What is organic matcha tea ? What health benefits does this green tea have?

Matcha, a Japanese green tea ground into a very fine powder, is becoming increasingly popular around the world thanks to its unique colour and taste, and its many health benefits. But what exactly is matcha? Why should you incorporate it into your daily routine?

In this article, we will explore the origins of matcha, its antioxidant properties, and its health effects, taking into account health claim laws and scientific studies to provide you with a balanced and accurate view of this fascinating beverage.

Discover matcha: its virtues and reasons to incorporate it into your daily life.

Matcha green tea is a very special tea that comes from Japan. The Japanese characters used for matcha are: 抹茶

Which literally means "ground tea."

Are you looking for peace and inner serenity? Maybe you're a fan of green tea? Do you enjoy discovering new flavours and good organic products?

Perhaps you are interested in Zen and the tea ceremony? Or even the longevity of Okinawa's centenarians? Or just curious :)

Great to see you here! I'm Val from Kumiko Matcha, and I welcome you to the world of premium grade organic matcha tea from Japan 🇯🇵 I created Kumiko Matcha in 2013 to help people (re)discover authentic, delicious organic matcha and to contribute to a more conscious, healthier, and more ethical lifestyle.

Why Kumiko Matcha?

I have a very special relationship with the passing of time, because at 17 I had a heart attack. And a second one at 19. For several years I lived as if every day were my last, and I learned a lot from this gift of life. I was cured at age 23. My main lesson from this experience (and my message to you) is to live each day as if it were your last and as if you were going to live for a very long time...

This mirrors Kumiko Matcha's slogan: "eternal beauty, starting now." This is because "Kumiko" is a Japanese first name that means "eternal beauty." It is the essence of Kumiko. Everything that beauty can represent: a magical moment, inner beauty, design, physical appearance, a morning ritual... forever and in the present moment.

Why drink matcha tea?

Matcha is both new and the result of more than 800 years of expertise passed down from generation to generation in Japan. It is new, and you were certainly unaware of it because it was hidden. In the days of the samurai, matcha was a treasure reserved for the Emperor of Japan. Japanese Zen Buddhist monks traditionally drank matcha tea for their meditations. The highest classes of Japanese society used it as a remedy. And today, matcha is only just beginning to become popular in the West!

Boire un bon matcha bio c’est avant tout un moment de plaisir personnel, dans une préparation simple (dont il faut quand même comprendre la technique). Un rituel apaisant et luxueux avec de belles couleurs et de beaux objets. C’est prendre du temps pour soi, prendre de la distance. C’est aussi un moment qui peut être partagé, et donc convivial et agréable.

The ideal way to enter this world is with a Japanese matcha tea set that contains a tin of organic premium matcha and bamboo utensils for preparation.

What is matcha, this beautiful green tea powder?

Matcha is a Japanese tea grown and produced in a unique way by artisan farmers. The leaves are not infused but rather ground into a very fine, delicate powder. This powder is mixed with hot water in a matcha bowl, using a special utensil called a chasen (a matcha whisk made from a single piece of bamboo). The entire tea leaf is consumed, providing a phenomenal quantity of antioxidants: 137 times more than in brewed tea!*

*Selon certaines études, l'apport en antioxydants du matcha peut être jusqu'à 137 fois supérieur à celui d'un thé vert infusé. Les résultats varient en fonction des méthodes de production et de la qualité du matcha. Il est important de noter que ces informations ne sont pas destinées à diagnostiquer, traiter, guérir ou prévenir une maladie quelconque. Consultez toujours un professionnel de la santé avant de modifier votre régime alimentaire ou de prendre un nouveau complément alimentaire.

What are the benefits of matcha?

It offers many health benefits. Matcha is rich in antioxidants, stimulates metabolism, and improves mood!

Clarity & Focus

Promotes focus and improves mood thanks to the combined action of theine and L-theanine (an amino acid found in tea).

Reduces Mental Fatigue

Helps reduce mental fatigue and increase alertness.

Cognitive Support

Improves and supports cognitive function thanks to its high flavonoid content and the quinic acid in green tea.

Powerful Antioxidant

Has antioxidant effects. The polyphenols contained in matcha help protect the skin, tissues, and cells against free radicals (induced by UV rays, radiation, tobacco, air pollution, etc.). This makes it a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Oral Health

Helps protect teeth and reduce plaque.

Heart Health

Rich in catechins, antioxidants protect the cardiovascular system and help regulate and even reduce blood pressure (hypertension) over the long term.

Glycemic Balance

Helps maintain normal blood glucose levels as part of a healthy lifestyle. Can be incorporated into the diet of people with diabetes.

Intestinal Flora

Helps maintain healthy intestinal flora and improves the bacterial flora beneficial to our body.

Hydration and Regeneration

Hydrates and helps refresh the body and mind. The vitamin E in matcha provides deep hydration and accelerates healing.

Weight Control & Fat Burning

Matcha helps manage weight, promotes fat oxidation, and stimulates lipid breakdown as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Boosts Metabolism

Helps speed up metabolism thanks to the EGCG present in tea, a powerful antioxidant compound.

Balanced Lipids

Helps help maintain healthy blood lipids and cholesterol levels.

To sum up:

• Matcha is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that are beneficial to health.
• Moderate consumption can improve focus and reduce stress.
• Matcha helps prevent certain diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, and supports the immune system.

And there are many more... if you're interested, click here to view: 👉 Scientific studies conducted on matcha

Can you drink matcha tea every day?

As the previous item proves, science and tradition seem to agree that yes, provided you listen to your body and respect moderate consumption measures.

According to the EFSA, it is recommended that healthy adults do not exceed 400 mg of caffeine (= theine) per day¹, or a maximum of 4 cups of matcha tea per day, and 200 mg for pregnant women (2 cups per day).

Want to learn more? Read our item: Drinking matcha every day: is it a good idea?

What does matcha taste like?

The taste and appearance are completely different from other types of tea. Matcha resembles electric green cocoa powder, behaves like a well-prepared espresso, and tastes like young green shoots cooked by a three-star chef: a blend of green micro-shoots, pure chlorophyll, young bamboo, and raw sugar, served in a small traditional bowl.

After returning from my travels in Asia, I was disappointed with the matcha tea available: I could only find "fake matcha," which has a yellow colour, an unpleasant bitterness, and a dusty texture. In fact, this is the type of product you always find in supermarkets.

Nothing like organic premium matcha tea: a delicate powder with an intense jade colour. A rich, mellow umami taste with a captivating aroma. When drunk, it bursts with delicious flavours and subtle notes of springtime scents. Like a fine wine, the more you drink high-quality matcha, the more your palate will develop, and the more you will discover new and exquisite flavours.

How to prepare matcha tea? (matcha latte, recipes, etc.)

Matcha is served during formal tea ceremonies in Japan, but we strive to convince people that you don't need to study tea to appreciate it. It's not just sommeliers who appreciate good wines! You can just... prepare a bowl of matcha tea.

You can drink it at breakfast, before (and after) a yoga class, accompanied by sweetness in the afternoon, before a very important meeting, during a hike (yes!), during a meditation session, or just before driving to stay alert.

Another way to consume matcha is to cook with it: we have developed many unique, original, and delicious recipes, including a matcha latte recipe guide!

What makes matcha tea so special?

Matcha has many specific characteristics, and here are the four main ones:

• Shape of the tea leaf - unlike all other teas, including green teas, matcha is finely ground into powder.
• No steeping—matcha is not steeped, it is "eaten." Simply pour hot water over the matcha powder, whisk the mixture (with a bamboo whisk or the electric milk frother on your coffee machine), and drink the tea.
• Enormous health benefits—matcha tea is naturally rich in antioxidants and amino acids, about 20 times more than in classic green tea*.
• The terroir—the conditions in which the tea grows—has a big influence, and there are different "cultivars" of matcha tea. It's very similar to a good wine.

Who are our partner farmers?

I personally know all my matcha tea producers, artisans, and farmers because I travel to Japan every year to visit them.

With Kumiko Matcha, I offer only organic or natural products for three reasons: to protect the environment, to protect the health of the entire Kumiko community (i.e., from the farmer in the tea fields in Japan to you, who may soon be enjoying a bowl of organic matcha), and to make Kumiko a force for good in the world and embody the change I want to see accomplished.

This is very important to me: all our products have a story behind them. I invite you to visit their pages to discover photos and videos of the people behind our matcha and Japanese crafts.

In my experience, many farmers who have decided to switch to organic or natural farming have a powerful story because they went against "conventional" methods. For example, I suggest you read the story of our partner farmers Tokuya-san and Nakai-san.

My mission is to help people discover premium organic matcha tea from Japan. Then to help our community share this message :)

Discover matcha: where to start?

For beginners, I created an ideal matcha tea set that contains:

• A tin of our most popular and appreciated matcha, organic premium matcha.
• and bamboo accessories for preparing it

The tin contains 30g of organic premium matcha—enough for around 30 servings, meaning this set can provide a month's worth of daily matcha.

Free delivery in mainland France 🇫🇷

You will receive a video guide on how to successfully prepare a good matcha with a fine creamy froth, and thus improve your morning ritual with this matcha tea with a delicious umami flavour 😍🍵

Whether you are a beginner or a tea enthusiast, I invite you to join the community and enjoy ordering your organic premium matcha tea set from Japan or visiting the shop.

No more yellowish, dusty matcha—welcome to Kumiko Matcha 🍵

I would also like to share with you this page, which contains all the customer reviews provided to the community by our verified customers.

These comments mean a lot to me. I read them all. And my goal is to offer the best experience and service possible.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments, I will take care of you.

Enjoy your tea tasting 🍵

Thank you for your attention, arigato gozaimasu!

Valentin Van Nhut
Founder, Kumiko Matcha

Eternal beauty, starting now

Finally, I summarized this item in this short video:

PS: Wondering how to prepare a frothy and smooth matcha? Click here to access the guide and view me preparing matcha tea in a video >>

SOURCES

¹ EFSA Scientific Panel on NDA (EFSA Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2015. Scientific reviews on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal 2015; 13(5): 4102, 120 pp. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4102