The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Best Matcha Tea

Even if you’ve never tried matcha before, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of it. It’s exploded in popularity over the last few years with:

• Matcha lattes
• Matcha shots
• Matcha-flavored desserts

You can find it in coffee shops, health food stores, and even your local grocery store. And it’s no wonder matcha is everywhere. It’s delicious, unique, and nutritious. Matcha drinkers get to enjoy countless health benefits, some of which include:

• Heart health support
• Liver health support
• Cancer prevention
• Weight loss
• More energy
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduced risk of stroke
• Reduced risk of heart disease
  

Matcha is made from the same plant as green, white, and black tea (Camellia sinensis). And more specifically, it’s a fine powder made from whole green tea leaves. This means it has more caffeine and antioxidants than traditional green tea alone. So let’s dive into matcha tea to discover even more about this delicious, nutritious drink.

*Rest assured knowing that we take our matcha as seriously as you do. We only include the very best of the best when it comes to tea. So everything you find on our top picks lists is based on its reviews, its sales, and its ingredients.

The best matcha for beginners

Matcha is delicious — but for some, it’s also an acquired taste. That’s why we put together this list of beginner-friendly matcha powders. Each one is approved by newcomers, easy to make, and endlessly tasty.

Jade Leaf Matcha

Jade Leaf Matcha is consistently rated five out of five stars. And it’s the #1 selling farm-direct organic Japanese matcha powder. Use it to make traditional hot matcha, iced tea, or even a latte. It’s well-rounded and rich in flavor — and packed with tons of antioxidants.

Ippodo Sayaka Matcha

Ippodo Tea specifically recommends this brew for matcha newcomers. It’s rich, slightly sweet, and a tiny bit bitter. Pick up on umami flavors with every sip of this smooth, light-hearted tea.

Matchabar

Matchabar has a ceremonial-grade matcha tea powder. It’s Japanese matcha that’s made with premium, first-harvest authentic leaves. You’ll notice a natural boost in energy with its antioxidants and amino acids. It’s sweet, earthy, and doesn’t have any bitter tones.

Kettl Soukou Matcha

If you’re all about the mouth feels, this matcha is for you. Kettl’s Soukou Matcha tea powder is velvety smooth and made with premier leaves. It’s fairly priced given its quality. And it’s the perfect matcha to drink every day, with any meal.

The best organic matcha powders

Lots of tea drinkers appreciate organic matcha powder. It’s a matcha that’s made without any additives or harmful chemicals like pesticides. Invest in one of the quality organic matcha powders below:

Encha Matcha

Encha offers a quality ceremonial-grade organic matcha powder. It’s tender, smooth, and made from premium green tea leaves. Enjoy its rich and pure taste in every sip, no matter how you prepare it.

Rishi Organic Matcha

Sip on Rishi’s organic matcha tea powder for a refreshing, relaxing break. It’s traditional Japanese green tea powder that’s shade-grown and stone-milled. Enjoy it’s bright green color and full-bodied flavors in every cup.

Kiss Me Organics Matcha

Kiss Me Organics also has an organic matcha green tea powder. It’s the perfect choice for smoothies, lattes, shakes, and baked goods. Use it to flavor your favorite treats, or for an added boost in energy and metabolism.

Tenzo Organic Matcha

This all-organic matcha powder is great for coffee drinkers looking to kick the bait. It’s got 36 mg of caffeine per serving and it’s ceremonial-grade quality. Drink it with hot water, in lattes, or as a smoothie extra.

Pique Sun Goddess Organic Matcha

This delicious organic matcha powder has no added preservatives, sugars, or artificial sweeteners. If you’re looking for a quality cup of matcha without any of the extra stuff, this is a great choice. Enjoy this ceremonial-grade brew on its own or in a latte.

Pure Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea

Pure Organic has a 100% organic matcha green tea powder. It’s keto-friendly, perfect for baking, and aids in weight loss. All you need is a few scoops, some hot water, and a whisk to make the perfect cup of ceremonial-grade matcha.

MediMatcha Organic Matcha

This organic ceremonial-grade matcha powder is grown in Kyoto, Japan. It’s hand-picked in small batches to ensure freshness and quality in every cup. Use this slightly-sweet matcha powder to boost energy levels and improve focus.

The best-sweetened matcha powders

Some matcha drinkers love bitter notes. Others prefer earthier tones. And some matcha enthusiasts are into sweetened brews. If you want some sugar in your next cup, try one of these highly-recommended sweetened matchas:

This slightly-sweetened matcha tea powder is ideal for smoothies, baked goods, and lattes. It’s finely milled, versatile, and easy to add to any of your favorite treats. Plus, it’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants in every single scoop.

If you’re already a fan of Rishi’s matcha blends, the Sweet Matcha powder is worth a try. It’s the same quality Japanese green tea powder, but with a twist of sweetness. We recommend this one specifically for hot or iced matcha lattes.

This gluten-free, organic, and nutrient-dense matcha is another great find worth every penny. Use this sweetened matcha powder to make high-quality, tasty lattes — hot or iced. It’s a tasty blend of 100% organic matcha and 100% organic cane sugar.

Cherie Sweet Heart Matcha Green Tea Powder

If you want a sweet matcha powder to craft quality treats with, Cheri Sweet Heart is an all-time favorite. It’s packed with flavor, sweetness, and all those nutrients you crave. Use it in smoothies, baking, lattes, and other delicious recipes.

The best ceremonial-grade matcha powders

Ceremonial-grade matcha is a special kind of powder for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It’s consumed on its own, instead of in lattes or desserts. Because of this, ceremonial-grade matcha is usually very smooth, nuanced, and subtle.

If you want to dive even deeper into the world of matcha, give one of these ceremonial-grade powders a try:

Kyoto Dew Ceremonial Grade Matcha

Kyoto Dew makes a quality ceremonial-grade matcha green tea that’s certainly worth a try. Its radiation-free, zero-sugar formula is crafted with 100% organic Japanese matcha. This means it’s perfect to whisk up in some hot water, sit back, and enjoy each sip.

Matcha Konomi Akira Organic Ceremonial Matcha

Enjoy this premium matcha green tea powder sweetened or unsweetened, hot or iced. It’s stone-ground and USDA-certified organic. Plus, this ceremonial-grade matcha tea is sourced straight from Kyoto, Japan.

Matcha Moon Organic Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha

Matcha Moon offers an organic matcha tea that’s perfect for traditional ceremonies. Drink it whisked in hot water for the ultimate matcha tea experience. Or, serve it up iced for a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up.

Jade Leaf Ceremonial Grade Matcha

Try Jade Leaf’s ceremonial-grade matcha green tea powder. The powder is the premium first harvest from Japan. And it’s organic, naturally gluten-free, and vegan. Enjoy its antioxidants in every single sip.

The best culinary-grade matcha powders

If you want to flavor in baked goods, smoothies, and other foods with matcha, reach for these options. Culinary-grade is slightly lower than ceremonial-grade, but it’s also slightly less expensive. And it’s designed to have a bolder, stronger taste that can stand out against other ingredients.

The next time you want to make a matcha-flavored treat, reach for one of these top-quality powders:

Aprika Life Premium Culinary Grade Matcha

Aprika’s culinary-grade matcha is imported directly from Japan and hand-picked. It’s taste is smooth, refined, and never bitter. Use it for smoothies, baked goods, and other matcha-flavored treats.

Leopard Fine Culinary Grade Matcha (Pantenger)

This premium first-harvest matcha is perfect for all things culinary. Flavor lattes, smoothies, and baked goods with a scoop of this delicious powder. Plus, get a nice energy boost from each serving.

Kenko Culinary Grade Matcha

Get ready to cook, bake, blend, and shake with Kenko’s culinary-grade matcha green tea powder. It’s made with 100% pure stone-ground tea leaves and has a smooth, vibrant taste. Get all the matcha flavor and antioxidants in one convenient package.

Jade Leaf Culinary Grade Matcha

This 100% pure ground green tea powder is crafted from premium second-harvest leaves. It’s versatile matcha that’s perfect for food and skincare treatments. Either way, enjoy its well-rounded taste from the Kyoto, Japan region.

The benefits of matcha tea

Lucky for tea drinkers, matcha is high in catechins. It’s a kind of plant compound that’s found in some teas and acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants work to stabilize free radicals. Or compounds that damage the cells in our bodies and lead to illness, disease, and premature aging.

So when you steep matcha tea, you get more of those antioxidant compounds. According to some studies, a cup of matcha has over 130 times the catechins compared to traditional green tea. You’ll also get tons of other health benefits with every cup of matcha like:

• Liver health support
• Better cognitive function
• More alertness
• Boosts in energy
• Decreased stress levels
• Enhanced relaxation
• Cancer prevention
• Heart health support
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduced risk of stroke
• Weight loss
  

Don’t miss out on these powerful health benefits and start your tea kettle now! Matcha tea is easy to brew. So in just a few minutes, you’ll be sipping on a cup of nutritious tea.

The caffeine consistency in matcha tea

Matcha has enough caffeine to give you a decent boost. But it’s less than other kinds of tea, coffee, and energy drinks.

For example, the average cup of coffee has somewhere between 100 mg and 160 mg of caffeine. An energy drink has about 110 mg of caffeine. Black tea has about 50 mg per 6 oz cup.

Matcha tea sits around black tea on the caffeine scale. Each 6 oz cup has between 30 mg and 60 mg of caffeine depending on:

• Steep time
• Temperature
• Brand

The longer you steep your matcha, the more caffeine. As well, the hotter you steep it at, the more caffeine. And of course, caffeine content varies based on brand.

Final thoughts and top picks

There are so many ways to enjoy a delicious cup of matcha. Hot, iced, in a latte — you name it. It’s easy to make and it’s even easier to drink, no matter how you prepare it. Check out all the matcha teas here.

Also, read our other articles about the best teas!
How To Choose The Best Rooibos Tea
How To Choose The Best Yerba Mate Tea
How To Find The Best White Teas & Their Benefits
How To Choose The Best Pu-Erh Tea
How To Find The Best Oolong Tea
Ultimate Guide To The Best Green Tea In The World
How To Choose The Best Black Tea
Types of Herbal Teas & Their Benefits