20 Tasty Ways to Sweeten Your Matcha Green Tea

Matcha green tea is a finely powdered powder derived from specially cultivated and processed Japanese green tea leaves. Matcha green tea is prepared from the younger tea leaves of the green tea plant, which is cultivated on green tea bushes in partial shade.

The shadow helps to boost the chlorophyll, or nutrient that gives green tea leaves their distinctive green color, concentration in the leaves. This increases their brightness and nutrition while also contributing to their bitter and grassy taste.

Matcha green tea leaves are hand-picked and removed from their stems and veins.

Matcha green tea leaves are traditionally powdered using granite stones, although there are far more contemporary methods available today, albeit grinding still takes approximately an hour if done correctly and may be done in the dark to preserve nutrients.

Although matcha green tea powder may be purchased pre-ground, a mortar and pestle is a typical method of grinding powder.

It’s used in a number of dishes, including ice cream, smoothies, frosting, doughnuts, and more, but the simplest and most typical application is in teas, both hot and iced. Matcha green tea may also be used to make other beverages such as lattes.

Because matcha green tea is manufactured from leaves with high chlorophyll levels, the flavor of matcha green tea might be off-putting to certain tea consumers. The same component that gives matcha green tea its vibrant green color also gives it a vegetable-like, bitter, and almost grassy flavor.

Green tea is an excellent beverage for both cooling and warming; it also has several recognized health advantages. Green tea is created simply by steeping green tea leaves, usually in a tea bag, although some people brew loose-leaf tea, in boiling water and adding tea additions like honey or milk.

Matcha tea has powder and whisking added to it.

Some consider it to be the healthiest beverage. Green tea contains catechin, an antioxidant that protects cells from harm. Green tea has been demonstrated to enhance blood flow, decrease cholesterol, and prevent a range of heart-related illnesses. It also aids with cognitive function and weight reduction.

While green tea is delicious on its own, matcha green tea offers even more advantages. When you drink regular green tea, you throw away the tea bag and hence the green tea leaves after the beverage is produced.

The powder in matcha green tea is ingested, so you get the full leaf! As a consequence, you receive an additional dosage of antioxidants, which decrease blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and enhance metabolism.

Matcha green tea is also rich in EGCG, or epigallocatchin gallate, a catechin. Epigallocatchin may help you lose weight and avoid heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Matcha green tea includes caffeine, although not as much as black tea or coffee; matcha green tea has more caffeine than ordinary brewed green tea (but it also contains more EGCG, ranging from 17 mg to 109 mg per serving!).

History of Matcha

While matcha green tea and matcha flavoring may seem to be a recent craze, matcha has been around for than a thousand years. Matcha green tea may be traced back to the time when China was ruled by dynasties and Japan was ruled by Shoguns.

Matcha may be traced back to China’s Tang Dynasty, which ruled from the 7th through the 10th century. During the Tang Dynasty, tea leaves were steamed and formed into bricks before being roasted and crushed into a powder that was blended with water and salt.

The Song Dynasty, which ruled from the 10th through the 13th century, is credited for popularizing matcha green tea.

Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist monk, studied in China before returning to Japan with tea seedlings and knowledge on how to make powdered matcha green tea!

Because matcha was a luxury cultivated in tiny amounts, it became a status symbol. In addition, the Japanese developed a way of cultivating matcha green tea seedlings that enhances all of the health advantages.

Matcha is also well-known for its usage in the Matcha Ritual. Beginning in the 1500s, a Zen student called Murata Juko combined remnants of tea ceremony pillars to construct a formal ritual that included the production and drinking of matcha green tea, as well as a ceremony.

Zen Master Sen no Rikyu is officially credited for popularizing Juko’s tea ceremony routine using matcha green tea.

The matcha green tea ceremony is now generally recognized as a highly historical and well-known component of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The Japanese Tea Ceremony is based on four fundamental principles:

• Tranquility
• Respect
• Purity
• Harmony

How to Make Matcha Green Tea

You must first understand how to create matcha green tea before you can sweeten it. Matcha green tea has a two-month shelf life, so purchase in little amounts and keep them in the fridge for optimal freshness (and color).

If you want to cook with matcha green tea often, you might consider purchasing a chasen, a matcha green tea-specific bamboo whisk. It is designed to remove clumps of matcha green tea while generating a pleasing coating of froth.

A spoon or fork will not break up matcha green tea, but a regular whisk will.

• The first thing you’ll notice about matcha green tea is how readily it clumps. As a result, sift a quarter teaspoon (for one serving) gently into a small dish or cup before adding any liquids to prevent a lumpy drink.
• Next, combine two ounces of hot water with the dry matcha green tea powder in a dish or cup.
• or in a zigzag manner to distribute the matcha green tea powder evenly and form the foam layer. Your matcha green tea will not froth if you whisk it in a circular motion, akin to scrambling eggs.Using a whisk, vigorously whisk from side to side, back and forth.
• Pour in extra hot water, or make a latte with steamed milk! Use six ounces of your preferred drink.
• Add whatever sweetener you’ve selected until it’s sweet enough for you.
• Finally, whisk once more until froth is formed.

How to Sweeten Matcha Green Tea

Green tea may have a harsh, grassy flavor to it. Fortunately, there are many methods to sweeten matcha green tea without spending money on a sugary drink from a pricey commercial chain.

It is normally recommended to purchase a matcha green tea that has no added sugar when adding your own sweetener.

• Matcha Green Tea with Added Sugar: If your matcha green tea is too bitter, get matcha green tea with sugar already added! These tastes will undoubtedly be less harsh and sweeter than sugar-free equivalents.
• Honey: Honey is an excellent sweetener for most teas, but it works particularly well with matcha green tea.
• Table Sugar: Using table sugar to sweeten your matcha green tea is arguably the simplest method. Table sugar is a common addition found in most teas and coffees, and it will undoubtedly sweeten your matcha green tea. Just be cautious not to overdo it!
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is an excellent addition to matcha green tea since it not only sweetens it but also gives a rich caramel and toffee-like taste. It pairs wonderfully with both chocolate and fruity tastes, as well as matcha green tea.
• Maple Syrup: This is a Canadian ingredient, and many Canadians swear by it when combined with matcha green tea. The maple syrup effectively but subtly changes the flavor of matcha green tea. It has 260 calories per 100g serving, however it is quite inexpensive, widely accessible, and tasty.
• Stevia: Stevia is a popular sugar substitute that you’ve probably heard of. It stands out since it has no calories and is completely natural. Stevia, a delicate and somewhat bitter taste in and of itself, merely acts to enhance the natural flavor of matcha green tea without overpowering it.
• Soy Milk: Another mild sweetener is soy milk. It is, nevertheless, abundant in protein and includes vitamins B-12 (a mood booster), A, potassium, and calcium. Because it is a plant-based product, it may have a vegetable-like taste, but there are many flavored choices (such as vanilla) that are sweeter and pair well with matcha green tea!
• Oat milk tastes similar to cow’s milk but is sweeter than it and most other non-dairy alternative milks. Although it has an oat-like flavor, it combines surprisingly nicely with matcha green tea.
• Coconut Milk: Due to its nutty and tropical taste, coconut milk is a distinctive sweetener. Light coconut is an excellent option with a milder taste and a higher water content.
• Almond Milk: Almond milk, like soy milk, has a delicate sweetness and a variety of tastes (again, vanilla works great!). Almond milk, on the other hand, has a distinct nutty flavor with less planty overtones than soy milk.
• Cashew Milk: Cashew milk is less nutty and, in some ways, less intense than almond milk. It also has a somewhat thicker consistency. It has a taste characteristic that is both sweet and salty.
• Macadamia Nut Milk: Macadamia nut milk has a creamy, buttery taste with a nut undertone. It tastes more pronounced than almond milk and is surprisingly smooth.
• Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar, also known as coconut crystals, is a very uncommon ingredient that, due to its delicate sweetness, pairs nicely with matcha green tea. It tastes similar to brown sugar and has a caramel-like flavor.
• Apple Honey: Apple honey is a popular ingredient in vegan cuisine. Apple honey is incredibly simple to produce and works wonderfully with matcha green tea.
• Agave Syrup: Agave syrup is a very sweet sweetener. However, it is a popular addition to matcha green tea! Just keep in mind that a little may go a long way. You may also experiment with other tastes, with darker syrups having a stronger caramel flavor and lighter varieties having a less powerful, more neutral flavor.
• Medjool Dates: This is an unusual ingredient, but Medjool dates have a distinct caramel taste that pairs well with matcha green tea. It is high in calories, but it is also high in antioxidants and aids digestion. Date syrup may be created from them, or they can be mixed into a more mild sweetener.
• Cane sugar is a less refined, more natural counterpart of table sugar. It contains less sugar per serving, so it’s healthier, but it still tastes delicious. It is a very sweet sugar that has a pleasant fruity scent.
• Beet Sugar: Beet sugar has an earthy, oxidized fragrance. Beet sugar is also claimed to have a somewhat scorched aftertaste, however this is considered to be subtle.
• Date Sugar: The taste of date sugar is as startling as the product itself. This sugar has a distinct butterscotch flavor! Its antioxidant and digestive help qualities are comparable to those of medjool dates. It’s a terrific way to spruce up matcha green tea and add even more sweetness to the normally harsh drink.
• Monk Fruit: Monk fruit is a very common sweetener that has no calories, sugar, or carbohydrates. Still, monk fruit has a very pronounced sweet, perhaps overly sweet taste. Nonetheless, it is high in antioxidants. While it is available, you may have to browse through many shops before you discover it.