Matcha VS Green Tea Powder. What is the difference?

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Is there a difference between Matcha and green tea powder? If there is, what are the differences?

This article will dive into the detailed definitions of Matcha and green tea powder.

Matcha is a particular name for a specific form of green tea. Matcha is a type of Green tea powder. However, not all green tea powder can be called Matcha.

We can describe the relationship between Matcha and Green tea powder with the diagram below.

Relationship between Matcha and Powdered Green Tea

There are other types of Green tea powder that are not Matcha.

For example, Sencha, grounded in powder form, is called Funmatsu-Ryokucha. Funmatsu-Ryokucha translates to powdered green tea.

Green tea ground into powder but does not fulfill the specific requirements of Matcha are called Funmatsu-Ryokucha. This tea is commonly used in sushi restaurants for ease of use and lower prices.

Although the color is brown, Houjicha, ground into powder, is also considered a green tea powder. It is called Houjicha powder, or sometimes Funmatsu-Houjicha.
Using the Hojicha powder provides a convenient way of making Hojicha right away. It is also commonly used in cooking to make sweets and dishes.

Other types of green tea can be a powder form as well.

Genmaicha powder, sometimes called Fumatsu-Genmaicha, is also a commonly found green tea powder. Like the Houjicha powder, this form is a convenient way of making Genmaicha and is used for cooking.

Matcha is a premium green tea that must fulfill specific challenging requirements to be called that way. The two essential rules are as follows.

• • • Tea leaves made for Matcha must be shaded during cultivation.
    • A stone mill is used to ground the leaves into powder form.

So why is this?

Generally speaking, it is challenging to enjoy green tea directly in powdered form due to its bitter and repulsive nature. However, Matcha is a high-end delicacy.

The reason why this tea is so loved across the world is its rich umami and aroma. The higher the quality of the Matcha, the more umami and less bitterness it contains.

During the tea tree's cultivation, the shading process helps reduce the tea leaves' astringency. It also enhances the umami components of the taste.

This process doesn't come easy. The shading methodology is a traditional process that not all farmers can execute.

At the same time, shading the leaves contains the plant's growth.

This methodology reduces the volume of leaves that are produced. Overall the cost of production will skyrocket.

This may come as a surprise, but the stone mill is also integral to making Matcha.

Yes, the mill must be stone to maintain a cool temperature while slowly grounding the leaves. On the other hand, a metal mill can gather heat and compromise the quality of the tea.

This reason is why Matcha, this premium tea, sits atop the Japanese green tea hierarchy mountain in terms of quality and price!

To summarize, Matcha is a type of green tea powder cultivated and manufactured in a particular way to maximize the quality of the drink.

Therefore, not all Green tea powder can be considered Matcha.