Matcha originated in China and can be traced back to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. The method is to collect tender tea leaves in spring, steam them, and make them into cakes (i.e., round tea) for preservation. Matcha has a bright color and is rich in antioxidants, and is increasingly favored by consumers around the world. This bright green tea drink has a history of more than 1,800 years. Because of its rich taste and refreshing effect, it is known as the "espresso of the tea world."
The development of Matcha can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty in China, when people generally used boiling water to brew ground tea powder, stirred it and drank it, which was called tea. Later, Japanese Buddhist monks who came to China to seek Dharma brought the tea brewing method and the tea ceremony and tea art that were popular in China at that time back to Japan, and developed and inherited it in Japan, forming the Japanese tea ceremony, and eventually became an integral part of Japanese tea culture. In medieval Japan, it was a custom for samurai to drink matcha before going to battle.
The tea trees used to make top-grade matcha are produced in Uji, Japan. A few weeks before picking, tea trees are artificially shaded to increase the chlorophyll content in the fresh tea leaves, thus forming the unique bright green color of matcha. After picking, the fresh tea leaves are steamed, dried, and the stems and veins are removed. The tea leaves are put into a matcha grinder and ground into fine powder through a granite grinding wheel to become matcha. 30 grams of matcha powder can be ground in 1 hour.
Matcha has a high caffeine content. When drinking matcha, all the ingredients in the tea leaves can be absorbed by the human body, so its nutritional value is higher than that of ordinary green tea. Matcha contains a large amount of antioxidants, such as catechins with anti-cancer effects and L-theanine, which can calm the nerves and improve attention and concentration.
Matcha is mainly divided into two grades: thin tea (Usucha) and strong tea (Koicha). In addition, there is a lower grade of matcha, which is mainly used for dessert making. Thin tea is the most common and suitable for daily drinking; strong tea is mainly used for formal tea ceremony performances. Matcha used to make desserts is of the lowest quality and the cheapest price, so it is an ideal ingredient for making matcha-based foods such as macarons, cakes and ice cream.
In recent decades, people have greatly deepened their understanding of tea and have a deep understanding of the functional material nature of tea. In modern times, when the toxic side effects of antibiotics and growth hormones are increasingly questioned, tea polyphenols are increasingly penetrating into people's diet with their unique biological functions and "green" nature.
Although ordinary tea contains extremely high nutrients, only 35% of the tea leaves are truly soluble in water, and a large amount of insoluble active ingredients are thrown away as tea dregs. Experiments have shown that eating tea can absorb more nutrients than drinking tea, and the nutrients in a bowl of matcha exceed 30 cups of ordinary green tea. Changing from drinking tea to eating tea is not only a reform of dietary habits, but also a need to adapt to the fast-paced modern life.
Because the entire tea leaf can be absorbed by the human body, the health benefits of matcha are far higher than other types of tea drinks. Matcha helps detoxification, improves immunity, and can also increase physical vitality and promote metabolism.
Tea polyphenols: Matcha is rich in tea polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radical damage, thereby slowing the aging process and preventing a variety of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Catechins: Matcha, in particular, contains high concentrations of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of catechin that has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. EGCG can also promote fat metabolism, which helps with weight management and cardiovascular health.
Caffeine: Matcha contains a moderate amount of caffeine, which can refresh the mind and enhance concentration and alertness. Compared with coffee, matcha has a lower caffeine content, but combined with its L-theanine component, it can produce a smoother and longer-lasting energy release and reduce anxiety and restlessness.
L-theanine: L-theanine, which is unique to matcha, is a non-protein amino acid that has the effect of relaxing the body and mind, improving concentration and cognitive ability. It also works synergistically with caffeine to enhance the refreshing effect while reducing the possible side effects of caffeine.
Chlorophyll: Matcha is rich in chlorophyll, a powerful antioxidant that helps remove toxins and waste from the body and promotes liver detoxification. Chlorophyll can also enhance the immune system and prevent diseases.
Vitamins and minerals: Matcha is rich in vitamins C, E, K and a variety of minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc. These nutrients play an important role in maintaining physical health, promoting bone growth, and improving immunity.
Dietary fiber: The dietary fiber in matcha helps promote intestinal peristalsis, improve digestive function, and prevent intestinal problems such as constipation.
As for the question of whether matcha can lose weight, the answer is yes. Matcha has a certain auxiliary effect in weight loss, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Control oil absorption: Certain ingredients in matcha can reduce the absorption of oil by the intestines, thereby reducing fat intake.
Promote intestinal peristalsis: Dietary fiber and other ingredients in matcha can promote intestinal peristalsis, accelerate the discharge of toxins and garbage in the body, and help reduce the accumulation of stool.
Promote fat burning: Tea polyphenols and other ingredients in matcha can increase the metabolic rate and promote fat burning and decomposition.
However, it should be noted that although matcha has an auxiliary effect on weight loss, it is not possible to achieve significant weight loss effects by drinking matcha alone. Weight loss also requires a combination of reasonable diet control and appropriate exercise. At the same time, excessive drinking of matcha may lead to excessive caffeine intake, affecting sleep and physical health. Therefore, when drinking matcha, it is necessary to control the amount and time of drinking.
A cup of refreshing matcha needs to be quickly whipped with a tea whisk until a fine and rich foam is produced.
Required ingredients:
0.5~1 teaspoon of sifted thin tea powder, 120~175 ml of hot water at 75 degrees Celsius
Method:
After moistening the bowl with hot water, pour in the matcha powder, add a small amount of hot water, and stir into a paste.
Add enough hot water and quickly whip along the "W" or "N" shape until a fine and rich foam is produced on the surface of the tea soup.
