Are All Matcha Teas The Same?

All Matcha teas come from a tea plant, Camellia sinensis. When the first few shoots of this plant appear, they are shaded for about three weeks or 20 days to shut out direct sunlight and to minimize the rate of photosynthesis. They are then harvested and steamed.

The leaves are then dried following some steps of drying. When they are almost completely dried, the stems and the veins are removed from the leaves. The part of the leaves that remains, after drying, is referred to as tencha.  Tencha is the raw material for matcha powder.

The grinding of the tencha leaves is the final step in the processing of matcha. For many years, grinding tencha has been done manually on a stone mill. Recently, however, an automated stone mill is used that produces a more refined matcha powder. The finished product is the Matcha Green Tea Powder.

All Matcha teas are processed as described above. Although Matcha originated in China, it was brought to Japan in 1191. It became an instant favorite in Zen monasteries and later used as the heart of Japan Tea Ceremonies.

Today, Camellia sinensis, the tea plant where Matcha comes, grows anywhere in the world. Thus, Matcha can now be sourced from anywhere that grows Camellia sinensis. Matcha teas are generally the same when talking about the chemical components because they all come from the same tea plant. Drinking a matcha beverage, regardless of where it comes from, allows you to ingest the whole leaf providing you the maximum health benefits it offers.

Matcha teas sometimes differ in texture. This may be due to the how the leaves are ground. Still, some differ in color that may result from the process of steaming or the shading of the shoots. These differences affect the taste or flavor of the Matcha tea that may also alter some of its health benefits. Its green color is responsible for the chlorophyll content of Matcha. A pale green may not contain as much chlorophyll as that with pure and bright green thereby offering lesser chlorophyll related health benefits.

While it is true that Matcha teas come from the same tea plant, they may differ in color, taste and texture that result from how they were processed.

Matcha teas are proliferating in the market today. They come from different places. Their cost also varies. The best Matcha tea has a distinctive light green color and a talc-like powder texture. The price for a Matcha tea does not necessarily speaks of its quality. There are premium organic Matcha teas that are best in quality but sold at a minimal price.

Find a Matcha tea with the best quality at a very low cost by visiting Red Leaf Tea today. Check out the differences, in texture and color, with other sources of Matcha tea. You will be amazed to know that Red Leaf Tea has it all with the cheapest price offer ever!