Matcha green tea powder is made in a special way which distinguishes it from other common tea types. Whereas these tea leaves are still the ones used in the making of gyokuro tea, the difference with matcha tea is that the leaves are first dried before being dried. So, after the leaves have been laid out well and then dried, the final crumbling is simply referred to as the trencha. It is only the ground tea which meets top level criteria used in preparation of the magic matcha tea. In the creation of matcha, the leaves undergo through certain processes which include the leaves being de-veined, de-stemmed and then ground on the stone resulting in a finely ground green tea powder.

Growing matcha magic

Essentially, matcha tea is not only differentiated from the rest types of tea out there by grinding only. The growing of these leaves is also different. The leaves used in making match green tea are reared in bushes covered for a number of weeks before they are harvested. This kind of planting protects the green leaves from the effects of direct sunlight. As such, their growth is slowed down and unlike the normal colour; they appear to have a dark green colour. Another very important thing why the leaves are covered is to stimulate generation of amino acids. This even makes the tea much sweeter. The bushes where the leaves are picked from are known as Camellia Sinensis. Some of the areas that are in production of the tea include Nishio in Aichi, Uji in Kyoto and Shizuoka as well as northern Kyushu.

Which leaves are the best?

Another important note to note is the position in which the leaves are actually located. The making of matcha tea is done by handpicking leaves of the bush from the top of the plant. Leaves that are just developing are highly preferred as they are not just flexible but are also flexible as well. These are the leaves that produce high grade matcha tea that is the sweetest and top quality. The problem with using older green tea leaves is not that the resultant powder usually has a sand powder which is rich in nutrients nor is it good for consumption. Since the plant channels more of its nutrients to the developing leaves, it is needless to say that their flavor is the best and has more health benefits.

The drying process

Drying of the leaves is an important process which is also the same case with stone grinding. Actually, this technique of preparing the tea is more of art and producers are encouraged to use the right type of equipment for best results. Failure to adhere to this produces tea considered ‘burnt’ and of inferior quality. The importance of the grinding process is even explained by the fact that grinding 30 grams of tea leaves will take even more than an hour. Whereas drinking match tea is encourage for obtaining maximum benefits, these nutrients can still be found from selected health food products including cereals and energy bars.