Matcha is finely stone-ground green tea that you whisk into water and drink whole. It's been part of Japanese tea culture for centuries, and many people now reach for it as a calmer alternative to coffee when they need to concentrate.

So can matcha actually help your brain? Here's what's in it, what the research does and doesn't show, and how to make a good bowl at home.

What makes matcha different

Matcha comes from tea plants that are shaded for several weeks before harvest. Shading boosts chlorophyll, which gives matcha its vivid green color, and L-theanine, the amino acid behind its smooth, savory taste. The leaves are then steamed, dried, and ground into powder.

Because you drink the whole leaf instead of steeping and removing it, a bowl of matcha usually delivers more caffeine, L-theanine, and catechins than a cup of regular steeped green tea. How much depends on how much powder you use.

Caffeine and L-theanine: the focus pair

Caffeine is the main reason matcha makes you feel more alert. It blocks adenosine, a brain chemical that builds up during the day and makes you feel tired.

L-theanine is the other half of the story. Several small human studies have found that L-theanine and caffeine taken together improve attention and accuracy on demanding tasks more than caffeine alone. A few studies of matcha itself have found modest improvements in attention, too. Many people describe the effect as calm focus, without the jittery peak some feel from coffee. Keep in mind that most of these studies are short and small, so the effects are real but modest.

What about long-term brain health?

You may have read that matcha prevents memory loss or diseases like Alzheimer's. The honest answer is that this hasn't been shown. Some studies of large groups of people link regular green tea drinking with better brain health as people age, and the catechins in tea, especially EGCG, are being studied in the lab. But that research can't prove matcha protects the brain. Enjoy matcha for its flavor and its gentle lift, not as a treatment.

How to whisk matcha

As a general guideline from our product pages:

1. Sift about 1 teaspoon (1 to 2 g) of matcha into a bowl.

2. Add a few drops of hot water and whisk into a smooth paste.

3. Add 6 to 8 oz of water at 160 to 175°F.

4. Whisk briskly in a zigzag motion until frothy, then adjust to taste.

Start with about a teaspoon and see how you feel before using more. A bamboo matcha whisk makes the froth much easier, and a matcha bowl gives you room to work.

Which matcha to choose

• Matcha Samidori is a premium first-harvest matcha from Uji, Kyoto, rich and sweet enough to drink on its own.

• Organic Matcha is smooth and pure, a great everyday bowl.

• Matcha Green is a versatile all-purpose matcha for drinking straight or in lattes.

• Culinary Matcha is made for lattes, smoothies, and baking.

The bottom line

Matcha's mix of caffeine and L-theanine can give you a calm, focused lift, and that's backed by a modest amount of research. Claims that it prevents brain disease go beyond the evidence. If you're sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or taking medication, check with your doctor. Otherwise, whisk up a bowl and enjoy one of the most rewarding ways to drink tea. Explore our full matcha selection.

Summer is around the corner! Let’s make some refreshing drinks to quench our thirst. 

Here we made a delicious Green Tea Mojito (with Matcha Green Tea). Matcha adds a nice jammy taste and compliments the mints and lime very well. Below please find the recipe for a pitcher size Green Tea Mojito.

Ingredients:  

• 1 tablespoon Matcha Green Tea. 
• half cup white sugar. 
• 2 handfuls fresh mint, or to taste.
• 3-4 limes. 
• 1 cup rum. If you prefer alcohol free, use coconut water instead.  
• 36 oz. club soda.

Direction:

• Put sugar and fresh mint into a pitcher. Muddle them until the mint leaves are broken down.
• Quarter the limes and squeeze lime juice into pitcher. After being squeezed, add the lime pieces in pitcher and muddle them for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add Matcha Green Tea into pitcher. 
• Pour and stir rum into the mixture.
• Add ice. 
• Add club soda and stir until Matcha and sugar are well dissolved.

Enjoy!

Matcha latte make using our Matcha Green. Click “here” to view product. 

Matcha latte is fairly easy to make. Below are some basic steps to a nice cafe quality Matcha latte.

Steps:

1. Put about 1/2 teaspoonmatcha in a mug or glass
2. Add sweetener to taste
3. Heat or steam the Milk or Soy Milk
4. Add milk slowly while whisking/stirring the tea at the same time.
5. Can also add whip cream on top and sprinkle some chocolate powder.

Enjoy!! 

Want a delicious and healthy breakfast to start your day? This nutrient packed Matcha green tea and oatmeal breakfast should get you charged up for the day.

Pictured above is a freshly made Matcha Oatmeal with almond milk, pine nuts, almond pieces and sweet red beans.  It is delicious, packed full of nutrients and energizing.

It is very easy to prepare. First, make an oatmeal like you normally would. We put in almond milk just because we like how it tastes. Alternatively, you can use regular milk, coconut milk  or rice milk.

Second, whisk 1 teaspoon of Matcha with 1-2 ounces of water to make a thick/dense matcha green tea and add it to the oatmeal. 

Finally, put some nuts, and/or fruits according to your preference. We like to use pine nuts , cut up almonds and sweet red beans.

Enjoy! 

Kenya’s highland is one of the best location for tea production. It has got the right altitude, optimum soil and climate conditions for tea growing.  

In recent years, Kenya has become a major producer in the tea trade. Tea farms in Kenya adapt very quickly to new trends and technologies. The black tea matcha is a fine example of what Kenya has to offer. The special tea leave are specifically selected for their tannin and antioxidants count. After the harvest, they are processed in small batches and craftily stone ground into fine powder. 

This Kenya Highlands Matcha brews up a very well balanced tea that is smooth, malty, and slightly astringent. It couples with milk/cream very well. 

Black tea Matcha is super rich in antioxidants and fibers. It is less vegetal than green Matcha. For some who don’t like the grassiness of Green Matcha, this Kenya Highlands Black Tea Matcha is a nice alternative.

We highly encourage you to experiment with various quantities, water temperatures, and whisking time until you find the strength that‟s perfect for you. 

For more information please visit our tea info page. 

https://www.beantowntea.com/tea-info-2/

So what is Tencha? Tencha is a unique kind of green tea from Japan. It is a green tea of the Gyokuro variety. In the past, it was used almost solely as a the base for Matcha. In short, Matcha is a finely ground version of Tencha.

Since Tencha is a Gyokuro variety, some would wonder what the differences are between Tencha and the famouse Gyokuro.

Firstly, it is harvested a little differently than Gyokuro. tencha leaves plucking is “three leaves and a bud”, while the Gyokuro plucking is “two leaves and a bud” on a tea branch. In layman’s term, when compared, the Tencha making calls for leaves that are slightly older. This is necessary, because Tencha needs to have a fuller flavor in order to produce a good Matcha. 

Secondly, Tencha is flat, while the Gyokuro is rolled to needle like shape after the steaming processe. The reason for Tencha leaves being flat is that staying flat makes it easier to strip of the stems and veins. Stems and veins will bring bitterness and undesired flavor to Matcha. 

So who does it taste? The taste profile of Tencha is similar to Gyokuro. However, because the leaves are little bit older and stems are striped, Tencha has a fuller body and taste sweeter.

Availabilty of Tencha is more limited due to the fact that it is produced mainly for Matcha production.  

If you are a fan of Japanese teas such as Gyokuro, Sencha and Matcha, you should definitely give Tencha a try.

Whisking up our Matcha Samidori in a casual way. Matcha, bamboo whisk and water is all we need to make a nutritiousand delicious tea. Cheers!

Traditional Matcha Brewing

• Prepare tea bowls by warming them with boiled water.

• Prepare your Matcha whisk by soaking the tip in the boiled water in one of the bowls for about 10 seconds.

• Pour the water out and dry the bowl with a paper towel.

• Using your tea spoon, according to taste, add 1-2 teaspoons of Matcha to each bowl.

• Pour 1/3 of a cup of your hot water into each bowl.

• In a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea.

• Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy.

• Consume immediately.

Mondern/Simple Matcha Brewing

• Add 1 teaspoon of Matcha to a bowl.

• Put a few drops of hot water into bowl and use a whisk to whisk the Matcha into a paste.

• Pour6 to 8 oz. ofhot water (160-180F) into bowl. Then in a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea.

• Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth or circular motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy.

• Consume immediately.

Matcha is rich in antioxidants, fiber, amino acids, vitamins, carotenes and many other nutrients. It is delicious and nutritious. Add this superfood to your diet and enjoy all the great benefits. Matcha is  very versatile and easy to use. Whisk it up for enjoyment, mix it with drinks, smoothies, or shakes. Cook with it, baking with it, and just be creative with this wonderful ingridient. 

Matcha is a big energy booster and is packed with nutrients such as antioxidants, fiber, amino acids and many more.

The easiest way to add Matcha to your diet is adding it your smoothies and shakes. 

For two 12 oz. servings of smoothies. We blended 4 bananas, 5 strawberries, 1 grapefruit, and 1 heaping teaspoon of Matcha green tea powder.

Below is a link to our products

 https://www.beantowntea.com/matcha-selection/

Enjoy!

Matcha is not only an energy booster. It is also packed with nutrients such as antioxidants, amino acids, dietary fiber, carotene, and vitamins. Adding Matcha to your favorite smoothie is a delicious and easy way to introduce this superfood into our diet.

Our favorite smoothie is Banana Matcha smoothie. The recipe is very simple. It takes less than 5 minutes to make. It calls for a few basic ingredients. We use 2 bananas, 1 teaspoon of Matcha, half an orange, and half an avocado. Milk or yogurt is optional. Additionally, we can also add other fruits and veggies such berries, mango, celery, and so on. 

We also posted a video on the Banana Matcha Smoothie below. Enjoy!

Don't know which Matcha is best for your taste, needs or budget? This Matcha sampler pack is a great way to sample all 5 of our Matchas. Even better is that it is on sale now as our spring tea sampling special. Regularly at $15, it is now just at $8 with free shipping for limited time. Hurry up and take advantage of the special and free shipping while supplies last!

Many have asked the same question. How to froth up the Matcha? It is pretty simple. A good  whisk is the key here. Traditionally, a bamboo whisk is required for whisking. Nowadays, there are many gadgets we can used. In this video, we are doing a quick demonstration with a traditional bamboo whisk.

First, we put Matcha into a bowl. The amount of Matcha we put in is one teaspoon for 8 oz of water. The amount of Matcha is up to personal preference. For someone who is new to Matcha, we recommend using less to start.

Second, we slowly pour hot water into the bowl. Water should be at around 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius).

Third, we will start whisking slowly in a "M" motion to submerge the tea powder. Then speed up and whisk in a back and forth direction.

Forth, slow down once the tea is frothed up well and a layer of creamy foam appear.  

At the end, slowly whisk a few "M" or zigzag a few a few times. This is to reduce the big bubbles and creat a nice foam.

Enjoy! 

This is a bowl of whisked up Matcha using our  Matcha Samidori. It is rich, and creamy without anything added. Whisk it back and forth to froth it up and then at the end whisk it in M motion to eliminate the big bubbles. We will post a instruction video soon.