Magnificent Matcha

A cup with a steaming hot emerald liquid is sitting on the old wooden table. You lift the delicate china carefully with both your hands. You smell the soft and also intense flavor with eyes closed anticipating the slightly bitter-sweet delight that is going to please your palate within the next seconds. Drinking the hot and vibrant green liquid sip by sip is miraculously energizing your whole body and mind lasting several hours. These experiences and many more have attracted many tea lovers to join the colossally growing matcha movement. Considering ourselves true followers of matcha has sparked our interest. Where does it come from and what makes it so magnificent?

Giving birth to matcha

The tradition of matcha goes back many centuries. The Japanese have long ago started producing this finely ground powder with specially grown and processed green tea leaves. With different grades, techniques, and a range of health benefits, this trending tea powder stands truly out from the crowd.

It has traveled a long way from its stem until it lands in your favorite latte. The process begins by carefully shading the tea plants for at least fifteen days. Experienced harvesters then individually hand-select and pull the leaves from the stems and veins. Lastly, crafted workers steam, dry, and age them before they move the leaves to the grinding stage. Each step takes time and patience to maintain the nutrients in the leaves, flavor, and texture, resulting in a high grade of matcha.

Different grades of matcha? Let’s take a closer look. We distinguish three primary grades: ceremonial, standard, and culinary. Culinary matcha ranks the lowest and it often serves for dusting over truffles or goes into desserts. Standard ranks the second-highest with its coarser and softer quality. Finally, ceremonial describes the highest grade. The finest ground of the three shows the brightest hue, and traditional Japanese tea ceremonies rely on its superior qualities.

The Japanese have practiced and perfected the art of brewing matcha for hundreds of years. They use a handcrafted special whisk from a single piece of bamboo. They call it chasen and they use it to prepare the matcha drink. This tool eliminates clumps and delicately blends the powder into the drink. Producing high-quality matcha requires dedication, precision, and patience. Today, we treasure Matcha for its many valuable properties connected to the zen process, which has created it.

The Power of the Powder

Matcha contains ten times more antioxidants than any other tea, because it uses the ground-up green tea leaves rather than an infusion. This allows your body to ingest more nutrients than from any other tea. The potent powder also enjoys a reputation of reducing blood pressure, increasing serotonin levels, and reducing inflammation, and helping reduce the risk of cancer. Studies have also shown that the properties of matcha can improve mental focus, relaxation, cognitive function, and immune system process. Matcha also contains an abundance of phytochemical EGCG, a compound that increases fat metabolism, allowing you to burn calories quicker. 

This magical green tea powder also provides sustainable energy. The calming properties of the green tea leaf combined with its natural caffeination create a delicate and also powerful source of energy. Contrary to the short-lived instant jolt you get from coffee, matcha provides a long-lasting boost—eliminating the coffee jitters and short buzz. This results in a gentle introduction to your daily spark. In addition, this all-natural plant power provides more than delicious flavor.

Matcha craze

With its rising popularity as a beverage, you can now find matcha in almost any food, including baked desserts, ice creams, and also savory soups. Its tender balance of bitter and sweet makes it a perfect companion for sweet and savory flavors. In addition, the craze for this flavor has led to its entrance into chain restaurants, such as Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Authentic matcha offers many benefits to every state it comes in. And in our world today, we can acquire it much easier.

More Than a Flavor

If you look up the description for matcha you can read about an earthier robust green tea. The strong umami flavor of matcha delivers a taste and smell that people favor all over the world. This has paved the way for matcha to enter the culinary world. And, today, we see this unique product take on new forms in the cosmetic world. Matcha beauty and self-care products are emerging around the globe due to their many capabilities. Products to note when searching for matcha beauty products include Denmark brand Urtekram’s Green Matcha Shampoo, U.S. brand Milk Make Up’s Matcha Toner, Japanese brand Wafood Made’s Matcha Green Tea Pore Care Mask, and EU brand Nordic Amenities with their entire Matcha Tea Collection for skin and hair. This green tea powder surpasses all limits as its calming and zen properties translate inside and out. 

Matcha pushes the boundaries of tea. It originated as a way of providing more nutrients from plants and achieving zen. This power supplied by the green tea plant has attracted quite some attention. Many have found ways to incorporate matcha into their routines. From beverages, foods, skincare, and beauty, the matcha movement continues to grow. So how will you go mad for matcha?

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All the Tea in China

You might be familiar with green tea and black tea. You might have even heard of Longjing or Pu’er. But did you know that the commonly known black tea is called red tea in China, and black tea has its own category? If you’re feeling a little confused, you are definitely in the right place. “All the tea in China”… is not all the same. We will take you on a fragrant journey to discover the diversity of aromas of this enduring beverage.

It is said that Chinese tea was first discovered in 2737 BCE by Emperor Shen Nong when a leaf fell into his pot of hot water by accident, and he was delighted by the pleasant taste. Tea plays a vital role in Chinese tradition and integrates into all aspects of daily life. It is a way to slow down, meditate and connect. Most Chinese teas fall into six categories based on degrees of oxidation and fermentation.

Green Tea

Green tea is non-fermented and only lightly oxidized. Lu’an Gua Pian is one of the ten most famous teas in China. Unlike most green teas, it uses the second and third leaf on the branch instead of the new buds. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Lu’an Gua Pian was a type of Gong Cha (Tribute Tea) to the imperial family. In July 1971, Lu’an Gua Pian was given as a gift to the US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to promote Sino-US relations. The tea has a pleasant floral sweetness to it. It’s very refreshing and smooth, a sweeter and warmer tasting tea with notes of baked biscuits, sweet strawberries, and dark baked potato skins. 

Green tea is commonly used as an ingredient in beauty care products, such as Innisfree’s Green Tea Seed Serum and the Rejoice Green Tea Shampoo.

White Tea

Known for its subtle anti-inflammatory benefits, white tea is another type of non-fermented tea. One of the most well-known–and most prized–of its varieties is Baihao Yinzhen, also known as Silver Needle. Bai Hao Yin Zhen’s fragrance is refreshingly sweet, while the taste is clean, smooth, and delicate. The tea has a slight soy milk taste and leaves a fragrant mouthfeel and long-lasting lingering sweet aftertaste. 

Rich in antioxidants, white tea is popular in face and body care products, like Olay’s Infusions Lime & White Tea Body Wash and the White Tea Brightening & Moisturizing Toner by Mask Family.

Yellow Tea

When Princess Wencheng married Songzan Gambo during the Tang Dynasty, she included Junshan tea in her trousseau. Since then, Junshan Yinzhen was offered as a tribute to the emperors. A quintessential yellow tea, Junshan Yinzhen is praised for its delicate aroma with a hint of floral notes. The taste is smooth, light, and sweet at first sip but finishes with a fleeting smoky flavor. The smokiness is only apparent in the first infusion and is not overpowering. 

Oolong Tea

A category on its own, Oolong tea is also known as Qing Cha (Dark Green Tea) in China. It is semi-oxidized and has similar health benefits to green and black tea. Tie Guanyin, a type of Oolong, is named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. The taste has a slightly floral flavor with a sweet, long-lasting finish and velvety texture with hints of stone fruits, caramel, or chestnut, and a floral often described as reminiscent of orchids.

Today, Oolong is used to make products like Tenfu Pineapple Cake (Jin Xuan Oolong Flavor), Oolong Infini Perfume by Atelier Cologne, and Rose Oolong Sugar-free Gum by Double Mint.

Black Tea

Black tea is widely used in English Breakfast blends. In ancient times, thanks to the development of water transportation, Black tea was quickly popularized in China and beyond. The Keemun Label, an unblended premium of its type, was adopted worldwide. It is well accepted for its rich flavor, fiery amber-colored liquor, and toasty, sumptuous aroma. The taste has a smoky, slightly malty, and smooth, aromatic finish, with fresh cocoa and baked bread aroma. 

The black tea firming overnight mask from Fresh and Sunsshen’s Pure Black Tea Nourishing Lotion are among the popular products made with Black Tea. 

Dark Tea

Finally, dark tea, or Pu’er, is a variety of fermented tea produced in China’s Yunnan province. Its uniqueness comes from its natural fermentation process, which oxidizes its leaves and amplifies its antioxidant benefits. Pu’er is considered an acquired taste by some. Its profile develops over time–the longer it’s stored, the more flavorful it tastes. This distinctive characteristic has given this type of tea a certain collectible value. Pu’er can be sweet, bitter, floral, mellow, woody, astringent, sour, earthy, watery, or even tasteless. A combination of tastes appears in one single steeping.

Try Cosmetea’s Pu’er Tea Vital Moisture Essence and Tea & Source’s Pu’er anti-aging lotion.

What’s your favorite tea? How do you drink it? Please share your thoughts with us and leave a comment below!

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