Tea is consumed and loved by people for years, especially in Asian countries tea has been the most popular beverage. Several impressive benefits are offered by tea. It has been proved that tea not only benefits the drinker’s physical health, it also improves mental health. Besides, tea has bulks of anti-inflammatory, weight loss, skin, and digestion qualities.

Due to such fantastic qualities of tea,  the best Chinese tea supplier, Tea Globally has collected a range of amazing teas, so its customers can pick the best of best. With the increasing popularity of tea, one tea has risen to fame i.e. Matcha Tea. Although Matcha tea is not a recent discovery, it is only recently that its popularity has spread through the globe.

The Matcha has been in Japanese culture since as early as the 12th century, but its growing demand in this century has stimulated the production in other countries as well. Due to the matcha’s abundant availability and low price it has especially become popular in China. However, a question hangs in the air, “Is Chinese matcha the same as Japanese one?” and  “Can it compete with  the original matcha of Japan?”

In this blog, we will impart everything we know about Japanese and Chinese matcha.

Matcha Origin

All kinds of tea, be it green or black come out of the leaves of one single plant species, Camellia Sinensis. This special plant was initially discovered in Southeast China, where it gained instant popularity during the Tang dynasty. It became so popular that in a short period tea was a regular part of people’s lives. This idea of drinking pulverized green tea was later brought to Japan by Zen Master Eisai. In Japan Matcha was picked by monks who chose to endure long meditations, but not after long the incredible tea found its place in a Japanese paper class, Samurai society. 

It is now believed that since the 16th century, matcha has exclusively been used in the Japanese tea ceremony.

How Chinese green powdered tea is different from Japanese matcha?

The idea of growing matcha tea has now become a deeply embedded tradition in Japan since over 800 years Japanese have been growing and improving their tea production. On the other hand, Chinese who were the original matcha tea producers never seemed as enthusiastic about the powdered green tea. Asian countries such as China, India and Korea developed their way of growing tea. Nevertheless, even today Chinese green tea is considered to be the best in the globe.

The comparison

The popularity of matcha tea is growing so fast that people are purchasing it in bulks offline and online. However, many fans of this tea are unable to differentiate between Chinese and Japanese matcha tea. 

 

  • The color

 

The first and the most prominent difference between Chinese and Japanese matcha lies in the colour. Japanese Matcha gives a sharper and more vibrant hue while Chinese Matcha is a bit dull in comparison.

 

  • The texture

 

Another evident difference is the difference in the texture of the tea. Since the Japanese matcha is processed through machines, its matcha powder is much more refined. On the other hand, Chinese matcha is pulverized by hand, giving a bit tougher texture.

 

  • The taste

 

Now comes the difference most people are concerned about, i.e. the difference of the taste. The Japanese matcha is grown in complete darkness and is harvested within a few weeks. Consequently, the bitterness of the tea reduces significantly without losing any of the essential elements. Conversely, Chinese matcha holds much bitterness.

 

  • The nutrition 

 

Since Japanese matcha is grown under the shapes, all the essential nutrients get locked inside the green leaves. Although Chinese matcha is also loaded with nutrients, growing under the sun makes it lose some of its nutritional value.

Matcha popularity has increased beyond expectations and now matcha is not just considered to be a healthy tea. It has become a delicacy to be enjoyed in desserts and drinks. Since now you have come to know the difference between Chinese and Japanese matcha, you can confidently purchase matcha from your general store and even from online sites like Tea Globally.