Powdered Green Tea vs. Matcha – What’s the Difference?

Not all green teas are alike.  While all matcha is indeed powdered green tea, the reverse is not necessarily true. 

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis.  Generally speaking, green tea undergoes the least amount of oxidation and/or fermentation, and is either steamed (typical of Japanese green tea) or pan-fired (typical of Chinese green tea), or sometimes roasted.  There are varying types and grades of teas depending on the time of harvest, the quality and parts of the plant used, and whether the tea is shade grown or exposed to sunlight.

Powdered tea, or powdered green tea, could be any kind of green tea.  It could come from any part of the tea plant; the leaves and twigs can be ground or cut to a dust for use in tea bags.  It undergoes a different grinding process that incorporates air and  causes friction as it grinds, producing a tea that is darker and more ‘cooked’.  These teas tend to be among the least expensive of green teas.  While it is possible to make desserts and beverages from this kind of tea, the end product will be completely different than those made from matcha.

Matcha, which is steamed, ground Japanese green tea, has been in the spotlight because of its purported health benefits.  Matcha is a treasured tea in Japan; it is used in the Japanese tea ceremony, and is a prized ingredient in sweets because of its brilliant green color and sweet flavor.

Its flavor and color profile is due to how it is grown, cultivated and processed.  It is shade grown in order to slow down growth and increase production of amino acids, which produces a sweeter tea.  The darkest, finest buds are hand picked, laid out flat to dry to make Tencha, and then ground in a stone mortar by a certified tea artisan to make an extremely fine powder that dissolves in liquid. As the nutrients flow to the growing and developing leaves of the plant, this is where you would find the highest grade of leaves.

If you wish to replicate the beautiful, brilliant and flavorful green beverages and dessert items that are more and more popular today, you will want to reach for the Matcha.  Want to drink green tea powder straight?  You can go for the highest grade ‘usucha’ (thin) or ‘koicha’ (thick) matcha, and whisk it the traditional way.  You can also add it to soy milk or orange juice to make a matcha ‘shot’. Want to make a matcha latte, smoothie or perhaps some matcha ice cream or cake? Go with a less expensive bag of cooking grade matcha.  This matcha is made from the slightly older tencha leaves, and as a result it has the stronger flavor to hold up to other ingredients. 

It seems that as of late the words ‘green tea powder’ and ‘matcha’ are starting to become synonymous.  So it’s important to be aware of the difference when you are ready to choose a tea. 

Three Tree Tea Company is proud to be leading the way in creating superb and unique tea beverages that are perfect for foodservice use. Three Tree Tea Company is located in Burien, Washington. For more information on the company visit www.threetreetea.com.