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Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Matcha Green Tea - Part 2

Author: Aiya America
Original Source: Matcha Tea

How to Use
Because Matcha is a pure, natural finely ground powder, its uses as an ingredient are virtually unlimited. Popular uses include green tea ice cream, gelato, smoothies, lattes and chocolates.

In beverages:
Two grams of Matcha per 500ml drink is sufficient for a brilliant green color and flavor. This amount also provides enough theophylline and L-theanines for the three to six hour “uplift” often associated with Matcha, minus the “drop” often associated with caffeine alone.

In ice cream and gelato:
For Matcha green tea ice cream and gelato, a 1.3% to 2% Matcha concentration blended into the white liquid base is sufficient to produce a rich, green tea flavor and color.

In energy bars:
Matcha can either be blended into the grains or into a yogurt/white chocolate glaze enveloping the bar. A 1% to 2% concentration is sufficient to produce the desired green tea color and flavor.

Matcha Quality Spectrum
The three elements that distinguish Matcha from regular green tea in powder form are:

1. Flavor:
Matcha is sweet and smooth with just a hint of astringency. The sweetness comes from the naturally occurring L-theanine amino acids and plant fibers. Green tea powder, on the other hand, tends to lack active amino acids, resulting in a comparatively flat and abrasive taste.

2. Color:
Matcha is resiliently emerald green while green tea powder is often yellow-brown. This is because quality Matcha is ground into a fine powder using slow-turning granite grinding wheels. Friction is minimized and tea leaves are not “burned” in the process, allowing the leaves to retain chlorophyll. In contrast, regular green tea powder is often pulverized using air pressure. The friction caused by this process “over-cooks” the leaves, rendering them yellow-brown.

3. Nutritional Profile:
With its high concentration of L-theanine amino acids, Matcha provides most consumers with a delicate energy “boost” lasting from 3 to 6 hours. However, with green tea powder, the amino acids are comparatively fewer and do not have the same functional properties.

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