Tag: matcha
Overview of Matcha
Matcha is a finely ground powder with wide-ranging health benefits, made from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. Matcha’s production process and nutritional profile make it unique in the world of tea. Lake Missoula Tea Company proudly sources organic matcha from a tea master who received the Top Tea Connoisseur award in Japan. This family-operated company bypasses the Japanese government tea auctions and purchases tea directly from the farmers. Thus tea farmers earn a higher wage, the manufacturer knows their tea source, and you get consistent, delicious, healthy tea.
Read on: delve into the specifics of matcha production, along with the scientific basis behind its health benefits.
Production Process of Matcha
Although matcha production originated in China, the Japanese perfected the meticulous process. From 20-30 days before harvest, farmers shade the tea bushes to limit sunlight exposure. This increases chlorophyll levels, resulting in a vibrant green color, and also boosts L-Theanine, the amino acid responsible for matcha’s unique umami flavor. After harvest, the leaves are steamed to halt oxidation, then dried and ground into a fine powder. This careful process ensures that matcha retains its full spectrum of nutrients, which we make the most of—since, unlike infused teas, consuming the powder means ingesting the whole leaf.
Health Benefits of Matcha
Matcha boasts extensive health benefits, supported by its rich nutritional profile:
High Antioxidant Content:
Matcha is packed with catechins, a type of phenolic compound known for its antioxidant properties. Researched for its potential to combat cancer and support heart health, EGCg (epigallocatechin gallate) is the most abundant catechin in matcha.
Enhanced Brain Function:
The presence of caffeine and L-Theanine in matcha promote improved brain function. This combination shows enhanced attention, memory, and reaction times, while also inducing a state of calm alertness.
Metabolic Benefits:
Matcha may boost metabolism and increase fat burning, a beneficial factor for weight management. The tea’s components are associated with increased thermogenesis and fat oxidation rates.
Cardiovascular Health:
Regular intake of matcha can contribute to cardiovascular health by reducing levels of LDL cholesterol and potentially lowering blood pressure. These effects are attributed to its antioxidant content, particularly EGCg.
Liver Protection:
Research indicates matcha can support liver health by reducing enzyme levels that signal liver damage. Its detoxifying properties are beneficial for maintaining liver function.
Versatility in Use:
Beyond its health benefits, matcha’s unique flavor and color make it a versatile ingredient for beverages and culinary recipes, expanding its appeal.
Conclusion
Matcha stands out not only for its distinctive production process, but also for its comprehensive health benefits. Its cultivation method, involving specific shading and processing techniques, directly influences its nutritional value and efficacy in supporting health. Matcha provides a rich source of antioxidants, which promotes brain function, aids in weight management, supports cardiovascular health, and protects the liver.
Matcha offers a multifaceted approach to wellness. For anyone looking to integrate a nutritious and delicious beverage into their lifestyle, Lake Missoula Tea Company’s matcha remains the most compelling option. Taste our world-class organic matcha in two grades (Mammoth and Ceremonial), two flavored blends (Honey and Wild Strawberry), as well as our Instant Matcha Latte.
-Written by Adam Lunday
In a still, mellow lit room, the iron kettle sings. However faded the aged tea-room, everything is clean and orderly. You hear nothing but the roll of boiling water and your own breath. There are no distractions from this experience. You begin to relax and appreciate this moment. To a Westerner, the tea room, or tea house, may appear a dilapidated house for an antiquated tradition. To properly appreciate its important lessons, a little background is needed.
The Japanese term for the tea room is “Sukiya” and the original ideographs (数奇屋) have different meanings. “place of pleasure,” “place of emptiness,” “place of tastefulness,” are a few. Sen-no-Rikyu created the first tea room. He perfected the tea ceremony (the Chanoyu) in the 16th century. The tea house is about ten feet square and consists of the tea-room proper. It accommodates no more than five people. There is an anteroom where utensils are washed and arranged, a portico in which guests wait to be summoned, and a garden path. The tea room is constructed with simple materials, but its details are worked out with great care. Like the Zen monastery, its modest design aims to inspire feelings of serenity and purity, and to uplift visitors above ordinary thoughts.
Inside the tea room, symmetry and repetition are avoided. This is an expression of the Zen view that true beauty is found in the incomplete. No color or design is found twice. If you have a living flower in the room, no painted flower is permitted. If you are using a round tea kettle, the water pitcher should be angular. The placement of vases or incense burners should not be symmetrical.
To initiate the tea ceremony, guests silently approach the tea room. One by one noiselessly bends low into the room through a door not more than three feet tall – an action intended to inculcate humility. Each will take their seat after paying their respect to a picture or flower arrangement (the Tokonoma). The host will not enter the room until all guests are seated. Only the boiling water in the kettle can be heard. The light is subdued. Nothing in the room is new, except for the bamboo dipper and the linen napkin. Both are immaculately white. Matcha, the powdered form of green tea, is eventually prepared and shared with guests. It is believed that in this empty, simple, temporary surrounding, guests can concentrate on their present experience, undisturbed.
Do we not need the tea room more than ever in a culture where respite seems harder than ever to find?
Soothe your soul and enjoy a traditional serving of Mammoth Matcha or Strawberry Matcha any day at Lake Missoula Tea Company.
Written by Christina Bovinette
You’ve heard matcha is good for you, and you want to drink more of it. Well, you’re definitely on the right track. But if you don’t take care of your matcha, it won’t be as good for you. Matcha on the left shows why it’s important to keep matcha in the fridge, in a sealed container. Matcha left out, exposed to light and air, will soon degrade.
When your matcha turns a dull, gray green, you know your matcha hasn’t been stored properly. The quality is like night and day. And when you drink stale matcha, it won’t have that creamy flavor you crave—or the same level of healthful attributes.
Keep your matcha sealed up tight and refrigerated. Preferably, use an opaque container (not glass) and with the air pushed out. The next time you make your matcha, or add it to baking, a smoothie, or even a cocktail, you want the taste to pop. You want your matcha bright green, both for good flavor and health benefits!
Because you consume the powder, rather than steeping and straining the leaves, you get a ton more antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols can protect against cancer, blood sugar, blood pressure, and boost metabolism. Matcha also has chlorophyll (the bright green color), which helps detoxify and gives you energy. Think of matcha as the tea with a power punch: loaded with goodness and energizes you simultaneously! Take care of your Matcha and Matcha will take care of you! Cheers to Mammoth Matcha!
