Matcha green tea powder is a fantastic alternative to traditional green tea. Matcha is a bright green elixir that’s packed with antioxidants that enhance your health and energy levels and also have positive effects on your mood.
While Matcha is a green tea it is made without the use of tea bags. Matcha is a powder that you use just like instant powder when you make your tea. However, there are more distinctions and different grades of Matcha that you should be aware of before you buy your first Matcha Green Tea.
These different grades, or qualities, of Matcha green tea powder are determined by the quality of the appearance (how "green" is it), the ingredients used and the processing method.
In more detail, the following aspects determine the grade of Matcha tea:
Does the powder come from the stem or the leaves?
What is the colour of the powder?
What is the texture of the powder?
How fine is the powder?
Has the powder been exposed to oxygen for a long time?
How was the powder ground?
How was it treated before processing it?
All of these qualities help to determine the gread of the powder, which can be separated into three categories:
ceremonial grade,
premium grade, and
culinary grade.
Of these three, ceremonial grade Matcha is the highest quality. This is the type of Matcha that is used for traditional tea ceremonies. As you would expect, ceremonial grade Matcha powder is also the most expensive powder. If you, however, are really passionate for Matcha, then you might be willing to pay more for your powder to ensure that you get the quality you deserve!
Read more about the different grades of Matcha in our other articles.