A cup of matcha a day to keep the stress away π
Welcome to Matcha-zen - your one stop shop for all things matcha!
Matcha-zen was created in 2019 to raise awareness of matcha, as well as
provide high quality matcha and materials in Australia π¦πΊ. Our company
is built on authenticity and excellence - we want our customers to feel
and be their best, while encouraging the practice of peace in our daily
lives. β¨
Matcha has risen in popularity in the past few years. You've probably
seen matcha lattes on a cafe menu, dessert places purely based on
matcha, and read or seen people raving about it. You'll learn
matcha-bout it here!
What is matcha?
Matcha - π maaΒ· chuh / ζΉθΆ / λ§μ°¨
aka green tea
is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea
leaves, traditionally consumed in East Asia. Matcha originates from the
Camelia Sinesis plant. Compared to traditional green tea, matcha is
shade grown for up to a month before harvest, where the stems and veins
are removed and quickly steamed. The shaded growth results in a dark
green tea leaf that contains higher levels of chlorophyll, caffeine, and
l-theanine. The plant is then stone-ground into a very fine powder which
can be enjoyed with hot water, with or without milk.
What does matcha taste like?
It has a slight bitter and earthy taste, with a smooth umami. It is rich
and complex in taste.
There are two different types of matcha, each with their own taste
profile and used for different purposes:
Ceremonial grade - high grade
matcha used primarily for ceremonies which is subtle in taste and best
suited on its own. Culinary grade - lower grade but is
less expensive with a bolder taste. Suited for lattes, smoothies and
baked goods.
Health benefits:
High in antioxidants and vitamins π
Contains 137x more
catechins
than traditional green tea, as well as polyphenols. Also contains
vitamin A, B, C, E and K
Lose weight πͺ
May help to increase metabolism and fat burning
Promote heart health π«
More energy than other teas / boosts brain function
Has 70mg of caffeine compared to 47mg in black tea and 28mg in green tea
β‘οΈ
May help in giving healthy, glowing skin π
Contains vitamin C for collagen production and vitamin B to promote
healthy cell turnover.
Tools for quality matcha
To ensure you're making good quality matcha tea at home, you need to
have the right equipment to avoid clumpy, powdery tea. These are not
essentials but we find these tools help with the quality of matcha. We
also find it enjoyable and very therapeutic to use as part of our daily
routine π.
Matcha whisk / chasen θΆη
The whisk is a beautiful traditional tool made from a single cut of
bamboo that has various amounts of thicknesses and string counts. It
incorporates the powder into tea by effectively aerating the powder,
ensuring a light froth and no clumps. An electric frother can also be
used.
Use one or two scoops for thin matcha, or three to four scoops for
thick matcha.
A traditional bowl is a simple, deep bowl around 5 inches in diameter
used to prepare and serve matcha. There are bowls of different designs
and used in different times.
Bamboo scoop / chashaku θΆζ
Helps portion the matcha and measures out 1 gram of matcha.
Sifter
Creates a smoother matcha and prevents clumps, and can help create a
better froth.
Credit to the following websites: @wikipedia, @theteacupoflife,
@artfultea, @mizubatea, @health, @webmd, @women'shealth, @eater,
@justonecookbook, @allrecipes, @emojipedia, @justonecookbook,
@pixabay, @pexels
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