10 Matcha green tea facts + recipes

Matcha green tea has exploded in popularity. People hear more and more about its health benefits and enjoy its mild and naturally nutty and sweet flavour. Whether you are a seasoned drinker or new to it, here are the top 10 Matcha green tea facts + some easy recipes.

#1 It can take up to an hour to grind just 40 grams of finished matcha green tea!

As you can imagine, it takes quite a lot of leaf in order to make just a small amount of matcha powder. Matcha is ground into a very fine powder using stone mills. Other materials will cause too much friction which would negatively affect the taste of the tea. This is part of why you wouldn't get the same results by throwing your leaves into a food processor or spice grinder. Its very much a labor of love.

It needs to be stone ground for the delicate flavours to come out and to preserve the goodness and health benefits

#2 Powdered tea originated in China during the Song Dynasty

Matcha green tea is very much associated with Japan but a lot of tea drinkers don't realize that powdered tea has roots in Chinese history. At that time tea leaves were pressed into cakes, much in the same way that pu-erh is. Pieces were broken off, ground into a powder and whipped into a froth. This style of making tea was popularized by the Buddhist monk Eisai when he published the book Tea drinking cure 喫茶養生記 in 1214. It eventually evolved into the matcha tea that we all know and love today.

#3 Since it's a powder, matcha can easily be added to almost anything!

We love cooking and baking with matcha green tea. It's super easy to add to cookies, cupcakes, pudding and more. Just remember that a little bit goes a long way. Using too much tea in your batter can make for a bitter taste. Matcha is also a great addition to smoothies and shakes, and even drinks. In Japan they have everything from matcha noodles to green tea Kit Kat's.

#4 Matcha means powdered in Japanese

Ever wonder where names come from? Well in this case ‘Matcha’ means powdered in Japanese, so when you say Matcha Green Tea Powder, you’re technically saying powdered green tea powder.

#5 Matcha is easy to make

You don’t need to take a week long tea course to make great matcha. Ok so you need a whisk for a proper frothy cup. But seriously, is circling your little electric whisk really that much more effort than making a normal cup of tea with a spoonful of sugar? Nope.

All you need is a simple matcha mixer, like a battery operated milk frother that is inexpensive and easy to use, and does a great job of whisking your tea powder into a delicious and healthy drink.

#6 You can make ice cream with it

This is probably our favourite use of it: Matcha Nice Cream. Vegan, healthy and really ridiculously good! It’s a great way to get kids and grown-ups alike to get some hidden nutrition buried in a sweet treat!

Matcha ice cream recipe

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 10 min
• Ready in: 5 h 5 min

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder, or more to taste
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs

Step 1:

Whisk the matcha powder in a bowl using a handheld milk frother or matcha whisk to remove any lumps; add a splash of milk and whisk until dissolved and all lumps are gone. Gradually whisk remaining milk into matcha mixture.

Step 2:

Combine the cream and the matcha mixture in a pot. Place it over medium-low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Step 3:

Whisk sugar and eggs together in a bowl, you can use the milk frother or electric matcha whisk for this as well. Pour 1/2 cup hot matcha mixture into egg mixture; mix thoroughly. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Pour mixture back into the pot.

Step 4:

Cook and stir matcha mixture over medium-low heat until heated through, about 3 minutes or so. Remove it from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.

Step 5:

Pour the cooled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Your tasty matcha ice cream is ready!

7# There are two types of matcha

There are two types of matcha known as usucha, which produces a thin tea, and koicha, which produces a thick one. Usucha is typically made from the leaves of tea bushes that are less than 30 years old, and koicha is made from the first harvest of plants that are over 30 years old.

#8 It can calm you down and boost your metabolism as well

There are many Matcha health benefits. Sometimes, you just need to sit down, relax, and have a warm cup of goodness. Matcha tea has been proven to help with meditation and relaxation. This is thanks to the amino acid L-theanine in the leaves used to make Matcha.

A bowl or mug of matcha green tea offers vitamins A and C, potassium, protein, and calcium. These nutrients give your immune system the boost it needs to fight off sickness and heal your wounds.

#9 It helps to improve memory and concentration

Another one of matcha benefits is helping with memory and focus. L-theanine has done it again. This amino acid aids the production of serotonin and dopamine — two powerful neurotransmitters in your brain that help your memory, concentration, and the balance of mood levels.

#10 You can make easy cold brew tea with Matcha

Cold brew matcha simply means its prepared with cold water. The water for making cold brew matcha should be at room temperature. But unlike cold brew coffee, cold brew matcha doesn’t require any lengthy or complicated extraction technique taking many hours, its done in minutes.

Add 1 tsp of matcha to your cup of choice and simply whisk or use the EZ frother to mix the matcha in with the water.

As with warm shots of matcha, it never fully dissolves, it stays suspended in the cool water. If you leave it alone for a few hours, the undissolved matcha will eventually settle on the bottom of the vessel. It makes for a tasty and super healthy cold brew green tea matcha.

Up next: How to make loose-leaf tea

See Related article: HOW TO MAKE MATCHA GREEN TEA – TRADITIONAL STYLE