How to correctly make ceremonial grade Japanese Matcha
Matcha Mornings have a been a daily ritual of mine for some time now and I absolutely love how I feel after starting my day with this delicious drink. I feel instantly alert, focused, and yet still calm at the same time. The L-Theanine in Premium Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha helps one achieve an alert but stable and relaxed mental state even when under stress or working on demanding tasks. L-Theanine has also been shown to boost alpha brain power by +75 percent, just wow.
Some of the powerful benefits of Matcha:
- May lower blood glucose levels
- Powerful antioxidants to support immune system
- Powerful antioxidants to support detoxification of free radicals
- Anti Cancer promoting with antioxidants such as pigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG).
- Rich Source of L- Theanine to support learning and memory
- Thermogenic properties to break down stored fat
- + many more
What is important to understand about Matcha is that in order to obtain one or more of the benefits above you have to ensure you are using Premium Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha because quality matters when it comes to Matcha powder. It is also essential to make sure you are not using boiling water and waiting for your drink to cool before you drink it because high heat can actually damage the wonderful antioxidants I mentioned above. Authentic practices recommend using water that is cooled to 80 degrees C. A good way to eye ball this is to let4-6 ounces of boiling water sit for 5 minutes.
What you’ll need for a traditional Matcha Tea:
1 tsp Premium Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha (Quality does matter with this superfood)
Hot Water (80 degrees C)
Sifter (unless using @organicburst which is pre sifted)
Matcha Bowl
Matcha Whisk
Thermometer, optional
To Make:
Sift 1 tsp of matcha powder into a matcha bowl (I use @organicburst, code nutritionbysam for 10% off)
The pour 4 ounces of hot water
Use a bamboo whisk and whisk quickly back and fourth to create a foam
To make your Matcha Tea a delicious latte, add your favorite plant based milk (no hotter than 80 degrees C) & use a milk frother to mix into the matcha mixture.
Every few weeks I will typically switch up the way I make my matcha and change my added flavors and adaptogens. What I am currently loving is taking the traditional matcha tea recipe and adding …
- 1 pinch of @organicburst ceylon cinnamon
- 1 pinch of @organicburst maca powder
- Either 1 scoop of @vitalproteins vanilla collagen creamer or a few splashes of homemade hemp milk warmed.
- 1 tbsp of coconut butter
How I use my matcha:
- Morning ritual, this is daily for me… wakes me up, helps me feel alert, and also a pre-workout since I usually work out in the morning.
- I also use matcha as an afternoon pre workout, if I am skipping the am working. Matcha does contain some caffeine so I try to consume my 2nd up by 2pm the latest if I have a 2nd cup on rare occasions before working out.
How to travel with matcha:
When I travel with matcha I bring my matcha container from Organic burst + a few helpful things to allow me to make my matcha wherever I am, even on a plane!
- Container of matcha or enough powder to get me through the duration of my travels in a smaller container
- 1 Areo latte bamboo whisk
- Travel packets of @vitalprotiens vanilla collagen creamer (or powdered coconut milk if vegan)
- Water
To make: Order a cup of hot water, add matcha + creamer packet, then blend with an electric whisk.
Preferred Brand:
I choose Organic Burst because of the exceptional quality of their matcha. When you open the Matcha you can 100% see the quality of their product with their bright florescent lime green color. High quality matcha should be a vibrant green color (not light & faded).
Some other reasons why I choose this brand
- They pick from the 1st spring harvest when the tea leaves are the most nutrient dense (the time where most tea masters will also harvest their leaves).
- Their Matcha is steamed to avoid oxidation other than most store brands which are roasted or pan fried. Steaming the leaves stops oxidation and protects us from free radical damage.
- They use the top 4 leaves for the highest L-Theanine which also gives their matcha a sweet and smooth taste making it less bitter.
- They specially mill their power with ultra fine milling to make it more bioavailable but also allow you to skip the sifting step when making your matcha tea at home.
- They are made to order and the leaves are only milled 2 weeks prior to a restock ensuring the best most fresh quality (no long shelf life).
- They grow in rich soil in the volcanic region of Japan where the soil is exceptionally dense and rich in minerals.
- They do not use pesticides and ensure they are distances from any other tea regions which are non-organic so wind can not carry any pesticides over to their farms.
- When purchasing you are supporting local families in need. Japanese tea growing families, after many generations, are being forced to close their farms but Organic burst supports these family growers and helps them preserve their heritage.
Organic burst also provides regular radiation testing — “Our farm is located in the furthest Southwestern corner of Japan – far away from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Even so, for peace of mind, radiation testing for Cesium-134, Cesium-137 and Iodine-131 is performed regularly to ensure none is ever detected in your Organic Burst Matcha.” – Organic Burst
