Here’s everything you need to know about the difference between green tea and matcha

These days, stepping into a coffee shop can leave you overwhelmed with choice, with a vast array of options on offer, some of which may look or sound remarkably similar. This is certainly the case with matcha and green tea, and if you’re not entirely sure what you’re after, it’s easy to muddle the two up.

Much like black tea, both green tea and matcha are brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. However, all three diverge in their preparation once harvested.

Both green tea and matcha undergo considerably less oxidation than black tea, as they are heated almost immediately after being picked, whereas black tea leaves are left to ferment prior to heating.

Once heated, the leaves destined for green tea and those for matcha are separated. Shedding light on the contrasting methods, the experts at Perfect Ted explained: “Firstly, matcha is a ground green tea; ‘ma’ being ground and ‘cha’ being tea.

“So when you drink a matcha latte or matcha tea you are drinking the whole tea leaf as opposed to steeping the leaf in water and drinking that.”

This isn’t the only difference, and there’s another that occurs when growing the plant itself. The experts add: “Secondly, high quality matcha is covered during the final stage of growing before harvest so that the leaves produce more chlorophyll, EGCG and the incredible amino acid, l-theanine (this is where that bright green comes from).”

Although not an official rule, matcha is traditionally produced in Japan, specifically the Nishio and Uji regions, whereas green tea originates from China and is now cultivated across the world.

How to prepare green tea

Green tea is relatively straightforward to make. If using loose tea leaves, simply brew in water heated to around 85°C and leave to steep for two to three minutes.

Strain and serve — good quality leaves can typically be used more than once.

Although you might be tempted to pour boiling water straight from the kettle, doing so actually scorches the green tea and draws out harsh tannins.

If using a tea bag, follow the same method, simply removing the bag rather than straining the tea.

How to prepare matcha

Preparing matcha is slightly more involved, though the experts at Bird and Blend have put together a straightforward guide. For a hot matcha, begin by adding one teaspoon of powder, followed by a splash of warm water.

Using a matcha whisk, whisk in a W-shape until frothy, then top up with more hot water. If you’d rather have your matcha cold, top with iced water, lemonade or milk instead of the additional hot water.

Does matcha contain caffeine?

Both matcha and green tea contain caffeine, unless you choose a decaffeinated variety. One serving of green tea typically contains around 30-40mg of caffeine, while matcha is roughly double that at around 75mg.