Japan: Matcha and Sencha

Tea is originally from china and was introduced in the 700s in Japan. Back then it was a luxe product, only the rich people drank tea. Approximately 400 years later they started to grow and make their own tea. Around 1300 tea really got popular, also among the ‘common’ people. Tea parties were being thrown where, for example, the guests had to guess which tea was being served. Etiquette and tradition became more and more important at these parties. From here the Japanese tea ceremony was originated.
Japan is, after China, one of the oldest tea countries in the world with a tea history which goes back over 1000 of years. Tea was brought to Japan by Japanese diplomats and monks who had been travelling through china, been studying of been working. Tea soon became a drink of the royal class when emperor Saga got his first cup of tea offered by a monk.

Sencha

Japan mainly produces green tea. This tea has a refined aroma and a powerful taste. Japanese green tea is made by flattening the fresh tea leaves after picking. Directly after the flattening, the tea leaves are being heated, so that no oxidation takes place, and the leaves remain green. This process is slightly different with “normal” green tea. The tea leaves are not rolled but crushed and steamed.
Sencha is one of the most popular tea of Japan and includes 80 percent of the total tea production. The word Sencha means ‘gewelde’ tea, which can be best described as dried tea. This refers to the method on how this tea is being made. The taste of the tea is dependent on the temperature of the water.
Sencha is a tea type that has gained a lot of recognition in terms of taste and origin. This tea is famous because of its fresh and soft taste. The best temperature to drink this tea is 80 Celsius. The Japanese drink this tea warm as well as cold. For example, you can enjoy a delicious, iced tea in the summer.

Health benefits sencha

Green tea exists since the 17^th century, this was de century where sencha was first drunk. Due to the high amount of nutrients contained in the leaves, sencha tea can really contribute to better health:

-Sencha tea fights free radicals. Free radicals are molecules which damage our bodies. Those radicals damage our DNA, this can cause cancer and accelerate the aging process. Sencha green tea has a lot of antioxidants and other nutrients. These nutrients help with the combat of those radicals.
-Sencha tea helps with weight loss. Sencha is a great fat burner. There are a lot of antioxidants in this tea to help burn those extra calories. The caffeine in this green tea can also stimulate the metabolism. This provides more energy during the day while burning fat. Do you want to know more about caffeine in tea, check out our other blog about theine.
-Sencha tea strengthens the immune system. Thanks to its high levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants, sencha tea can provide a lot of support for your immune system. It can prevent infections and viruses form getting the better of you by making more white blood cells. These cells can also help shorten the duration of a cold or flu.
-Sencha tea reduces cholesterol. Studies show that sencha green tea is good for lowering LDL, also called the bad part of cholesterol. In addition, it should also be great for lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease. First check with your doctor if you want to drink it for this purpose.
-Sencha tea improves the oral hygiene. Interestingly, sencha tea also contains fluoride which helps strengthen your teeth and prevent cavities. In addition, it can help prevent bad breath and fight germs in the mouth.

Matcha tea

In 1911 Zen Mater Eisai brought the phenomenon of green powdered tea from China to Japan. Matcha has long been the secret medicine at the court of the emperor and the elite. Matcha played the leading role in tea ceremonies that were very important in Japan.
Matcha is a special tea from Kyoto, a city in Japan. This green tea has a sweet and strong umami taste. Umami is the fifth scientific taste next to sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Umami literally means delicious and can best be described as a pleasant hearty full taste. It is used for Japanese tea confectionery and needs a specific preparation method to make the tea stand out.
Tencha is how the tea leaves are called before they are ground into matcha. It means that the tea plants are sheltered for several weeks before they are harvested. Because the plants get less sunlight, they produce less of the antioxidant catechin, which gives the tea a bitter taste. On the other hand, this process ensures that the amino acid l-theanine is produced more, which gives it a sweet taste.
Matcha is the healthiest tea there is. It contains the highest concentrations of antioxidants and polyphenols, two important substances that make a positive contribution to your health. A cup matcha contains as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular green tea. It helps to lower your stress level, increases mental clarity, stimulates better learning performance, counteracts aging effects and improves fat burning.

Tea cultures

At Tea Cultures there is the “Japan Matcha”. You can use this to make delicious matcha lattes, but an iced tea is also possible. What is special and delicious is the cocktail made with matcha tea. Check the recipe “spicy matcha margarita” and try it. In addition, there are of course also attributes that you have to use to make a matcha. Here you can find the accessories that belong to the making of matcha.
Tea Cultures also has different types of sencha tea. For example, the Tea Leaves Collection has the “Oriental Green” and “Green Lemon”. There is also lose leaf tea, like the “Japan Green Sencha” and “Green Lemon Sencha”.