Green Tea Latte

Green tea has become so popular that you can't walk into a cafe, juice bar, or even bakery without finding something flavored with it on the menu. Items with the essence of green tea are actually flavored with matcha powder, which is made from finely ground tea leaves. It’s used to make the frothy green drink that you may recognize from Japanese tea ceremonies.


A little info about Matcha:
Matcha contains quite a few vitamins and minerals, but it’s especially high in vitamin C and other antioxidants. Most notable is the antioxidant EGCG, which you may have heard some buzz on recently, as it’s being studied for its immuno- protective properties. This type of green tea serves up a good amount of dietary fiber too.

In Japan, matcha is made by growing the tea leaves under shade...this prevents the sunlight from depleting their vitamins and color. The leaves are then dried and carefully stone ground into a fine powder…so when you consume this tea, you’re essentially drinking the entire tea leaf instead of just the brew.


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Matcha can be somewhat of an acquired taste, especially if you’re not a fan of green tea, since most green teas have a slightly vegetal flavor. But good matcha powder manages to taste “green” without being too bitter. I've tried turning my parents onto drinking it for the health benefits, and so far my mom hates it, while my dad can't get enough, lol.

Many people report getting a great boost of energy from matcha, and that's no suprise considering a cup of the tea can have up to as much caffeine as coffee! It's that concentrated.

The difference is that you won't get the usual jitters or energy crash that you can get from a cup of joe. This is mainly due to the vitamins and other compounds in matcha that cancel that side effect out.

Drinking one cup of matcha is like drinking 10 cups of regular brewed green tea!


Buying Matcha

It's getting easier to find matcha and matcha related items in stores now as it becomes more mainstream. There are quite a few brands of matcha latte mixes out there, but so far I've found their green tea flavor to be kind of faint. Plus, they're usually loaded with sugar and other fillers.

For instance, notice the difference between the Trader Joe's matcha latte mix on the left and some actual Japanese matcha powder. Even based on appearance alone, you have to wonder how much green tea is actually in the TJ's mix!

Matcha powder does tend to run on the expensive side, but unless you're planning host traditional Japanese tea ceremonies in your living room, there's really no need to pay $50 per ounce :o)

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The brand pictured above is pretty reasonable...I found it for about $6 at Pearl River Mart, and I've seen it for close to that price online as well. Whole Foods also sells some brands that I think run somewhere between $10-$15. There are quite a few places online that sell quality matcha too.
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The cool thing about having the matcha powder over a mix is the versatility. The flavor is strong enough that you can make drinks with it, bake with it, even stir some into vanilla ice cream for a quick green tea flavored dessert :)

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Here's one of my favorite ways to enjoy matcha, and since it lacks all the extra sugar and syrups, I think it's way healthier than Starbucks' version:

Matcha Latte

1 /2 to 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder, depending on your taste
2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup
6 oz vanilla soy milk
Cold water

Milk frother or small whisk

Start by adding the honey and matcha to the bottom of your mug, then whisk in some cold water (usually no more than 2 tablespoons) to make a smooth base. I use my handy-dandy frother from Ikea.

In another cup, heat the soymilk in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. The milk should be steaming hot, but not boiling.

Whisk the hot milk into your green tea mixture until combined and frothy. That’s it!

Enjoy!