The Myth Of Matcha!

Two weeks ago, we explored the rising popularity of detox teas and whether or not they really are as beneficial as people claim. This week, we’re going to take a look at another tea juggernaut - Matcha green tea.

Matcha green tea, or simply ‘matcha’, is a Japanese tea made from powdered green tea leaves. Instead of traditional steeping, this tea is brewed by quickly whisking the powdered tea leaves into hot water to make a bright green froth, which is then immediately consumed. It’s this unique brewing method that really sets matcha aside from all other teas. It’s also the reason behind many popular claims that matcha tea is much healthier for you than your average steeped green tea; with matcha, you consume the whole tea leaf, not just the brewed liquor.

One of the most widely discussed health claims about matcha is that it is extremely rich in antioxidants, with some studies claiming that matcha can have up to 137 times more antioxidants than an average green tea. What is not widely discussed however, is that in our Western society we may not be brewing this beverage in a way that will allow us to really reap the full health benefits. In our Western tea culture, we are predisposed to adding milk and sugar to our beverages and it’s this practice that may actually be inhibiting matcha’s great health potential for us.

What does adding milk and sugar to matcha tea actually do?

One of the biggest reasons we began adding milk to matcha as a society, is that matcha is a very acquired taste. It’s extremely vegetal, almost like seaweed. Some people don’t like that, so we add milk and sugar to alleviate the taste factor. However, as Eric Gower from breakawaymatcha.com describes, a good quality matcha shouldn’t need the additives. In fact, he claims “[the] reason sweet milky matcha drinks are so popular is [because] throwing fat and sugar at matcha is a good way to make bad matcha powder palatable. Low-quality matcha, prepared with water only is a very, very hard sell”.[i]

Fair enough, but the problem is that when you add milk to matcha, the milk proteins “bind to the tea polyphenols thus decreasing their antioxidant capacity. One analysis of the studies that looked at the phenomenon found an antioxidant reduction of up to 18% depending on the type and amount of milk used.”[ii] Adding sugar is simply going to add unwanted calories and sabotage a tea that may otherwise have the potential to assist with weight loss. Therefore, even though adding milk and sugar won’t completely destroy the health benefit of your matcha, it certainly will compromise it.

And it’s not just physical health benefits at risk of being compromised by brewing matcha the ‘Western way’. Matcha tea is an absolute staple in many Asian households and a great deal of psychology is bound up in this highly cultural tea. As Kathy YL Chan describes in a 2015 article from businessinsider.com.au, drinking matcha is a truly mindful, grounding experience. When you consume pure matcha powder and water alone, “You're forced to think, what am I tasting? This is so different.”[iii]

So how should we be drinking matcha?

Without a doubt, the best way to drink matcha is the traditional way: Just hot water at 80 degrees Celsius and a ceremonial grade matcha powder. It really pays to do your research and find a reputable matcha tea merchant so that you know you’re buying a high-quality tea. You also need to brew using a wide mouth mug, or a traditional matcha brewing bowl called a chawan, to get the full matcha froth effect - it is very difficult to whisk up a storm in a narrow cup! While many tea enthusiasts, including myself, have invented ingenious ways to a good matcha froth without the use of a traditional matcha whisk, known as a chasen, the traditional bamboo whisk is without a doubt the best tool for the job. Other whisking methods simply can’t replicate the unique way in which a chasen disperses the powder throughout the water.

I like to make my matcha using approximately 1 teaspoon of ceremonial grade matcha powder for every 250 millilitres and pouring in only a small amount of hot water to start with (just enough to saturate the powder and make a small puddle), then whisking the mixture back and forth briskly using a zig zag motion. When I have a good froth happening, I slowly fill the cup with the remaining water, making sure to keep my froth intact. I find drinking matcha like this is even more effective than a regular black tea when it comes to needing that caffeine hit. The caffeine content in matcha acts as a slow release in the body and doesn’t make you crash the way a strong English Breakfast does.

By all means, there’s no harm in indulging in that sweet matcha latte on a rainy afternoon if you’ve really got a hankering! Just know however, that if you are drinking matcha tea for the enormous health benefits it has to offer, you might want to keep the milk and sugar away from your daily cup. Do this and you’ll really experience the full potential of this ancient health and wellness tea.

* Tania Pritchard is a tea enthusiast with an interest in health and wellness. We love her take on all things tea & she is a regular contributor to our blog.

Tania is not a qualified health practitioner. Always consult a heath professional before deciding if a health product is right for you.

* Tea Now does not sell matcha tea & all of our organic blends are caffeine free.

 

[i] https://breakawaymatcha.com/blogs/journal/try-to-avoid-milk-in-your-matcha-please

[ii] https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-experts/does-adding-milk-to-tea-kill-the-antioxidants/

[iii] https://www.businessinsider.com.au/heres-why-americans-are-drinking-matcha-all-wrong-2015-6?r=US&IR=T#meet-kathy-yl-chan-a-new-yorker-by-way-of-hawaii-who-has-been-drinking-matcha-for-as-long-as-she-can-remember-shes-a-tea-writer-importer-and-all-around-expert-1