Vegan Matcha Frappe

Oh how we LOVE matcha. Matcha, the current darling of the tea world has a caffeine kick with the antioxidants of a superfood.

This finely milled green tea powder, the staple ingredient upon which traditional Japanese tea ceremonies were built in the 12th century, has seen a massive surge in popularity thanks to its vibrant color, super-fueled health benefits, and beautiful, distinct flavor.

Matcha is processed green tea leaves that have been stone-ground into a delicate powder. The leaves are grown in a number of places but the best matcha comes from Japan and the most popular growing regions are in the southern half of the country.

Matcha provides 34mg of caffeine, not bad considering an espresso coffee provides 60mg, but the tea’s effect is much more intense and lasts longer because it contains amino acids and L-Theanine. L-Theanine has a calming, relaxing effect and slows the release of tea-caffeine.

Matcha contains higher levels of antioxidants per gram than goji berries, dark chocolate, pecans, acai berries and even spinach. It also boasts calcium, vitamin C, potassium and protein, a true superfood. 

If you compare that to what you’d get from a tea bag, one bowl of matcha is equivalent to approximately 10 cups of regular green tea. That is because matcha powder uses the entire green tea leaf instead of just dipping the leaf in hot water which provides only around 10% of the plant’s nutrients.

HOW MATCHA COMPARES TO GREEN TEA AND COFFEE