Matcha has been known for eons as traditional tea of Japan. This finely powdered green tea is touted for its delicious taste and amazing health benefits. But are we aware that there are grades and varieties of Matcha?

Let’s get to know the different types of Matcha that are available in the market and how can these be incorporated into our daily lives!

Is Matcha and Green Tea the same?

Nope! Matcha can be considered a form of Green Tea. Its cultivation, production, aroma, flavor, consumption pattern, and nutrients are different than any other Green Tea. Moreover, Green Teas are technically now grown all over the world but Matcha is still unique to Japan.

Matcha is harvested in the shade to maintain its nutrients, specifically chlorophyll. And that’s why you feel so vibrant and energized post consuming it. Matcha also goes through a slower grind that retains its nutrient content whereas normal green tea goes through pulverization with air pressure, so essentially it’s almost “pre-cooked” before you consume it. You can buy Matcha green tea online in India that helps keep you refreshed and boosts your metabolism.

When thinking of buying Matcha, you have to keep in mind the following traits and qualities:

• The Color ( The purest form of Matcha will be Vibrant Green)
• The Density and Texture ( The fine grind of the powder makes the flavor more delicate)
• The Brand of Matcha and its product quality
• Production Process
• Exposure to the oxygen
• The process of grinding
• The treatments it goes through before processing
• The added ingredients

Matcha and its Grades:

• Ceremonial
• Culinary: Café, Classic, Premium, Ingredient, and Kitchen

The Ceremonial Grade:

This is the high-end quality of Matcha and is considered to be of the highest grade. It’s used in traditional Matcha Ceremonies. Prepared from the youngest Matcha Leaves in which veins and stems are removed that leaves only the most nutritious part of the plant to be consumed. The leaves are turned into extremely fine texture and stone-grounded to generate a delicious taste.

Traditionally this grade Matcha is only served on its own in hot water and has a sweet and mild flavor compared to other grades of Matcha. Its flavor may be lost if you mix milk or sugar in it and is not recommended to be used for cooking.

Ceremonial Matcha is thick and has a grassy aroma. It is whisked with water through a Matcha whisk to get the smooth and velvety texture. Just ½ teaspoon is enough for 1 cup of hot water.
Thus, this high-grade Matcha is exclusive and meant for the ones willing to have it in its original form.

The Culinary Grade:

This cannot be categorized as a lower grade than ceremonial, the only difference is it has a different flavor profile and is more bitter and robust. These qualities make it better for experimenting with different Matcha recipes. This one too maintains its holistic taste, fresh and bright color which is only attributable to Matcha.

Types of Culinary Grade Matcha:

The Culinary Grade Matcha further has 5 grades. These 5 grades have their production and harvesting methods.

The Premium Grade:

This grade of Matcha is suited for your latte or a smoothie. It gives an instant nutritious and delicious shot of energy. It is a high-quality Matcha but prices lower than the ceremonial Matcha. This bright green-colored and fine-textured Matcha is good for everyday use as it breaks up easily in the water.

The Café Grade:

The leaves used in this grade are less delicate compared to premium grade, hence it gives a strong flavor. It’s often used for blended drinks especially the Cafes -lattes, other coffee preparations, smoothies. Mostly found at high-end coffee outlets, this strong green-colored Matcha has a potent flavor to be used for cooking and baking purpose.

The Classic Grade:

It’s a quality tea with bright green color and fine texture but comparatively more economical than the earlier two-Premium and Café. Slightly bitter but very creamy, it has a distinct flavor to it which gives it a strong aroma.

The Ingredient Grade:

It’s the best ingredient used in “recipes”. Thicker in consistency compared to café and classic grades it’s best used with dairy-based products like smoothies etc. It tends to get lumpy hence it’s recommended that you use a Matcha whisk to keep its consistency. It’s good for making desserts and sauces hence preferably stored with your baking collection.

The Kitchen Grade:

It is similar to ingredient grade in terms of being made out of less delicate leaves and thicker in consistency. It gives an astringent flavor because of the theanine and the different texture it has compared to other forms of Matcha. It best suits the large-scale production houses and is slightly darker in color compared to other Matchas.

It’s all perception:

In reality, there is no good or bad grade of Matcha. They are all-natural, full of vitamins and antioxidants, and delicious. It’s completely your choice based on what you wish to use it for. The different grades are just different flavors and textures. You can choose Matcha depending upon whether you wish to make it part of your baking procedure or you wish to sip it in its natural form. Find some of the best green tea online in India from a genuine tea store online that ranges from different varieties of green tea.