You've probably heard of ceremonial grade matcha or know someone obsessed with it. After all, how could you not? It's everywhere!
Photo credit: piquetea.com
I've discovered the world's purest matcha, and I'm thrilled to share it with you. Not only is it certified pure, but it's also the highest ceremonial grade matcha.
It's well known high-quality matcha comes from Japan. Mostly from Uji, Japan. But there is another matcha from Japan to consider. The Pique brand matcha sources their matcha from Kagoshima, Japan. Soil and local weather conditions affect the flavor of tea as much as the varietal and processing methods.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Matcha green tea is a powdered tea from Japan used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony called Chanoyu.
The word ceremonial explains a type of high-grade matcha offered by all tea companies. Technically it is not an official certification of grade. It is characterized as the highest grade of matcha for the Japanese tea ceremony.
This Japanese tea is gaining popularity due to its densely packed nutrients. How is matcha different from other tea made from the same Camellia sinensis plant?
In the Japanese tea garden, when the new shoots on a tea bush have two or three leaves, they are shaded from sunlight for several weeks. This shading increases the plants' production of chlorophyll – hence the intense green color of the tea.
RELATED: A SIMPLE GUIDE TO JAPANESE GREEN TEA
The leaves get steamed before they're dried. The stems and veins get removed during the drying process. A stone mill then grinds the Tencha leaves into a fine powder.
RELATED: WHAT IS MATCHA?
The Japanese have produced matcha for over 1,000 years, elevating it to a fine art. There are other tea-growing countries producing matcha, but not with the same quality. Japan still makes the best matcha green tea available today.
Matcha Benefits
When you drink matcha, you are ingesting the entire leaf rich with nutrients. These nutrients include important antioxidants like EGCG, and higher theanine levels. EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate is a catechin, a powerful antioxidant known to fight free radicals.
Some matcha benefits include:
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- Stress Reduction: Provides calm, focused energy, and clarity.
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- Immune Support: Polyphenols of many types are abundant in tea and help promote immunity to foreign pathogens. Source
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- Cancer: Tea alone will not prevent disease, but combining it with a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating, it may certainly help. Source
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- Weight Loss: Some studies show the catechins in tea help burn fat into energy. A Swedish study found EGCG boosts levels of the gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinin. This is the hormone that tells your body you are satiated – or you’ve had enough to eat!
The World's Purest Matcha
There is some disturbing truth about tea that may not have occurred to you. What if the drink you're drinking for health could be a brew of pesticides and other toxins?
The latest research conducted by Canadian scientists revealed that teabags are releasing billions of microplastics in your tea brew! Source
Japanese farms are very close to each other, so 'pesticide drift' is a problem. Chemical herbicides and pesticides can get carried by the wind to nearby farms. Should you be concerned?
You want to be sure when you're drinking something for your health, that it's pure, especially if it's a daily habit. Consuming toxins can have negative cumulative long-term health effects. What can you do to avoid this?
Drink Matcha
Unlike tea bags, which require steeping, matcha is a powder derived from ground up tea leaves. Eliminating tea bags reduces the risk of consuming microplastics.
However, not all matcha is created equal. Most of the highest ceremonial grade matcha is not organic, and organic matcha is rarely the highest grade.
Photo credit: piquetea.com
Pique's Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Pique Sun Goddess Matcha. The world’s purest matcha crafted to the highest standards of the finest ceremonial grade matcha. Designed for mindfulness. A mug full of zen.
Pique is the world's purest ceremonial grade matcha. Pique screens their matcha for multiple toxins, including:
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- Heavy Metals
- Fluoride
- Pesticides
- Toxic Mold
- Radioactive Isotopes
Pique screens their matcha for specific microbes, heavy metals, radioactivity, and mycotoxins. See their Quadruple Toxin Screen for purity.
After viewing their lab results, you can see this company has screened for just about every possible toxin.
Uji vs. Kagoshima Matcha
Each breed of tea plant has different flavor profiles. The tea plant gets matched to the growing region based on its ability to thrive. That's why there are regional differences in the final product.
After studying the matcha-making process and learning from Japanese cultivars and tea masters, Pique finally found the perfect source.
Pique sources their matcha from a tea farm located in Kagoshima, which neighbors Okinawa, a 'Blue Zone' known for human longevity.
Kagoshima is the southernmost tip of Japan. The Kanayamidori breed found commonly in southern farms is a late budder and much sweeter. Other plant cultivars found in Kagoshima's milder climate are Saemidori, Okumidori, and Yutakamidori. These cultivars produce more delightful teas and provide new and exciting flavors.
Kagoshima is the furthest away from Fukushima's radioactive and industrial pollution as possible. The farm also shades their tea plants up to 35% longer, which creates a much higher level of l-theanine.
Related: How Theanine in Tea Can Make You Happy
Theanine is the ingredient in matcha that relaxes you while giving you calm, focused energy. Raising the level of l-theanine through shading also increases the creamy "umami" flavor of the matcha.
Pique ceremonial grade matcha makes the creamiest matcha lattes!
Where to Buy Pique Matcha
Pique Sun Goddess Matcha. The world’s purest matcha crafted to the highest standards of the finest ceremonial grade matcha. Designed for mindfulness. A mug full of zen.
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