Hello, Penn Staters! Today, we are putting the spotlight on matcha: a trendy ingredient that you may be seeing in foods and beverages on or around campus.

Matcha has been around for a while, but has just started to gain popularity and become more mainstream over the past few years. You may have noticed matcha as an ingredient in everything from baked goods, to smoothies, to ice cream, and even face masks. It’s everywhere, but what exactly is it?

Matcha is a special type of green tea. You may recognize it from its vibrant green color, which is due in large part to how the tea leaves are harvested. Around twenty days before the harvest, the leaves are covered to block them from sunlight, which increases the amount of chlorophyll they produce, enhancing their green color. This process also increases levels of the amino acid L-Theanine. Some of the proposed health benefits that have been linked to L-Theanine include increased relaxation, enhanced focus, better memory, and learning, as well as reduced anxiety and stress. Green teas, especially matcha, are also known to be high in antioxidants as well. In fact, one study found that matcha had 137 times the content of an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate compared to China Green Tips, which is a very common type of green tea. It was also found to contain three times more antioxidants than the highest value for other green teas.

During harvest, the veins and stems of the tea leaves are removed and the leaves are ground down to yield a the nutrient-rich fine powder called Matcha. The powder can then be added to hot or cold water to create delicious teas and blended drinks, or used as an ingredient in baking or cooking. 

Matcha Powder-https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi2lbCn4_bbAhVn44MKHTzXBmsQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fremedyroots.com%2Fshop%2Fmatcha-powder%2F&psig=AOvVaw2yyHvmAvuZIbly77_Pl08V&ust=1530289454692208

Now that you know a little bit more about matcha, we encourage you to give it a try!  Stay tuned for more trendy food and beverage spotlights coming up!

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-matcha-tea#section6

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-matcha

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201708/what-you-need-know-about-l-theanine