely rich in antioxidants. The prominent catechin in Matcha green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCg, which is beneficial for weight loss, and brain and heart health. Matcha also contains amino acids, L-theanine, fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, F, and P.
- Protects the Liver
Our liver is the organ where toxins are filtered, metabolism occurs, and nutrients are processed. As a result, we must safeguard our livers and maintain them operating to the best of their capacities. Matcha has been found to protect and preserve liver health.
- May Benefit Cardiovascular Health
Matcha is high in micronutrients, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a plant component with potential health benefits. According to research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. EGCG can display a wide variety of therapeutic qualities including anti-atherosclerosis, anti-cardiac hypertrophy, anti-myocardial infarction, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Matcha promotes the proper functioning of the circulatory system by avoiding plaque buildup, heart tissue thickening, and other disorders such as heart attacks.
- Improves brain function
Matcha has increased in popularity as a healthy alternative to coffee that provides a similar caffeine boost. Matcha has around 70 mg of caffeine (compared to coffee’s 100-140mg), and it also provides a cognitive boost due to its other benefits! Matcha contains L-theanine, a chemical that has been demonstrated to stimulate the brain’s alpha wave activity, improving alertness and encouraging relaxation and stress alleviation. This chemical not only promotes alertness but also changes the effect of caffeine on our systems, allowing it to be absorbed at a slower pace, and reducing the adverse effects of caffeine use.
- Promotes Calmness
Although caffeine is not often associated with relaxation, consuming Matcha has been demonstrated to enhance tranquillity. Matcha contains a high quantity of the chemical L-theanine. It interacts with caffeine to provide a consistent release, lessening the jittery, anxiety-inducing impact that caffeine is known for. This encourages an attentive and concentrated state of mind, which can be difficult for many of us to achieveWe may eliminate the uncertainty and cloudiness that typically generates worry and tension when we operate with energy and focus. Matcha is the ideal beverage for allowing our brains to focus peacefully and work more thoughtfully daily.
- Balances Cholesterol
Matcha has proved to be quite effective at lowering cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is classified into two types: HDL (high-density lipoproteins) is healthy cholesterol because it transports cholesterol from the rest of our bodies to our livers, which process and eliminates it. LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is harmful cholesterol since it accumulates in our arteries and can cause heart attacks and strokes. Matcha drinkers have lower LDL cholesterol levels and higher HDL cholesterol levels, according to studies. Matcha has been shown in studies to improve and balance our bodies’ cholesterol levels.
Japanese green tea contains a significant quantity of caffeine and provides a peaceful feeling of ritual. This tea isn’t steeped; it’s gyokuro green tea pounded into a fine powder and whisked with hot water to make a full-bodied, verdant elixir. It is revered for its nutritional qualities as well as its rich vegetal flavor and is the foundation of traditional Japanese tea rituals even when used in cooking.
More Recent Stories
