Matcha originated in China Sui Dynasty, rose in Tang Dynasty and flourished in Song Dynasty. It has a history of 1000 years. "Yun Lan is constantly blowing, and the white flowers are floating." Lu Tong, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, praised matcha, describing and praising the shape and color of matcha foam in his poems.
Since the Ming Dynasty, tea making was popular in China, the matcha tea ceremony in China was lost, and the tea house, the crystallization of ancient civilization in China, also disappeared. China's matcha has formed a historical dating, and it has become an eternal pain in the hearts of tea people in China. On the contrary, China Matcha, which entered Japan with Tang envoys at the end of the 9th century, developed in Japan. The Japanese combine tea tasting with religious philosophy, social morality and moral cultivation, and raise tea drinking to the height of "Tao". The unique Japanese tea ceremony has now become the quintessence of Japan, and has been cited as a national guest's gift, which is regarded as the best in Japan.
265438+At the beginning of the 20th century, Japanese scholars studying in Japan brought matcha back to the motherland, established the first matcha factory in China in Pudong New Area, developed and invented a number of matcha equipment, and obtained patents, thus ending the history of "Matcha = Japan" and welcoming the second spring of matcha in China.
2. What is matcha?
Matcha is a steamed cover of green tea which is ground into fine powder by natural stone mill. Its key words are shading//steam inactivation//stone mill.
Three. The making of matcha
1. Matcha mulching cultivation
The raw material of matcha is tea powder, but it is made of spring tea. In addition to strict fertilizer and water management, there are two key words in its production: cover and steaming. 20 days before picking spring tea, scaffolding must be set up to cover reed curtains and grass curtains, and the shading rate can reach over 98%. There is also a simple cover, covered with black plastic gauze, and the shading rate can only reach 70 ~ 85%. Experiments show that different materials and colors of shading tea have different effects.
Japanese scholar Yao Ziwu's research shows: "Covering and shading change environmental factors such as light intensity, light quality and temperature, thus affecting the formation of tea aroma quality. Open-air tea contains no B- sandalwood alcohol, benzoic acid and its esters, and the content of other aroma components is obviously lower than that of shade tea except for the higher content of lower aliphatic compounds. The contents of chlorophyll and amino acids in green tea increased obviously. Carotenoids are 65438 0.5 times higher than those cultivated in open air, their total amino acids are 65438 0.4 times higher than those cultivated in natural light, and their chlorophyll is 65438 0.6 times higher than those cut in natural light.
2. Matcha processing-steam fixation
Fresh tea leaves after picking were dried on the same day, and steam deactivation was used. Japanese scholar Xiu Shang's research showed that in the steaming process, the oxides such as cis -3- hexenol, cis -3- hexylacetate and linalool in tea increased greatly, and a large number of ionone compounds such as A- ionone and B- ionone were produced. The precursors of these aroma components are carotenoids, which constitute the unique aroma and taste of matcha. Therefore, the tea covered with cultivated green tea and steam-immobilized tea not only has special fragrance, green color and more delicious taste.
Table 3 Effect of light on chemical composition of tea (μ g% g)
Light conditions chlorophyll total nitrogen lysine arginine simple catechin
Natural light 0.28 4.47 73 1756 3.05438+0
Shading 0.444 4.90136 40451.88
China Agricultural Publishing House, edited by Wan Wan, the third edition of Tea Tree Biochemistry.
3. Matcha-grinding with natural stone mill
Matcha, its original meaning is tea ground with a stone mill. The stone mill for grinding tea leaves is called tea house. Huang Tingjian, a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, first described the tea house like this: "Only soak it in a poor mortar, and then grind it at first. The plan is extremely clever, and I believe that wise people can create things. " Tea house is completely different from the stone mill that we usually see grinding soybean milk powder, and its production is extremely complicated. The modern tea factory in China has disappeared. It is said that there are only 10 craftsmen who can make tea houses in Japan. The stone mill runs slowly. A tea mill works 1 hour, and only 40 grams of matcha is produced, which is less than a handle. Matcha is in the shape of "irregular tear" under the microscope, and its particle size is 2 ~ 20 microns (680 ~ 6800 mesh), which is almost the height that all modern mechanical crushing can't climb. After years of research on the ancient stone mill with the most advanced engineering technology and electronic equipment, Japanese stone mill expert and professor Sanlun sighed: "For matcha, at least at present, any mechanical grinding can't be better than the stone mill."
4. The nutritional value of matcha
In recent decades, people's understanding of tea has been greatly deepened, and the functional substance essence of tea has also been deeply understood. Nowadays, the toxic and side effects of antibiotics and growth hormone are increasingly questioned, and tea polyphenols are more and more deeply involved in people's diet because of their unique biological functions and "green" nature.
Although ordinary tea contains extremely high nutrients, only 35% of the ingredients in tea are really soluble in water, and a large number of effective ingredients that are insoluble in water are thrown away as tea dregs. Experiments show that drinking tea can absorb more nutrients than drinking tea. A bowl of matcha contains more than 30 cups of ordinary green tea, so almost all Japanese tea ceremony teachers live a long life. Changing from drinking tea to drinking tea is not only the reform of eating habits, but also the need to adapt to the fast-paced modern life. In recent years, Japan-China Friendship Exchange Association has joined hands with Shanghai Yuzhi Matcha Co., Ltd. to vigorously promote the slogan of "changing tea into tea" and actively advocate scientific, economical and simple ways of drinking tea to the public.
Matcha is rich in nutrients and essential trace elements for human body. Its main components are tea polyphenols, caffeine, free amino acids, chlorophyll, protein, aromatic substances, cellulose, vitamins C, A, B 1, B2, B3, B5, B6, E, K, H and other trace elements. Japanese matcha
Nutritional components of matcha (100g):
Protein 6.64 grams (nutrients that form muscles and bones)
Sugar 23.67 g (energy to maintain physical and sports vitality)
55.08g dietary fiber (to help excrete harmful substances in the body and prevent constipation and lifestyle diseases).
Fat 2.94g (active energy source)
β tea polyphenols 12090μg (which has a deep relationship with eye health and beauty)
Vitamin A 20 16μg (for beauty and skin care)
Vitamin B 1 0.2mg (energy metabolism. Energy source of brain and nerve)
Vitamin B 2 1.5 mg (promoting cell regeneration)
Vitamin C 30mg (an indispensable component of collagen production, is related to skin health and whitening. )
Vitamin K 1.350μ g (helpful for calcium deposition in bones, prevention of osteoporosis and regulation of blood balance)
Vitamin E 19 mg (antioxidant, anti-aging, vitamin known as rejuvenation)
Folic acid 1 19μg (preventing improper cell replication and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells is also an indispensable nutrition for pregnant women).
Pantothenic acid 0.9mg (maintaining skin and mucous membrane health)
Calcium 840 mg (to prevent osteoporosis)
Φ18mg (maintenance of hematopoiesis, especially for women).
Sodium 8.32mg (helps to maintain the balance of body fluids inside and outside cells.
) 727 mg of potassium (keep nerves and muscles working normally and eliminate excess salt in the body)
Magnesium 145mg (magnesium deficiency in human body will cause circulator disease)
Lead1.5mg (to maintain skin and hair health)
SOD activity 1260000 unit (anti-oxidation, preventing cell oxidation = preventing aging)
Studies have shown that tea polyphenols can eliminate excessive harmful free radicals in the body, regenerate efficient antioxidant substances such as α-VE, VC, GSH and SOD in the human body, thus protecting and repairing the antioxidant system, which has a significant effect on enhancing immunity, preventing cancer and preventing aging. Drinking green tea for a long time can reduce blood sugar, blood lipid and blood pressure, thus preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The medical research team of Showa University in Japan diluted 1 ml tea polyphenols solution to 1 of the concentration of ordinary tea, and put it into 10000 highly toxic Escherichia coli 0- 157. Five hours later, all the bacteria died, leaving none. Japanese women like to add matcha to the purchased finished milk or yogurt because the shelf life can be doubled after adding matcha. Therefore, primary and secondary schools in Japan provide free green tea to children all year round, and matcha green tea is provided in good conditions to prevent gastrointestinal diseases. The cellulose of matcha is 52.8 times that of spinach and 28.4 times that of celery. Its effects of digestion, weight loss, bodybuilding and acne removal are favored by women who love beauty today.
Meet real matcha and advocate a new concept of tea.
Comparison of components between drinking tea and drinking tea (content100g)-
Compare some units to eat matcha and drink green tea for brewing.
Sodium magnesium 3 3
Potassium and magnesium 2200 27
Calcium and magnesium 450 3
Magnesium mg 200 2
Phosphomagnesium 290 2
Titanium magnesium 20 2
Lead sulfite mg 3.20
Copper and magnesium 1.3 0.0 1
Vitamin a ug 13.000
Vitamin B 1mg0.360
Vitamin B2 mg 1.43 0.03
Nicotinic acid mg 550.3 1
Vitamin b 6 mg 0.46 0.0 1
Folic acid ug 1300 16
Pantothenic acid mg 3. 1 0.04
Vitamin C mg 260 6
* Selected from: [Five standard ingredients of Japanese food] compiled by the resources survey of Japan Science and Technology Agency.
Application of verb (abbreviation of verb) matcha
In today's Japan, the matcha industry is developing very rapidly. Matcha has no additives, preservatives and artificial colors. As a nutritional fortifier and natural pigment additive, it is widely used in food, health care products, cosmetics and other industries, and a wide variety of matcha candy is derived:
Food: moon cakes, biscuits, melon seeds, ice cream, noodles, matcha chocolate, matcha ice cream, matcha cake, matcha bread, matcha jelly, matcha candy,
Drinks: canned drinks, solid drinks, milk, yogurt, matcha canned drinks, etc.
Cosmetics: beauty products, matcha mask, matcha powder cake, matcha soap, matcha shampoo, etc.
Chemicals for daily use:
6. Matcha is not green tea powder
Matcha is not only deeply loved by Japanese people for thousands of years, but also popular in Europe and America in recent years. From 2004 to 2006, Japan's matcha exports quadrupled. With Haagen-Dazs and Shanghai Bright Dairy taking the lead in introducing matcha ice cream and matcha milk in China, people in China are becoming more and more interested in matcha. When you open Alibaba, you can see that there are more than a dozen companies selling matcha. There are more than 20 pages and more than 600 pieces of information about matcha. However, after in-depth investigation, it can be found that what is seen on the market at present is almost not matcha in the true sense, but can only be called green tea powder. Its raw materials are basically ordinary fried green, using a metal crusher, all of which are instantly crushed without exception.
Because of the essential difference between matcha and green tea powder, their own values are completely different. In the international market, the price of one kilogram of green tea powder is 1200 ~ 1800 yen (RMB 70 ~ 1 10 yuan/kg), while the price of 40 grams of matcha is 180 yuan.
The improper use of the word "matcha" is strictly prohibited internationally.
★ It is not steamed green tea, and the tea powder processed by stone mill at the end of the year is not called matcha.
★ Never use the word "matcha" in products that do not use matcha raw materials.
★ Advertisements and explanatory words that mislead consumers such as "matcha taste" and "matcha style" should be used with caution.
★ It is the requirement of green tea powder. The formula clearly indicates the use of (green tea powder).
Due to the long history of matcha culture in China, not only Chinese people know little about matcha, but also the country has no standards for the production of matcha, neither national standards nor industry standards. Although there are some local standards for green tea powder in some areas, it is only the hygienic index of ordinary tea powder. At present, the identification of tea powder products in the market is confusing, and many enterprises call green tea powder matcha, which intentionally or unintentionally deceives and misleads consumers.
In the China market, we can also see that most foreign enterprises are standardized, especially Japanese enterprises, and they will never use the word "matcha" easily. Even if some multinational companies use "matcha" in their product names, they must also indicate "green tea powder" in brackets or in the raw material column of the label, such as "Qingrun Matcha" of an internationally renowned brand. Although it is absolutely forbidden to label the edge ball in the international market, it is quite commendable to be able to indicate on the label that its raw material is green tea powder under the current chaotic domestic market background.
In the process of misinformation, many consumers think that grinding green tea into powder is matcha, and some people think that the difference between matcha and green tea powder is only the difference in thickness. The ground tea is matcha and the coarse tea powder is green tea powder. Some people even call matcha "matcha powder". The term "matcha powder" is really hard to understand, just like calling cheongsam "cheongsam skirt" and Coca-Cola "Coca-Cola water". China, who is famous for his tea, took the essence of his ancestors by mistake, which will make him laugh.
Japanese matcha (natural stone mill) = = steamed youth tea with raw material cover = = processed natural stone mill (low speed, low temperature) = = output 40g/ hour.
Japanese green tea powder (ball mill) = = = steamed youth tea with raw material cover = = processing ball mill (low speed and low temperature) = = = the output is about 2 ~ 4 kg/hour.
China green tea powder (jet mill) = = raw material common roasted green tea = = processing mill (high speed and high temperature) = = = the output is about 20~ 100KG/ hour.
Japanese matcha (natural stone mill) = = = fineness of 20 ~ 2 microns = = emerald green = = seaweed fragrance = = slightly sweet and astringent = = suspended for more than 300 seconds = = rich and uniform foam.
Japanese green tea powder (ball mill) = = fineness 50 ~ 10μ m = = emerald green = = grass fragrance = = = = slightly astringent = = = = = precipitate = = = = = = foam.
China green tea powder (jet mill) = = fineness 180 ~ 75 microns = = yellow-green = = incense = = = = bitter = = = = = = serious precipitation = = = = almost no foam.
Seven. Matcha's return to the motherland, the problems faced by China.
The whole world knows that "the world's matcha is in Japan, and Japan's matcha is in Uji". Although the Japanese themselves admit that Japanese matcha comes from China. Sadly, however, modern China has nothing to do with matcha, which has long been the quintessence of Japanese culture! Fortunately, in recent years, China's first matcha production base-Shanghai Yuzhi Matcha Co., Ltd. appeared in Pudong, Shanghai. The founders of the company are scholars studying in Japan. During their long life in Japan, they accepted "other cultures" from their motherland in a foreign country. At the same time, they feel the pain of the motherland's vast culture of "planting flowers inside the wall and opening outside the wall" and feel guilty about their ancestors. After long-term research and preparation, with the full assistance of the parent company "Japan Butterfly Valley Co., Ltd." and "NPO Japan-China Friendship Exchange Association", a complete set of Japanese matcha processing technology and equipment was introduced, and the first company in China with matcha as its industry was established. And applied for the patent of "micropowder stone mill".
With the assistance of Shanghai Bureau of Quality Standardization, the company successfully formulated the first domestic standard of matcha, and defined the definition of matcha:
"Matcha-steamed green tea is covered with fine powder ground with natural stone mill."
Although Japanese Butterfly Valley Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Yuzhi Matcha Co., Ltd. formulated the first matcha standard in China, it cannot replace the national standard after all, and the matcha market in China is mixed. Everyone claims that their products are matcha, but they don't know what the real matcha is. "Tea powder has no national or industrial standards, and its products are basically produced according to enterprise standards or export contracts", which not only contributes to the chaos in China market, but also hinders China's matcha from going global. Whether matcha can develop smoothly in China and be recognized by the international community is the key to standardize the matcha market in China, and the key to standardize the market depends on the formulation of national standards for matcha. I hope to see the national standard or industry standard of matcha in the near future.
Eight. Concluding remarks
In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards, people not only pay attention to the nutritional composition of food, but also pay attention to its color. People's appetite is almost directly proportional to their feelings about food. People instinctively accept natural green foods (such as fruits and vegetables) more easily. In Japan, people eat 30 kinds of food every day, but few people can accomplish this task, and matcha has almost all the nutrients of vegetables at the same time. Matcha can not only be drunk directly, but also be made into various matcha foods. Matcha, with its unique biological activity, overall physiological regulation function in animals and "green" characteristics, should conform to the consumption concept and environmental awareness of the public in the new era, and also meet the needs of modern life rhythm. To be sure, with the progress of science and technology and the in-depth study of green additives, the application prospect of matcha in food and beverage will be immeasurable.