Matcha Green Tea "Latte"

Return To Nature
Apr 13, 2020
3 min read

Updated: Jul 27, 2020

A daily morning must if you're looking for a delicious, antioxidant-packed, jitter-free source of natural caffeine from a whole-food, plant-based source. Unlike the jitters & acid-stomach one might experience from coffee, matcha green tea provides the perfect balance of gentle energy & alertness combined with calming relaxation. The amino acids in matcha provide a calming effect & unique "umami" flavor/aroma that pairs well in both sweet & savory applications.

Matcha is whole-food, nature-rooted nutrition at its best! All components of the tea leaf are maintained & consumed, including a highly concentrated dose of immune-boosting antioxidants. Unlike most teas that are composed simply of water steeped in dried tea leaves, matcha green tea is composed of the entire tea leaf that is consumed in the form of a finely ground powder. The entire leaf is consumed which means all of the nutrition of the tea leaf is made available to the body for utilization.

Green tea supports the immune system by providing flavanoid antioxidants that protect against free-radicals & oxidative cellular damage. Although both green tea and black teas are rich in flavanoid antioxidants, matcha is especially abundant in catechins - a specific type of flavanoid. Catechin concentration in matcha is about 3x to over 300x more concentrated than other green teas! The cell-protecting antioxidant power (measured by ORAC value) of matcha rivals and often even exceeds the ORAC value of antioxidant-rich berries such as blueberries and goji berries. The ORAC & catechin comparisons mentioned above are not intended to discredit the antioxidant capacity of berries or the catechin content of other teas. Quite the opposite! Given that blueberries, goji berries, green/black teas are some of the most potent, known sources of antioxidants simply emphasizes that matcha green tea ALSO makes the list of superfoods that are packed with antioxidants. And because matcha is a whole-food source, it also contains other nutrients and co-factors that likely enhance its nutritional profile. So load-up on berries and matcha for a synergistic blend of immune-boosting superfoods!

When farmed, dried and ground properly, matcha powder has a vibrant green color, extremely small particle size (undetectable in the mouth when dispersed in water) & flavor/aroma attributes such as sweet, creamy & a mild grassy note.

Quality is of great importance when it comes to matcha flavor/aroma, color, smooth mouth-feel, health benefits & safety. Matcha is available in several quality grades & you should be cautious of matcha "impostors" who do not use ethical farming, drying and/or grinding practices. It's important to source matcha from a supplier who farms in safe regions in Japan (away from radiation & pollution), uses proper drying and grinding methods and who has strict specifications for contaminants, heavy metals (lead., arsenic etc.), pesticide residues etc. I recommend Aiya brand matcha, specifically their organic, culinary-grade. I've been using their organic culinary-grade matcha for several years and trust their quality and safety. I have had thorough discussions with Aiya, reviewed their Certificates of Analysis, Specifications, testing protocols and farming practices and highly recommend their quality matcha.

Although the traditional way to consume matcha is in water, my favorite way to drink it is in this creamy "latte" format. Matcha powder disperses best in ambient water with a bamboo whisk , so it's best to first use a small amount of ambient water to whisk the powdered matcha & sweetener together. Then add hot, unsweetened "milk" (steamed or heated) and stir gently to combine. You know you whisked and combined correctly when you have a frothy layer of green bubbles on the surface & no lumps in the beverage. I typically use about 2.5 tsp Aiya Matcha + 1/2 tsp Wholesome erythritol/stevia sweetener + 2 TB ambient water + 2 cups hot, unsweetened plant-based "milk". An extra special treat when made with homemade nut "milk". See my "Almond Milk" recipe on my blog.