Information:
There is perhaps no tea on the market today that is as celebrated or as famous as Japanese Matcha. The powdered green tea has been used in the Japanese tea ceremony for centuries and as such is normally associated with the beautifully complex, and rigid procedure. It was believed by the ancient Japanese that tea was a gift of the heavens and as such held great restorative and spiritual power here on earth. In fact, an ancient Japanese poet named Sen no Rikyu, considered to be the most important influence on the development of the tea ceremony, or Chanoyu, penned this line during the 1500's, “Though many people drink tea, if you do not know the Way of Tea (Chanoyu), tea will drink you up.” The development of the Chanoyu, began as a way for human beings to appreciate and show reverence to this power.

Matcha is special, and because of the way it is produced, it is also powerful. Consider these numbers: 2 cups of brewed matcha contains 7 times the antioxidants of orange juice, 20 times that of apple juice, and nearly 20 g of calcium - and that’s just the short list! On a gram per gram basis, Matcha also contains approximately 10 times the polyphenols of regular teas. The healthy qualitites of the tea have led to the its break from tradition - Matcha can now be found served cold, as an ingredient in health shakes, ice creams, and even baked goods.

Izu Matcha is made using pure Gyokuro leaves, a Japanese tea variety that is shaded beneath special mats for 3 weeks before plucking. The shading forces the plants to produce a higher than normal chlorophyll content which gives the leaves a rich green color. Once plucked, the leaves are steamed and dried. Tea at this stage of the process is known as Aracha. Next, the Aracha is stripped of all stems and veins resulting in a pure leaf known as Tencha. Tencha is then stone ground into its finely powdered form. Since it is powdered, no matter how you prepare Matcha, you are actually consuming the leaves - which contain high nutritional value - there is no other tea in the world consumed in this manner. It is said in Japan that because of this characteristic, Matcha is the healthiest natural beverage in the world to this day!

The Izu Matcha that we offer you here is a fabulous example of a high quality Japanese Matcha grown in the Izu peninsula, not far from Tokyo. The tea has a pale emerald green color and when consumed on its own, frothed up with a whisk, has an almost jammy-smoothness belied by a somewhat sweetly astringent cup. The best thing to do with your matcha is experiment - you’ll find some fabulous recipes from our tea info page. If you come across any not listed here, let us know about them, we’re always looking for new ways to enjoy this fantastic brew!

listed below are some of the many health benefits of Matcha green tea.

- Significantly increases energy (over 8 to 10 hours) without the caffeine "jitters".
- Improves mental alertness (L-theanine component)
- Increases calmness and reduces stress (L-theanine component)
- Boosts metabolic rate by 35-40%
- Powerful "Anti-Aging" activity due to the super-charged antioxidants
- Lowers blood pressure
- Decreases level of LDL or "bad"cholesterol
- Minimizes symptoms of PMS
- "Super" cancer-fighting and cancer-preventative activity (due to extremely high levels of polyphenols and catechins)
- Eases constipation due to high level of easily absorbable dietary fiber
- Stabilizes blood sugar levels
- Powerful anti-biotic and anti-viral activity
- Strong blood detoxifier and alkalyzer, due to the high Chlorophyll content

Comparison Nutrition Chart