My last post had many comments … so thank you…It did, however, raise the question of what is the difference between Green Tea and Matcha powdered tea…

What is Green Tea?

Like all teas, it is brewed from the dried leaves of the Camellia Senensis but it is the level of oxidation in the initial production of tea which determines the type of tea.

Green tea is produced from unoxidized leaves which means it goes through fewer processes thus it has more antioxidants and polyphenols than it’s sister black tea.

Green Tea has been used for many thousands of years in traditional Chinese and Indian medicines.

The amount of research into the medicinal properties of green tea is mind-blowing and very interesting but this post is about Taste and the difference between Green Tea and Matcha powdered tea…

Like lots of other products, the Green Tea market is a very lucrative one. It can be bought ready made to drink on the go… BUT just because it says Green Tea somewhere on the label …Please don’t be fooled…

If it is sitting on the shelf among the other sodas you can bet your life it is loaded with sugars and the like…

Here I only promote good teas…no nasties..just green tea… Nuff said!

So what does Green Tea taste like?

The most common comment I hear and I have also been guilty of this…It’s bitter!

I now know why?

It is only bitter because either your tea is low-grade aka cheap or it has not been brewed correctly,  brew with cooler water and don’t leave the leaves in the tea once it has brewed. Once you have that bitter taste no amount of sugar or milk will get rid of it….

It is only since living here that I have learnt the art of brewing a nice green tea but no matter where you live the amount of information online is astounding and with a little effort you can benefit from an amazing cup of beautiful green tea.

How to brew Green Tea.

Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients:

6 ounces of water, a little more if you are pre-warming your cup or teapot.

About 1 tsp of or 2 grams.

Let’s brew….Get that on to boil and get your cup or teapot.

Your water ideally should be 160F -180F so bring your kettle to the boil and let it cool it should be just short of boiling. Obviously, if you have a temp thingy that is great.

Pre-warm your cup or pot ( my mum) always used to…I don’t well if it is a pot I do but my cup…I know I should and I will…promise.

Measure out your tea leaves set to one side pour your water into your cup and add the tea leaves then cover your cup..let it steep for 1 -3 minutes if your tea is small-leaved it will be quicker…I just set my kitchen timer to start with but practice makes perfect and no more bitter green tea…

Once it is ready…Enjoy!

When you use a new brand of tea it takes a little adjustment in amounts of tea or steeping time to get your perfect cuppa… But when you do a sense of achievement.

I spent so many years really disliking green tea and only drinking because it was ” good” for me….Since I have learned how to brew it correctly…I can say hand on heart…I am a convert…

What is Matcha Tea?

Matcha tea is nutritionally equal to 10 cups of Green Tea and is said to have 137 x more antioxidants. It is easy to use and cook with.

Matcha means powdered tea and it is made from tea leaves which are specially grown for Matcha powdered tea the leaves are kept covered during growth which aids the production of more chlorophyll. Hence the lovely green colour of Matcha powdered tea. It is also only the leaves which are ground the stems and veins are removed which is why it grinds down into a very fine powder.

Traditionally it is made by mixing about a tsp of powder with half a cup of hot but not boiling water and then whisked with a bamboo brush until it is frothy. Doesn’t that brush look cute? I always get a feeling of calm when I just look at these photos…

Matcha powdered tea comes in two grades…

Culinary Grade which is mainly used for cooking and baking.

Grown to taste slightly bitter is why the cooking grade Matcha powder combines well with many foods, milk-based drinks, smoothies, ice cream, beautiful sponge cakes and much more.

Ceremonial grade Matcha Tea powder is the one used in traditional Japanese Tea Ceremonies.

The crème de la crème of tea. It is grown specifically for drinking and can command very high prices for a superior tea. spends the last few weeks of its growth cycle in the cool shade of bamboo mats, sometimes several layers of them, to keep the sunlight out.

Then, only the top one or two leaves of each plant are hand-picked and allowed to dry, usually indoors, again away from any direct sunlight. That’s why this grade of matcha powdered tea is so green and so full of nutrients.

My Conclusion:

I have drunk some very nice Green Teas since living here in Thailand the choice is far bigger than when I was in the UK and I now know how to brew it correctly..it is little wonder that mine was so bitter…Lesson learnt..lol

Matcha powdered tea is another level and nutritionally more beneficial so if it because you want the greatest nutrition value from your tea then it has to be Matcha powdered tea…

If you do a lot of baking using the culinary-grade Matcha powdered tea which you can also drink it makes sense to use culinary Matcha tea powder as its use is two-fold.

The ceremonial grade is probably out of my price range for tea so I would drink that when I was out and wanted a treat…

Green tea suits me very well on a day-to-day basis as I only drink 1 cup daily….

I would say based on that it is down to each person’s individual circumstance but as with anything I always advise moderation.

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Have a great weekend everyone I hope the weather is kind to you…Until next time xxx