Introduction

In this article, we will talk about the 10 differences between Matcha and Green tea and go over what health benefits each has to discover which one is better for you!

What is the difference between matcha and green tea? Overall, matcha tea powder is a tea of superior quality containing up to 15 times more nutrients than green tea in bulk. Because the matcha powder represents the ground tea leaf in its entirety, you get the benefits of nutrients and vitamins from the whole tea leaf.

Both matcha powder and plain green tea come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, native to China. Matcha tea is simply a variety of green tea. However, matcha is grown, harvested, and produced differently from ordinary green tea. For matcha, the tea plants are covered with an opaque veil for 30 days before the harvest. This is done to block the sunlight from getting to the leaves and sucking the antioxidants from it. Shade causes an increase in chlorophyll which makes the leaves darker and stimulates the production of amino acids.

After harvest, the stems and veins are removed from the leaves. They are then ground into a fine powder of an electric green which is called matcha. For green tea, the leaves are harvested and placed into an oven to dry. Right after they dry, they get packaged and shipped.

Since leaf powder is entirely ingested, rather than just infused into water, like green tea, matcha is even richer in certain elements than ordinary green tea, which includes caffeine and antioxidants. This makes matcha far more superior than regular green tea. Also, as matcha tea powder is more concentrated in antioxidants, a single cup of matcha is equivalent to about three cups of regular green tea. Although these two superfoods look similar and both come from green tea leaves, they have distinct flavors, textures, colors, and methods of preparation.

The biggest difference between matcha powder and green tea can be found in their unique nutritional benefits. What you should also consider is that due to its abundance, green tea is way more commonly found at an affordable price. So, while matcha might be better when it comes to nutritional benefits, purchasing green tea will leave your pockets heavier than purchasing some matcha. You can consider green tea to be a regular beverage for you and opt for matcha on special occasions. There are of course more distinct differences between how these two beverages are made. You can read more about their differences below.

Color

When you make a cup of each, you will realize that green tea is darker and more see-through, whereas matcha has a more of a light and solid color. Matcha tea powder is much lighter than ordinary green tea which can look brown and dull. The electric green color comes from high levels of chlorophyll, a potent polyphenol. Most matcha teas do not have any artificial coloring, but you should always remember to check the ingredients section of your tea pack to make sure.

Taste

Most people agree that the superior qualities of matcha tea make it have a better taste than green tea which tends to have a bitter taste. Some might add sugar or even milk into their green tea to make it tastier, while others might prefer the bitter, waking taste.

The matcha tea prepared in the rules of art does not need added sweetener or dairy products to make it taste good and is usually preferred by itself.

Texture

Matcha powder is a fine, velvety powder that is soft to the touch like talcum powder.

The higher grades of matcha, usually of a brighter color, have a natural sweetness, a tasty and pleasant taste, and a very long finish which is generally used to make tea thicker, denser and stronger (koicha), and that the lower grades are good for finer and weaker tea (usucha).

Green tea seems gritty like crushed leaves. They both dissolve into water and should be smooth to drink with no lumps. While green tea is simply hot water with flavor, matcha can have a foamy top layer and can be thicker in texture once prepared.

Preparation

The matcha powder is mixed with water at 80°F for best results. At this temperature, you consume all of the wonderful nutrients. To prepare matcha, a wooden hairbrush like tool is used. The tool helps to mix the powder with the water thoroughly, to get rid of any lumps the powder-water mix might create and to get that foamy top layer everyone loves. The reason why metal is not a preferred tool to mix matcha is to reduce any possibility of the antioxidants and nutrients disappearing.

There are two types of matcha preparation known as usucha (fine tea) and koicha (thick tea). Usucha is typically made from tea leaves under 30 years old, and koicha is made from the first crop of plants over 30 years old.

Green tea often either comes in loose-leaf form or in a tea bag. When prepared with water at 80°F, you will be able to get the most nutrients out of it. It is easier to prepare green tea. All you have to do is put some hot water into a cup and add your leaves or tea bag in it. You might want to wait for it to cool before indulging in your tea.

Matcha is subjected to a process to prevent its oxidation or fermentation. The reason why green tea and matcha are considered to be true “natural medicines” is that they are not fermented teas. They keep most if not all of their natural ingredients almost as in its natural state.

Nutrition

Indeed, all teas contain large amounts of antioxidants, including a family well known in the world of nutrition, polyphenols. However, depending on the level of oxidation of teas, the nature and concentration of the compounds vary. It is so common to hear or read that green tea is more antioxidants than other teas. It would be more accurate to say that it is especially rich in certain antioxidants that have been the subject of many studies with positive results in its regard. But is it richer than matcha?

This is the section where we start to see which one is better for your health. Nutrition is where matcha tea powder really shines when compared to green tea. In fact, you would have to drink 10 to 15 cups of green tea in order to match the nutrients in a cup of matcha.

Matcha is made by grinding the entire leaf to make the tea powder. This way, no nutrients are lost. Green tea is made by soaking the leaves in hot water, so the nutrients in the leaves are usually wastes and thrown away.

Let’s compare the antioxidant levels in a cup of green tea versus a cup of matcha.

Catechins: ecgc

Ecgcs (or epigallocatechin gallate) are catechisms⁠ — powerful antioxidants with many health benefits, including increased metabolism and increased physical endurance. These are antioxidants that help your body get rid of toxins, making you less vulnerable to weight gain, disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Both are particularly rich in epigallocatechin gallate, an antioxidant with particularly beneficial properties in the context of cardiovascular prevention, maintenance of cognitive functions, and memory through its effects on endothelial functions.

One cup of Matcha has around 45% more of this antioxidant compared to one cup of green tea.

Polyphenols: tannins

Tannins are natural micronutrients that come from plants and are found in many teas and wines. These micronutrients are responsible for making sure to keep your red and white blood cells balanced and keep you young for longer. Surprisingly, one cup of matcha has about 170% more of these micronutrients than green tea.

Amino acids: l-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid that enhances creativity, learning, and memory. It offers the same energy benefits as caffeine but with a longer effect over time. This amino acid is commonly found in fruits and vegetables, and Matcha also has about 140% more of this beneficial ingredient than green tea.

How to optimize the nutritional quality of your tea?

Choose a quality, organic green tea brand or matcha powder of controlled origin. In fact, the levels of epicatechins can vary by a factor of 1 to 6 depending on their origin, the season, the harvest, and the methods of manufacture. There is nothing like buying your tea in a specialized store to benefit from advice from a passionate specialist and concerned about the origin of his teas because the name “organic” will not guarantee you the absence of pesticides.

A recent survey of 60 million consumers, for example, has shown that some teas, including those with the designation of origin or deemed good quality also contain large amounts of pesticides. Because the tea leaves are not cleaned during harvesting and preparation, pesticide residues can be numerous, including folpet (a fungicide) and anthraquinone (an animal repellent). Avoid chlorine-bleached sachets; prefer bulk tea that you can infuse into a teapot. Always choose well-known brands or trustworthy sources when purchasing your matcha powder.

The more you let your green tea infuse, the more it will concentrate in epicatechins and especially in EGCG (remarkable for the pronounced astringent taste), ideally at 90°C. Indeed, barely 20% are extracted after five minutes, most are after 10 minutes, and it would take 80 minutes to extract all. If you like the taste, you can add a few drops of lemon to multiply the number of catechins absorbed (up to five times more).

If you want to limit the effects of caffeine present in your green tea (theine and caffeine are actually the same molecules, 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine family alkaloids), it is also better to leave the tea infuse for a longer time in order to delay the assimilation of caffeine (which is why we often talk about the “stimulating” effect of tea and not “exciting” as coffee can be).

Infusion

Matcha is consumed as a whole because once the leaves are turned to powder they dissolve completely in the water, allowing you to absorb all of its benefits without any waste.

With the classic green tea, the leaves are infused, and the active substances are released in hot water. The water becomes infused with the tea, but the leaves do not dissolve. While the leftover leaves are usually wasted, they can be used in fake masks, fillers for potpourri or other decorative things.

Culture

While Matcha is a type of green tea, it is more commonly consumed in Japan, whereas regular green tea is more commonly consumed in China, where it originated. In both cultures, the hot beverage is consumed before or after a meal to help stimulate the digestive system and the immune system.

The development of green tea differs enormously according to the countries, the cultures, and local habits. However, the main stages of its manufacture are always the same: roasting, rolling and drying.

Matcha is also used for traditional tea ceremonies in Japan. The type of matcha used in this ritual is ceremonial quality matcha powder, used specifically for drinking. Matcha ceremonial quality is specifically distinguished from its color and the sensation it provides. It must have a bright green color and a light, fresh, and slightly herbaceous smell. It should also be so soft that it feels like a quality brand of eyeshadow.

You don’t have to be a Buddhist monk to organize a tea ceremony, but in Japan, the ceremony of matcha tea has a bunch of specific hand movements and sophisticated traditional moves.

Tea ceremonies can take place just about anywhere, as the decoration required is very simplistic and minimalist.

Drying

Green tea is dried in a leaf-oven to prevent it from losing its benefits. This oven helps the leaves get rid of their water content, leaving the leaves dry and ready for infusion. Green tea leaves are taken from the trees and put into the ovens after a thorough wash to make sure they are clean and safe. Meanwhile, to make matcha, the leaves are coated before harvest and boiled with steam after harvest to preserve the taste of the herb. This process stops the oxidation of the leaves and gives the tea a richer taste.

Varieties

You can easily find bags of green tea with different flavors infused in them to make them taste a little better and richer. The most popular varieties are lemon, orange or other types of citrus-infused green tea, lavender-infused green tea, jasmine-infused green tea, and mint-infused green tea. You can also mix your green tea leaves with leaves of other herbs to make your own custom green tea and still reap its benefits. Since, by itself, green tea has a rather dull or even bitter taste, adding more flavorful herbs in your tea might help you enjoy it better.

Matcha, on the other hand, has a lovely taste on its own and is rarely mixed with other herbs for enhancement of taste. It is often harder to find varieties of matcha because of its already fresh and intense flavor.

Price

China has abundant resources when it comes to green tea. Harvesting and drying the green tea leaves are not very labor-intensive; therefore, green tea production does not cost too much.

This is why you can find green tea leaves, bags, and products commonly for a reasonable price. It should also be considered that because of the dried leaves’ volume, dried loose green tea leaves are not that heavy which helps with the cost. Of course, there are different brands of green tea out there ranging from very affordable and common to quite expensive and rare. The production process, the brands marketing, and ingredients often determine the tea’s price.

Matcha is a little bit more costly than green tea because of its longer harvesting procedure and production. Matcha is more labor-intensive because of the coating step before harvesting, boiling the leaves to stop oxidation after harvest, and the need to grind the leaves to make a powder. The end product is heavier than just dried leaves and often takes more space which leads it to have higher shipping prices. Overall, matcha is less common and therefore has a higher price tag.

What is the Difference Between Matcha and Green Tea! The 10 Differences and Which One Has More Benefits for Your Health?