Matcha vs Matcha drink

What is the difference?

Which one is better?

Are they both tea?

I will be answering all of these questions, let’s start with the difference.

What is Matcha?

The short answer is Matcha is powdered green tea. The long answer is… Matcha is known for being Japanese but tea powder did not originate in Japan. It is not very common knowledge but tea powder originated in China. The Chinese have tried so many ways to make tea. The history is long but let’s just talk about tea powder.

The Sui dynasty and the Tang dynasty (589-907AD) are some of the main dynasty that used tea powders u historically in China. From 589-907 AD they used two tea-making methods. One was Jian Cua- only tea power was used to make this tea. Jian Cua method of boiling water plus tea powder and stirring it with a spoon when the tea water boils for the 3rd time stop (which depicts the bubbles of the boil), the boiling The other was Zha Cua-use either loose tea leaves or powder to make tea, Zha Cua method boiled the tea in water for a very long time.
What is the difference between today’s tea powder and the tea they use in 589-907 AD? Well let me explain.

They would get a dry tea cake put it over a fire to break it up then put the broken pieces into a bowl with green onions, ginger, and orange peels or sometimes salt all ground up into a powdered tea blend. Then they use either method to make it. Drinking tea, was not an everyday drink like it is today, but used as a medicine. This tea was more like a medicine soup than the powdered tea we know today. In the Song dynasty, the use of dried tea leave was common so they made tea powder with dried tea leaves instead of tea cakes and they started whipping powdered tea with hot water.

In 1103 AD a Japanese monk fell in love with whipping powdered tea (aka Matcha) when he was in China he brought it to Japan. That is how Japan has Matcha today but why when we think of matcha we think of Japan? Because Japan embraced Matcha as a national Beverage and flavor. From Japanese tea ceremonies to a kit-kat flavor they fully embraced it. It’s now part of their culture.

How is it made now? Let me show you. Here are 2 videos on matcha mills.

Now what is matcha supposed to taste like?

Well, they have different qualities of matcha. The best one is called ceremonial matcha and the culinary is the cheaper and and worst quality.

Matcha has a complex flavor profile and is known for its Umami flavor. But I’m not an expert in what is Umami.

u·ma·mi

[ˌo͞oˈmämē]

NOUN

A category of taste in food (besides sweet, sour, salt, and bitter), corresponding to the flavor of glutamates, especially monosodium glutamate.

I hope that helps.

Here is how I describe matcha flavor, fresh and grassy. Just like green tea but with more to love.

What are Matcha’s health benefits?

Matcha is high in Antioxidants. what are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are supposed to keep your cells healthy. So being high in antioxidants is a very good thing.

YES, MATCHA IS AMAZING!

Now what is a matcha drink?

A matcha drink is a mix of drink that stores, coffee shops, and restaurants use or sell. They are usually marketed as just matcha but it’s not. There’s so much more in it than just matcha and not good things. Here are the ingredients of a Matcha Drink from Trader Joe’s which is a grocery store in the USA. INGREDIENTS: CANE SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, MATCHA GREEN TEA, WHOLE MILK POWDER, NON FAT MILK POWDER, MALTED MILK POWDER BARLEY MALT, WHEAT FLOUR, MAS BICARBONATE OF SODA, SALtT), NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM CASENATE, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, GUAR GUM, DIGLYCERIDES, SILICON DIOXIDE, SALT.

Starbucks Matcha is a powdered mix of at least 51% pure added sugar, with some ground green tea added into it. These are some examples of what a Matcha drink mix is. This is making people think that these impersonators are Matcha and they are not. Most pepole saying they love matcha but never had just matcha before. This is sad.

The next question is which one is better?

MATCHA! Just Matcha is way better.

Are they both tea?

I would say no. Matcha is a tea but Matcha drink is a drink that has some tea in it.

So have you had Matcha? And have you had a Matcha drink? Let me know in the comments.