Skip to main content
  • English
  • Español
  • français
  • Afghanistan

    Afghanistan

    (AFN ؋)

  • Åland Islands

    Åland Islands

    (EUR €)

  • Albania

    Albania

    (ALL L)

  • Algeria

    Algeria

    (DZD د.ج)

  • Andorra

    Andorra

    (EUR €)

  • Angola

    Angola

    (USD $)

  • Anguilla

    Anguilla

    (XCD $)

  • Antigua & Barbuda

    Antigua & Barbuda

    (XCD $)

  • Argentina

    Argentina

    (USD $)

  • Armenia

    Armenia

    (AMD դր.)

  • Aruba

    Aruba

    (AWG ƒ)

  • Ascension Island

    Ascension Island

    (SHP £)

  • Australia

    Australia

    (AUD $)

  • Austria

    Austria

    (EUR €)

  • Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan

    (AZN ₼)

  • Bahamas

    Bahamas

    (BSD $)

  • Bahrain

    Bahrain

    (USD $)

  • Bangladesh

    Bangladesh

    (BDT ৳)

  • Barbados

    Barbados

    (BBD $)

  • Belarus

    Belarus

    (USD $)

  • Belgium

    Belgium

    (EUR €)

  • Belize

    Belize

    (BZD $)

  • Benin

    Benin

    (XOF Fr)

  • Bermuda

    Bermuda

    (USD $)

  • Bhutan

    Bhutan

    (USD $)

  • Bolivia

    Bolivia

    (BOB Bs.)

  • Bosnia & Herzegovina

    Bosnia & Herzegovina

    (BAM КМ)

  • Botswana

    Botswana

    (BWP P)

  • Brazil

    Brazil

    (USD $)

  • British Indian Ocean Territory

    British Indian Ocean Territory

    (USD $)

  • British Virgin Islands

    British Virgin Islands

    (USD $)

  • Brunei

    Brunei

    (BND $)

  • Bulgaria

    Bulgaria

    (BGN лв.)

  • Burkina Faso

    Burkina Faso

    (XOF Fr)

  • Burundi

    Burundi

    (BIF Fr)

  • Cambodia

    Cambodia

    (KHR ៛)

  • Cameroon

    Cameroon

    (XAF Fr)

  • Canada

    Canada

    (CAD $)

  • Cape Verde

    Cape Verde

    (CVE $)

  • Caribbean Netherlands

    Caribbean Netherlands

    (USD $)

  • Cayman Islands

    Cayman Islands

    (KYD $)

  • Central African Republic

    Central African Republic

    (XAF Fr)

  • Chad

    Chad

    (XAF Fr)

  • Chile

    Chile

    (USD $)

  • China

    China

    (CNY ¥)

  • Christmas Island

    Christmas Island

    (AUD $)

  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    (AUD $)

  • Colombia

    Colombia

    (USD $)

  • Comoros

    Comoros

    (KMF Fr)

  • Congo - Brazzaville

    Congo - Brazzaville

    (XAF Fr)

  • Congo - Kinshasa

    Congo - Kinshasa

    (CDF Fr)

  • Cook Islands

    Cook Islands

    (NZD $)

  • Costa Rica

    Costa Rica

    (CRC ₡)

  • Côte d’Ivoire

    Côte d’Ivoire

    (XOF Fr)

  • Croatia

    Croatia

    (EUR €)

  • Curaçao

    Curaçao

    (ANG ƒ)

  • Cyprus

    Cyprus

    (EUR €)

  • Czechia

    Czechia

    (CZK Kč)

  • Denmark

    Denmark

    (DKK kr.)

  • Djibouti

    Djibouti

    (DJF Fdj)

  • Dominica

    Dominica

    (XCD $)

  • Dominican Republic

    Dominican Republic

    (DOP $)

  • Ecuador

    Ecuador

    (USD $)

  • Egypt

    Egypt

    (EGP ج.م)

  • El Salvador

    El Salvador

    (USD $)

  • Equatorial Guinea

    Equatorial Guinea

    (XAF Fr)

  • Eritrea

    Eritrea

    (USD $)

  • Estonia

    Estonia

    (EUR €)

  • Eswatini

    Eswatini

    (USD $)

  • Ethiopia

    Ethiopia

    (ETB Br)

  • Falkland Islands

    Falkland Islands

    (FKP £)

  • Faroe Islands

    Faroe Islands

    (DKK kr.)

  • Fiji

    Fiji

    (FJD $)

  • Finland

    Finland

    (EUR €)

  • France

    France

    (EUR €)

  • French Guiana

    French Guiana

    (EUR €)

  • French Polynesia

    French Polynesia

    (XPF Fr)

  • French Southern Territories

    French Southern Territories

    (EUR €)

  • Gabon

    Gabon

    (XOF Fr)

  • Gambia

    Gambia

    (GMD D)

  • Georgia

    Georgia

    (USD $)

  • Germany

    Germany

    (EUR €)

  • Ghana

    Ghana

    (USD $)

  • Gibraltar

    Gibraltar

    (GBP £)

  • Greece

    Greece

    (EUR €)

  • Greenland

    Greenland

    (DKK kr.)

  • Grenada

    Grenada

    (XCD $)

  • Guadeloupe

    Guadeloupe

    (EUR €)

  • Guatemala

    Guatemala

    (GTQ Q)

  • Guernsey

    Guernsey

    (GBP £)

  • Guinea

    Guinea

    (GNF Fr)

  • Guinea-Bissau

    Guinea-Bissau

    (XOF Fr)

  • Guyana

    Guyana

    (GYD $)

  • Haiti

    Haiti

    (USD $)

  • Honduras

    Honduras

    (HNL L)

  • Hong Kong SAR

    Hong Kong SAR

    (HKD $)

  • Hungary

    Hungary

    (HUF Ft)

  • Iceland

    Iceland

    (ISK kr)

  • India

    India

    (INR ₹)

  • Indonesia

    Indonesia

    (IDR Rp)

  • Iraq

    Iraq

    (USD $)

  • Ireland

    Ireland

    (EUR €)

  • Isle of Man

    Isle of Man

    (GBP £)

  • Israel

    Israel

    (ILS ₪)

  • Italy

    Italy

    (EUR €)

  • Jamaica

    Jamaica

    (JMD $)

  • Japan

    Japan

    (JPY ¥)

  • Jersey

    Jersey

    (USD $)

  • Jordan

    Jordan

    (USD $)

  • Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan

    (KZT 〒)

  • Kenya

    Kenya

    (KES KSh)

  • Kiribati

    Kiribati

    (USD $)

  • Kosovo

    Kosovo

    (EUR €)

  • Kuwait

    Kuwait

    (USD $)

  • Kyrgyzstan

    Kyrgyzstan

    (KGS som)

  • Laos

    Laos

    (LAK ₭)

  • Latvia

    Latvia

    (EUR €)

  • Lebanon

    Lebanon

    (LBP ل.ل)

  • Lesotho

    Lesotho

    (USD $)

  • Liberia

    Liberia

    (USD $)

  • Libya

    Libya

    (USD $)

  • Liechtenstein

    Liechtenstein

    (CHF CHF)

  • Lithuania

    Lithuania

    (EUR €)

  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourg

    (EUR €)

  • Macao SAR

    Macao SAR

    (MOP P)

  • Madagascar

    Madagascar

    (USD $)

  • Malawi

    Malawi

    (MWK MK)

  • Malaysia

    Malaysia

    (MYR RM)

  • Maldives

    Maldives

    (MVR MVR)

  • Mali

    Mali

    (XOF Fr)

  • Malta

    Malta

    (EUR €)

  • Martinique

    Martinique

    (EUR €)

  • Mauritania

    Mauritania

    (USD $)

  • Mauritius

    Mauritius

    (MUR ₨)

  • Mayotte

    Mayotte

    (EUR €)

  • Mexico

    Mexico

    (USD $)

  • Moldova

    Moldova

    (MDL L)

  • Monaco

    Monaco

    (EUR €)

  • Mongolia

    Mongolia

    (MNT ₮)

  • Montenegro

    Montenegro

    (EUR €)

  • Montserrat

    Montserrat

    (XCD $)

  • Morocco

    Morocco

    (MAD د.م.)

  • Mozambique

    Mozambique

    (USD $)

  • Myanmar (Burma)

    Myanmar (Burma)

    (MMK K)

  • Namibia

    Namibia

    (USD $)

  • Nauru

    Nauru

    (AUD $)

  • Nepal

    Nepal

    (NPR ₨)

  • Netherlands

    Netherlands

    (EUR €)

  • New Caledonia

    New Caledonia

    (XPF Fr)

  • New Zealand

    New Zealand

    (NZD $)

  • Nicaragua

    Nicaragua

    (NIO C$)

  • Niger

    Niger

    (XOF Fr)

  • Nigeria

    Nigeria

    (NGN ₦)

  • Niue

    Niue

    (NZD $)

  • Norfolk Island

    Norfolk Island

    (AUD $)

  • North Macedonia

    North Macedonia

    (MKD ден)

  • Norway

    Norway

    (USD $)

  • Oman

    Oman

    (USD $)

  • Pakistan

    Pakistan

    (PKR ₨)

  • Palestinian Territories

    Palestinian Territories

    (ILS ₪)

  • Panama

    Panama

    (USD $)

  • Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea

    (PGK K)

  • Paraguay

    Paraguay

    (PYG ₲)

  • Peru

    Peru

    (PEN S/.)

  • Philippines

    Philippines

    (PHP ₱)

  • Pitcairn Islands

    Pitcairn Islands

    (NZD $)

  • Poland

    Poland

    (PLN zł)

  • Portugal

    Portugal

    (EUR €)

  • Qatar

    Qatar

    (QAR ر.ق)

  • Réunion

    Réunion

    (EUR €)

  • Romania

    Romania

    (RON Lei)

  • Russia

    Russia

    (USD $)

  • Rwanda

    Rwanda

    (RWF FRw)

  • Samoa

    Samoa

    (WST T)

  • San Marino

    San Marino

    (EUR €)

  • São Tomé & Príncipe

    São Tomé & Príncipe

    (STD Db)

  • Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia

    (SAR ر.س)

  • Senegal

    Senegal

    (XOF Fr)

  • Serbia

    Serbia

    (RSD РСД)

  • Seychelles

    Seychelles

    (USD $)

  • Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone

    (SLL Le)

  • Singapore

    Singapore

    (SGD $)

  • Sint Maarten

    Sint Maarten

    (ANG ƒ)

  • Slovakia

    Slovakia

    (EUR €)

  • Slovenia

    Slovenia

    (EUR €)

  • Solomon Islands

    Solomon Islands

    (SBD $)

  • Somalia

    Somalia

    (USD $)

  • South Africa

    South Africa

    (USD $)

  • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    (GBP £)

  • South Korea

    South Korea

    (KRW ₩)

  • South Sudan

    South Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Spain

    Spain

    (EUR €)

  • Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka

    (LKR ₨)

  • St. Barthélemy

    St. Barthélemy

    (EUR €)

  • St. Helena

    St. Helena

    (SHP £)

  • St. Kitts & Nevis

    St. Kitts & Nevis

    (XCD $)

  • St. Lucia

    St. Lucia

    (XCD $)

  • St. Martin

    St. Martin

    (EUR €)

  • St. Pierre & Miquelon

    St. Pierre & Miquelon

    (EUR €)

  • St. Vincent & Grenadines

    St. Vincent & Grenadines

    (XCD $)

  • Sudan

    Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Suriname

    Suriname

    (USD $)

  • Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    (USD $)

  • Sweden

    Sweden

    (SEK kr)

  • Switzerland

    Switzerland

    (CHF CHF)

  • Taiwan

    Taiwan

    (TWD $)

  • Tajikistan

    Tajikistan

    (TJS ЅМ)

  • Tanzania

    Tanzania

    (TZS Sh)

  • Thailand

    Thailand

    (THB ฿)

  • Timor-Leste

    Timor-Leste

    (USD $)

  • Togo

    Togo

    (XOF Fr)

  • Tokelau

    Tokelau

    (NZD $)

  • Tonga

    Tonga

    (TOP T$)

  • Trinidad & Tobago

    Trinidad & Tobago

    (TTD $)

  • Tristan da Cunha

    Tristan da Cunha

    (GBP £)

  • Tunisia

    Tunisia

    (USD $)

  • Türkiye

    Türkiye

    (USD $)

  • Turkmenistan

    Turkmenistan

    (USD $)

  • Turks & Caicos Islands

    Turks & Caicos Islands

    (USD $)

  • Tuvalu

    Tuvalu

    (AUD $)

  • U.S. Outlying Islands

    U.S. Outlying Islands

    (USD $)

  • Uganda

    Uganda

    (UGX USh)

  • Ukraine

    Ukraine

    (UAH ₴)

  • United Arab Emirates

    United Arab Emirates

    (AED د.إ)

  • United Kingdom

    United Kingdom

    (GBP £)

  • United States

    United States

    (USD $)

  • Uruguay

    Uruguay

    (UYU $)

  • Uzbekistan

    Uzbekistan

    (UZS )

  • Vanuatu

    Vanuatu

    (VUV Vt)

  • Vatican City

    Vatican City

    (EUR €)

  • Venezuela

    Venezuela

    (USD $)

  • Vietnam

    Vietnam

    (VND ₫)

  • Wallis & Futuna

    Wallis & Futuna

    (XPF Fr)

  • Western Sahara

    Western Sahara

    (MAD د.م.)

  • Yemen

    Yemen

    (YER ﷼)

  • Zambia

    Zambia

    (USD $)

  • Zimbabwe

    Zimbabwe

    (USD $)

Quick Guide to Matcha

matcha green tea powder on a gray surface with bamboo whisk

By now, matcha has been a full-fledged movement for a number of years. With its vibrant green hue and reputation as a healthy superfood, lifestyle drink, and even as an energy drink, it’s no wonder that this tea powder has captivated Instagram feeds, culinary blogs, and restaurant menus. But it may have you wondering what the fuss is all about.

What is Matcha?

Simply put, matcha is an ultra-premium style of green tea. Good-quality matcha is shade-grown. Three weeks before tea leaves are harvested, the tea plants are covered with a fabric that blocks sunlight. This slows photosynthesis, increases L-theanine, and enhances the flavor of the matcha. When ready for harvest, young leaves are picked and processed, stems and veins are removed, and the leaves are ground by stone mill into a fine powder.

Powdered green tea dates back to the Tang dynasty in China. A buddhist monk, Myoan Eisai, discovered that tea helped him meditate and decided to bring some seeds to Uji (on the outskirts of Kyoto) upon his return to Japan in 1191. Shortly thereafter, Buddhist monks developed cultivating and processing methods that are still used today, like in our ceremonial-grade Uji Matcha

matcha powder in bowl next to bamboo whisk and scoop and large bowl with half consumed prepared matcha on tatami mat

How to Make Matcha

Matcha tea ceremonies have a long and complex history in Japan dating back to the 1500s, with many variations and names: chanoyu, sado, and ocha. The most formal ceremony can last up to four hours!

But matcha can be prepared simply with just a few tools: A bowl, bamboo whisk, whisk holder, bamboo scoop or chasaku, and a water kettle are the most common. Get all the essentials with our Mini Matcha Kit! 

  1. Before preparing, bring matcha to room temperature and warm your bowl and whisk with warm water.
  2. Start with ¼ to ¾ teaspoon for 3 oz of matcha powder and 165º F water. Increase amount according to taste
  3. Sift the matcha powder with a fine-mesh sifter to break up clumps so it easily dissolves in water. 
  4. Rapidly whisk the matcha and the water until an even froth forms.

 Tip: If you are having trouble getting a good froth, try creating a paste by adding a little water to the matcha powder before adding the remaining water and whisking. FYI: The more powder you use, the thicker your froth will become. 

 For a visual aid, watch this video of employee and matcha devotee David.

There is great benefit in taking a few minutes to mindfully prepare tea—a ritual similar to meditation. But sometimes life can get hectic, or you simply don’t want a hot beverage when it's over 100 degrees outside. Another easy method is to drop a couple of scoops of powder in a water bottle, add some water (hot or cold), and shake vigorously. Add a squeeze of lemon or a splash of juice for extra sweetness. We encourage you to experiment when making matcha and to find a unique ritual that works best for you!

 Matcha can degrade in flavor faster than full-leaf teas, so you want to take some steps to preserve the goodness. Keep it in an airtight container like this. To extend the shelf life, store the container in the freezer, where the powder can last up to 12 months. 

Benefits of Matcha

Matcha has been credited with providing a sense of serenity and focus ever since Eisai brought it to Japan. This is due to the combination of caffeine and an amino acid, L-theanine, which boosts alpha brain wave activity that stimulates tranquility, mental clarity, and alertness. The resulting increase in energy can last from three to six hours without a crash. 

Because you are consuming the leaves, you gain insoluble nutrients lost when steeping, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, chlorophyll, and fiber. One bowl of matcha is equivalent to 10 cups of green tea in nutritional value and antioxidant content.

Other benefits include:

  • Concentrated amounts of antioxidants, which may help prevent chronic disease
  • High amounts (more than 120 times found in other green tea) of EGCG, a catechin that helps protect against bacterial and viral disease, including influenza 
  • Contains compounds that may inhibit cancer cells
  • May reduce cholesterol and promote heart health
  • May increase metabolism and aid weight loss

A word of caution: If you are drinking matcha for the health benefits, you may want to avoid lattes or opt for plant-based milk. Casein, an animal protein found in milk, can nullify the absorption of healthy components in matcha. 

sky blue matcha bowl and whisk stand with whisk on wood ledge overlooking green fields and mountains in the distance

More Than Just a Drink

Matcha has rich umami and vegetal notes that may seem bitter or unpleasant to some palates. If that’s the case for you, don’t worry: You can still enjoy this magical powder as an ingredient with our affordable culinary-grade Kyoto matcha. It's delicious in salad dressings, smoothies, yogurt, mocktails, chocolate, and more, and adds a visual “wow” factor!  Browse all our matcha recipes

Comments

Be the first to comment.
All comments are moderated before being published.