Frequently Asked Questions

Matcha is a type of green tea made by pulverizing shade grown green tea leaves into a fine powder. The shading process increases the chlorophyll content in the leaves, which helps them preserve theanine, an antioxidant amino acid that fights against stress, and provides the particular sweetness and umami. Instead of steeping tea leaves into water, matcha is consumed whole as powdered leaves, resulting in a higher nutrition intake.

Green tea and black tea are both made from the same tree; the camellia sinensis plant. The colours differ by how much they are fermented/oxidized. Although different kinds of tea can offer various health benefits, green tea tends to contain stronger antioxidants properties such as catechin, theanine, vitamin c, and more. Compared to coffee and black tea, green tea gives you a more mellow and steady caffeine boost.

We recommend you to enjoy the teas in the morning or during the day, since the caffeine and other antioxidants help you to boost metabolism throughout the day. It however depends on the tea, for instance our Bo Hojicha, Organic Yuzu Mint and Organic Floral Mix contains less caffeine and can be enjoyed anytime throughout the day including the evening. Green tea/Matcha can be a great alternative for coffee for their steady and mellow energy lift without the caffeine crash many people experience after consuming coffee. Studies show that antioxidants such as catechin included in matcha/green tea effectively helps fat burning. Make green tea your new and natural go to pre-workout!

Ceremonial grade matcha is the highest quality grade of matcha that is designed to be used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The taste is usually more complex and has a full-bodied flavour. Ceremonial grade matcha should also be consumed on its own whisked with hot water, rather than being used for lattes, cooking and baking

Japanese green tea leaves are harvested up to four times per year. First flush (ichibancha/shincha) is harvested from the end of April to the beginning of May, following the second flush (nibancha) harvested from the end of June to the beginning of July, third flush (sanbancha) harvested from the end of July to beginning of August, and fourth/autumn & winter flush (yonban/shu-tou bancha) harvested from September to October. Although the number of flushes and harvest timing depends on each tea farm, the first flush is usually considered to produce the best quality green tea, as the nutrients stored by the time spring arrives are most highly concentrated inside the tree. They are used for Sencha such as Gyokuro and ceremonial grade Matcha. On the other hand, the fourth/autumn & winter flush contain the highest volume of polysaccharide which helps prevent diabetes.

In order to keep its freshness, flavor and antioxidants to its best, we recommend you keep our matcha in our tin package, and store it in a refrigerator. However, matcha tends to absorb odors, hence if you keep it for a long time you can store them a freezer.