Health-savvy people are embracing matcha tea, a plant from Japan that is becoming popular in the United States. Other people might have heard about it from friends or colleagues. This is designed to answer your basic questions about matcha tea to guide you on how to use it.

1. What Is Matcha Tea?Matcha is powdered green tea that comes from Japan. A long time ago, Japanese used matcha tea in the country’s Tea Ceremony. It contains a great amount of caffeine. Genuine matcha comes from high-quality shade-grown green tea that is steamed, leaf veins and stems removed, and finely chopped. People are using matcha tea in a number of ways, including in smoothies and on food.
2. Why Drink Matcha Tea? People are flocking to matcha because it offers so many health benefits beyond those that all green tea provide. Unlike drinking regular tea, you take in entire leaf of the plant. You get more vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. Matcha has been proven to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar and is also a source of vitamin C as well as beneficial minerals selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium. It has a great concentration of EGCg, an antioxidant that boosts the metabolism and helps fight cancer. However, since the human body tends to metabolize tea differently from coffee, the caffeine boost from matcha usually presents itself as a slow burn, which is better for your energy levels.
3. How Do You Make Matcha? In a sifter, put two scoops of matcha powder. Then, sift it into a small pottery bowl. Pour in ¼ cup of hot water, but you should not boil. Use the bamboo whisk vigorously to ensure that is stirred and cooked. Whisk vigorously until a fine foam forms on the surface of the water. You also could make a smoothie with the matcha tea powder. Add matcha and hot water to your blender jar and blend. You can add other fruits and vegetables to the smoothie or serve it over ice. Because it’s the ground up whole tea leaf, it won’t dissolve into liquid. That means you should drink it quickly or it will settle to the bottom of the cup and need to be whisked again. You could search online for other recipes using matcha. Some recipes use it on food to add nutrients or as flavoring. You could make sour cream matcha muffins or matcha mousse. Several places are putting it in ice cream.
4. How Do You Buy Matcha Tea? Real matcha is difficult and expensive to make. Their veins and stems are removed, then they’re ground between grooved granite stones. Even during a mechanized process, it can take an hour to powder just a dozen grams. But the term matcha is largely unregulated, allowing unscrupulous parties to grind lesser green teas, many not even shade grown and with stems and veins attached, and label and sell them as matcha. Look for ones that do not say powdered green tea. It should cost between $1 and $3 per gram. It should be an electric-frog green color. Real matcha should have clumps in it. Go online and find two or three people who sell it can compare. Buy from the one your gut tells is right.

 Author bio: Cynthia is freelance writer, blogger, and content marketing specialist at Headset Zone, Telegiants and Wiskmatcha. When she is not working probably enjoying time with her family. Follow her on twitter!