Recently I was watching Rene Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) with her co-workers scoffing at the green drink she would religiously drink every morning, while those co-workers went back to their coffee.  Now I imagine those co-workers are the people in line for the newest green drinks like Matcha.  Since 2013 Google searches for matcha powder in the United States have skyrocketed and continue to climb ever higher.  Matcha is one of the hottest food and beverage trends for 2016.

Image courtesy of Pixbay

What is Matcha?

Matcha is primarily a powder made of ground green tea.  Coming to the United States from Japan, it is one of the primary ingredients in a Japanese tea ceremony or chado meaning “the way of tea.”  The highest quality of matcha is also called ceremonial matcha to honor the ceremony.  The tea powder is made in a very particular fashion including a fine sieve, exact boiling water temperature, and a specific way to whisk with a specially designed bamboo whisk.  All of this is to create a perfectly mixed and frothy green drink.

Matcha is made from green tea which is full of antioxidants because it uses the entire green tea leaf rather than just stepped leaves. It is made through a meticulous process including growing the plants in shade, hand picking primarily the top leaves, steaming them, air-drying the leaves, and finally grinding them into a fine powder.  The leaves are also de-veined and the stems are removed before the powder is made.  You can see how this process will create a very high quality product.

What is so great about Matcha?

Having the entire leaf also allows for more of the antioxidants and amino acids like L-Theanine to be present in the drink.   All of these claim to help protect against heart disease and cancer while also detoxing and boosting your metabolism because you consume the entire leaf.  Some studies even say it will help prevent aging.  The L-Theanine that produces a feeling of “alert calm” which is a great way to get the same caffeine buzz of a cup of coffee without the accompanying jitters.

As with regular green tea it also contains catechins which are said help boost belly fat-burning.  It is a great additive for anyone who is looking for help to lose a little weight.  However, it helps to remember that a green tea latte with extra pumps of vanilla will probably counter act any weight loss effect.

Hot Matcha Mint Chip, Image courtesy of Dr. Smoothie

More than just tea

Some say that the new interest in matcha could show a lifestyle change for our society, a transition including the mindset and time it can take to make the tea.  The time and process it takes to make traditional matcha can be much like a meditative practice as it is meant to be in traditional ceremonies.  A traditional Japanese ceremony is meant to combine the inner and outer worlds through various actions that must be done precisely.  The principles of chado are harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.  Sounds a lot like meditation doesn’t it?

While the original way of making matcha is still popular, and quite the experience, customers have found new ways to order it at their local coffee shops and restaurants. David Rio offers Power Chai® Matcha and Tea Frost Japanese Matcha. This makes a prefect drink for customers who want a new flavor but don’t have time, or inclination, to learn the ceremony.  Customers who just want to brighten their daily smoothie can add a scoop of supplement like Matcha Green Tea Premix by Add a Scoop Supplements.  Other chefs have put matcha in muffins, ice cream and cocktails.  They find the subtle flavor of matcha can add umami to a dish to round it out with a hint of green.

You’ve met your matcha

Tevana director of tea development Naoko Tsunada said, “We experienced double digit sales growth last year of our Organic Imperial Grade Matcha.” So, it is time to see if adding a little matcha to your menu could help sales.

Call your sales person today to get more information or place an order.