Yuki. I
September 11th, 2024
Is Matcha and green tea the same?
This is a reasonably common question at our shop. Let's dive into the precise definitions of each.
What we'll Learn
In this article
Is Matcha and green tea the same?
The quick answer is NO; Matcha is a type of green tea. Therefore, it's a subset of green tea, and not all green teas are Matcha. The Matcha has some specific requirements that need to be met in order to qualify, one of which is that it needs to be ground into a powdered form. This is why Matcha always comes as Matcha powder. In this article, we'll dive into this and delineate the differences between these two terms.
Matcha is a type of powdered green tea, which is a type of green tea.
Sencha green tea leaves
All unoxidized tea made from the tea plant or the Camellia sinensis is green tea.
Yes, that's a mouthful! We'll break this down too.
Let's start with Camellia sinensis, the tree that produces tea leaves. Not only does this fantastic tree produce green tea, but it also produces oolong tea, black tea, and other fermented tea. It's fascinating to think that all these incredible drinks all come from the same plant!
Anyways, it's an incredibly versatile plant that is a mother to so many different types of tea. The big difference between these tea types is whether the leaves are oxidized.
Oxidation is what happens when a substance touches oxygen. An apple or avocado will gradually turn brown after it is picked. So will a banana or any other type of fruit or vegetable. This chemical reaction is called oxidation.
The same phenomenon will take place for tea leaves. Oxidation will take place the moment the leaves are picked and cut loose from the stem of the tree. There are different ways to treat this "oxidation" process, and the different approaches define the different types of tea. For instance, the black tea is fully oxidized and, hence, black. Oolong tea is considered a half-oxidized tea.
"Green tea" is a tea that is processed immediately after harvesting to halt the oxidation from taking place artificially. Since the oxidation is stopped immediately, it retains many of the natural nutrients living in the tea plant, and hence, it remains green.
Green tea includes Japanese tea such as Matcha, Sencha, Gyokuro, or even Houjicha (which looks brown because it's roasted as well but is also technically considered a green tea). It also entails several types of Chinese tea, such as Longjing Dragonwell tea or Biluochun tea.
The processing of green tea is generally done by either roasting the leaves or steaming them. Japanese green tea is unique in that while most other countries use roasting, Japanese green tea mainly goes through steaming.
What is Matcha?
Matcha powder, characterized by its beautiful vibrant green
Matcha is a powdered form of green tea. Its current known form was made in Japan.
Once the green tea is steamed to stop the oxidation, a special type of crude tea called "Tencha" is produced. "Tencha" is tea leaves that are specifically made for making Matcha.
Tencha is ground into a powdered form so it can be mixed and completely dissolved in water.
However, not all powdered green teas are Matcha. Matcha is a specific type of Japanese green tea that meets the following criteria.
- Tea leaves made for Matcha must be shaded for roughly three weeks during cultivation.
- A stone mill is used to slowly ground the leaves into powder form.
Why does Matcha have these requirements?
Generally speaking, green tea leaves are too bitter and repulsive to be directly consumed in a powder form.
However, Matcha is a high-end delicacy despite being so. It sits atop the mountain of the Japanese green tea hierarchy.
To enhance the quality of the leaves, they must be shaded during cultivation. This method keeps the leaves from increasing astringency and, instead, enhances the amount of Umami. Shading inhibits the tree from growing, so it decreases the amount of tea to be produced, but the highest quality Matcha will use a stronger shading to really enhance the Umami.
The stone mill is also essential to maintain a cool temperature while grounding the leaves into fine form. It is slowly turned so it doesn't collect heat. If it produces heat, it will increase the astringency and dullness of the taste. One stone mill is said to produce roughly 40g of Matcha powder per hour. Yes, that's one of the reasons why "proper" Matcha is so expensive!
Powdered green tea that does not fulfill these standards is called "Funmatsu-Ryokucha." You can consider Funmatsu-ryokucha as Sencha, which is ground into powdered form. This depends on the quality of the Sencha being used, but it is generally quite astringent and difficult to enjoy.
Mixing Matcha with a Chasen or bamboo whisk
Since Matcha is a powdered form, it requires mixing of the Matcha powder with water. This mixing is not as easy as it seems. To prepare a standard pure Matcha in Usucha (thin-tea) style, you need a Chasen or a bamboo whisk to completely dissolve the Matcha and create a layer of froth to enjoy. There are also other ways to prepare the Matcha, such as the Koicha (thick tea) method or ice matcha method, all of which will require mixing the powder with the use of a Chasen and some skill.
On the other hand, other types of green tea are mostly loose-leaf. These are much simpler in preparation, as the tea can be extracted by infusing in water.
Of course, both Matcha and other types of green tea come in a wide range of prices. However, generally, Matcha would be the most expensive.
In Japanese tea, it's quite simple. The higher the Umami, the more expensive it gets. There are several tiers even within the Ceremonial Grade of Matcha. The level of Umami in Matcha compares to the pinnacle of Japanese loose-leaf tea, Gyokuro. When compared gram-for-gram, Matcha would generally be much more expensive than even Gyokuro.
Matcha stands out for its high level of Umami. This is mainly due to the L-Theanine that is contained in the tea leaf. It's a rare substance only found in tea and mushrooms that really helps the human brain relax.
Matcha is also unique in that since it's a powdered form, you can absorb all the nutrients of green tea, even those insoluble in water. These are nutrients such as fibers and certain types of vitamins.
They also have numerous types of Catechins. Catechins are powerful antioxidants that are studied to have numerous health benefits. EGCG is a type of green tea catechin that you may have heard of, and it even has supplements as they are extremely potent. However, this is not dissimilar to other types of Japanese tea, many of which contain a high amount of catechins.
To summarize, Matcha is a type of green tea produced in a specific way to create top-notch quality. The leaves are shaded from the sun and ground using a stone mill.
So, while all Matcha is considered green tea, not all green teas are considered Matcha.
Yuki
Yuki is the Editor-in-Chief AND Community Manager at Tealife. He bleeds Japanese Tea and loves being a part of the Japanese Tea journey of others. Writes, does events, conducts tasting sessions, drinks, drinks and drinks tea! Easily accessible - hit him up on whatsapp (+65) 85882980.