Our premium matcha teas are available in different grades ranging from ultra premium to blending grade. Choose a tea based on the flavor profile that suits your palate. Our Ceremony Grade Kama is made from the youngest leaves, which are completely de-stemmed. The taste is rich, creamy and vegetal with no astringency. Morning Matcha, also made from young leaves, will have a distinct herbaceous note at the end. Gotcha is a blending grade, made form more mature leaves which have not be de-stemmed. The tea is best suited for blending in lattes and smoothies. All of our matcha is shade covered, rich in chlorophyll and catechins. Read more in our Matcha Source Buyer’s Guide.

A single serving can range from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of powder. We recommend starting with less. See how you feel. Over time you can experiment with the ration of tea to water (or liquid) that best suits you. Matcha is rich in fiber, so if your system has been sluggish, you may experience some renewed digestive vitality. That’s a good thing! Read more on our Preparing Matcha Page.

Matcha tea is made from shade-covered leaves. This process increases the chlorophyll content of the leaf and produces a full bodied, creamy vegetal taste, occasionally with an astringent note, depending on the grade of tea. Other factors like temperature of water and ration of powder to other ingredients will influence the flavor profile of your finished beverage.

Matcha tea is incredibly versatile and can be prepared as a tea with water, or used as an ingredient in lattes and smoothies. Traditionally matcha is whisked into a frothy beverage in a ceramic tea bowl, using a bamboo whisk. You can also sprinkle matcha powder over oatmeal, yogurt, fruit and blend with salt to add a unique greet tea accent to savory foods like tuna salad or eggs. However you like to prepare matcha, is the best way to drink it. Read more on our Matcha Recipes Page.

Matcha is whole tea leaves stone ground into a fine powder. When you drink matcha you ingest the whole leaf and receive 100% of the nutrients of the tea. Occasionally you will find matcha in tea bags, usually blended with other whole leaf teas. This is a low quality matcha, which will flavor the steep, but with little nutritional benefit. For pure matcha taste and maximum nutritional impact, choose loose powdered tea and prepare your own brew – your way of course.

Absolutely. Simply add 1T hot water to the poweder in the bottom of your cup. Make a smooth paste, then fill your cup with more fresh hot water. However, we do recommend trying the whisk. It is uniquely suited for creating a frothy bowl of matcha tea which has an airy pleasant texture and tastes wonderfully delicious.

Matcha Source teas are delightfully flexible. We encourage people, especially new comers, to explore all of the ways matcha tea can fit into your life. Most of our customers drink some version of a blending drink such as almond milk green tea lattes or morning smoothies. Matcha is delightful sprinkled over yogurt or berries. Or add to salt for a savory taste to eggs and fish. Visit the recipes page of our site for more sweet and savory ideas.

Matcha production is limited. Covering the fields with bamboo mats, or tarps, weakens the tea plants, and a longer recovery period is needed before they can be harvested again. Most farmers pick matcha leaves entirely by hand – although machine picking is not un-common. Local farmers closely supervise the growing, harvesting and sorting of matcha leaves. At the factory, production requires several processes including steaming, drying, destemming, sorting, grinding and packaging. Each stone grinder produces only about 40 grams of matcha in an hour.

Matcha has always been specially crafted tea in Japan, expensive and made in limited amounts since its introduction to Japan from China in the 1200’s.

The pricing of matcha in Japan is directly related to which leaves are used, where they were grown and which farmers cultivated it. When you look to buy matcha, you’ll find the most expensive ones are the greenest color and the softest in texture. This denotes that only the youngest leaves were used and de-spined (all coarse fibers, i.e. the stems, removed). Matcha is made in relatively limited quantities, and because it is so popular in Japan, relatively little remains for export. Find out more on our About Matcha page.

Keep your matcha well sealed in the fridge. Think of it as a fresh vegetable.

Matcha, when well stored, will retain its color, flavor and aroma for weeks and even months. We often call it a “near future” tea as you want to consume it as soon as possible for best flavor and taste. If you want fresh Matcha regularly delivered to your door, check out our subscription plans. You can cancel or pause at any time, right from your my account page on our website.

Yes. Matcha has about 30 mg caffeine/teaspoon of powder. Coffee has about 150 mg/8 ounces depending on how it is brewed. But matcha also contains l-theanine, an amino acid which improves cognitive function and induces a calm soothing effect on the mind. Part of the lure of the tea, is that Buddhists monks used it as an aid in meditation as the stimulation from the caffeine kept them alert, while the amino acids kept them calm and focused. Matcha is an excellent coffee alternative in the morning and an energy booster in the afternoon between lunch and dinner.

When drinking matcha, whole tea leaves are consumed (not just the steep as with other teas), providing 4 to 6 hours of mild steady energy. Matcha is both a stimulant and a relaxant, perfect for focusing on work, meditation, exercise or play. Find out about Matcha’s other benefits on our health benefits page.

Some studies show that drinking matcha with dairy milk can block the absorption of nutrients in the body. Try nut milks instead. Read our Almond Milk Matcha Latte Recipe here.

One gram of matcha contains 105 mg of total catechin content, and roughly 61% is EGCg. A single serving size is typically anywhere from 2-4 grams or 1-2tsp, depending on your preference. Matcha tea contains 4 times the catechins of regular brewed green tea. Find out more on our Change the odds page.

We receive documentation from our partners in Japan, showing no detectable levels of Cs-134 and Cs-137. Air, water, and soil are tested regularly and local officials have a firmly established base line going back decades.

Teas from China have been reported to contain heavy metals such as lead. All of our teas are sourced from Japan.

ORAC is a measure of antioxidant efficacy of a particular food.The ORAC rating of matcha tea is 1300 umoleTE/g compared to 105 for pomegranate fruit and 93 for wild blue berries. The USDA recommends 3,000- 5,000 ORAC units per day. One teaspoon of matcha tea, about 2 grams, contains approximately 2600 ORAC units. Discover more on our Change the odds page.

While fruit juices can be high in antioxidants, they tend to contain a lot of sugar and calories, and virtually no fiber. So enjoy them in moderation – or better yet, opt for the whole fruit, which provides antioxidants and fiber with fewer calories. Try combining Matcha in your smoothies for a delicious and nutritious combination. Read more on our Matcha smoothie recipes page.

Different moms have different answers on this. Please ask your doctor.

Probably not, but please ask your doctor.