Matcha: What is all the hype about?

In Lebanon and beyond, matcha lattes are all the rage fuelled by the wellness boom as matcha drinks have become a healthy alternative to coffees. Earlier this year it even became part of the ‘Alo, Pilates, Matcha’ viral trend sparked by a social media influencer who light heartedly poked fun at Lebanese It Girls clad in branded pilates gear holding a matcha latte. The green frothy drink has become a symbol of fitness and, arguably, of status. To understand what is all the matcha fuss about, let’s look further into this tea sensation.

Matcha from China to Japan Evolution

As the matcha flavour gains momentum and attracts new fans daily, one might wonder: where did it all begin? Well, matcha is a truly unique type of tea (It comes from the Camellia sinensis variety) that originated in China during the Tang dynasty over 1,200 years ago. Thanks to one Japanese Buddhist monk, Myoan Eisai, this tea was later introduced to Japan in the 12th century. Eisai found that this tea helped improve his Zen meditation by giving him a calm alertness at his monastery. Eventually this tea spread throughout Japan and a tea ceremony (Chado) practice was developed specifically for it. In China, the production of compressed and powdered tea was gradually stopped as it was seen as too expensive and labour intensive, therefore, they continued to drink the tea in the form of whole leaf brewing, which was more practical, and pretty much how most teas are prepared today anywhere in the world.

On the other hand, Japan kept this tea in its powder form and continued to develop it further. Around the 16th century, Japanese tea farmers began to grow the tea leaves in the shade in order to protect the delicate newly formed tea leaves from frost damage and the harsh sun. While doing so, they noticed that it gave the tea leaves a deeper green colour (due to increase in chlorophyll) and a sweeter umami flavour. Soon, growing them in the shade became common practice. Once they picked the tea leaves, they steamed, dried and grounded them into a very fine powder that was gradually perfected to the matcha we know today.

Health benefits and how to identify good matcha

Matcha is being marketed as a healthy drink and for good reason. It is very rich in antioxidants, particularly EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which can help fight cell damage, reduce inflammation and may support heart (reduce risk of heart disease) and metabolic health. Matcha also contains vitamins A, C and K, potassium, and some dietary fiber. If you need that caffeine kick matcha delivers too, plus it has L-theanine which gives you a more calm and sustained focus without the high cortisol and caffeine jitters or crashes typically seen with coffee. Furthermore, coffee is highly acidic which can irritate the stomach while matcha has low acidity.

However, while matcha is healthy, when you order a latte at your local café, it will normally have sweeteners, such as a generous dollop of vanilla syrup or other sugary alternatives. This is done to mask the typical bitter taste of the culinary use matcha powder. As a result, a matcha latte can be up to 200-300 calories per cup. One way to reduce calories is to add natural sweeteners, like a teaspoon of honey, maple or agave, instead. Another way to reap the benefits without the calories is to drink pure matcha tea (1 gram of serving diluted in 60 ml of water has only 5 calories). Matcha powder is now widely accessible, so people can easily make their own teas and lattes at home.

Today, there are two main types of matcha powder on the market: the culinary grade and the ceremonial grade. The first is commonly used for lattes in coffee shops, and cooking (cookies, ice cream etc.,) and the later for the tea ceremony which is the more expensive type. There is also the in-between which may be labelled as premium. The best indicator for quality is always the colour: the brighter the green, the better the taste. Matcha that is brownish or dull green could be indicative of low quality, age or poor storage. The ideal matcha should also be aromatic with a fresh grassy smell and a hint of sweetness.

Matcha’s versatility and projection

In the last few years matcha has gained momentum all over the world. It is available at coffee chains and neighbourhood cafes in drinks like hot or iced lattes, frappés,

smoothies, energy drinks and bubble tea. Matcha is also being added to popular snacks, such as pancakes, protein bars, doughnuts, and even Kit Kat! Moreover, thanks to its antioxidant properties, it is used in the beauty industry with creams and face masks marketed to protect skin from stress and pollution. Today, if you have a coffee shop, serving matcha has become a non-negotiable move driven by customer demand, health trends and of course, social media appeal. Matcha’s value in the global market is estimated to reach anywhere from $3-4 billion in 2028 and $7 billion by 2030. While it is still nowhere near coffee’s share of the market (estimated at $200 billion a year), it is a competitor worth noting. We can safely say that matcha is definitely not a passing trend and is here to stay.