Australian Botanical Tea Tin Set

Not all matcha is equal. The three signs of matcha quality are:

1. Colour: Matcha should be a vibrant green showcasing it’s chlorophyll
2. Taste: Good matcha is naturally sweet with a vegetal smell that comes from high amino acid levels
3. Feel: Quality matcha has smaller particles creating a silky smooth tea

Low quality matcha will taste bitter, be gritty in texture and deliver nowhere near the health benefits of Zen Green Tea matcha.

Matcha is made from the finest class of green tea leaves. We then hand pick and stone grind these into a vibrant green powder. Mixing matcha green tea powder with hot water creates a smooth and delicious green tea with 137 times the antioxidants of standard green tea. Since 2012, Zen Green Tea has been sourcing the finest matcha from Japanese tea farms. Our matcha is bursting with flavour, packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Our tea has even featured on My Kitchen Rules as "The best Matcha in Australia".

There are broadly three grades of matcha:

• Ceremonial - very expensive, for use in Japanese ceremonies
• Premium Grade - affordable and very high quality
• Culinary Grade - cooking, low quality

Our matcha is Premium Grade. It has a light fresh taste and a vibrant green colour and contains the full health benefits of the green tea leaf. Perfect for everyday drinking.

Our matcha is herbicide and pesticide free but is not certified organic and for a good reason! To produce high-quality matcha with the full health benefits tea farmers need to add a small amount of fertiliser to the soil before the tea plantation is shaded. This gives the tea plants the nutrients they need to be able to produce incredibly high levels of antioxidants, nutrients and chlorophyll. Without this nutritional support, the tea leaves will produce matcha which is bitter, low quality and will not contain the full antioxidant level. Most Japanese matcha drinkers do not drink organic matcha and they consider it to be low quality. Our matcha is herbicide and pesticide free, sourced sustainably from family-run tea farms and is a premium, high quality.

We source our bamboo whisks and scoops from a small, family-run bamboo business in China. China is actually the original birthplace of matcha and the matcha chasen (whisk) and is the leading producer of bamboo handcrafted products globally.

We offer FREE shipping Australia-wide on all orders. If you are in the USA please visit our USA matcha company Evergreen Matcha where we offer free and fast USA shipping. Unfortunately; we do not offer international shipping to any other countries due to the high cost.

When you drink Zen Green Tea’s matcha you are drinking the whole tea leaf dissolved in water not just the steeped water from the leaves. As a result, you are consuming a green tea which is more than 10 times stronger than a regular brewed tea bag. Matcha has gained a reputation in Asian culture to be the “Champagne” of tea due to only the finest leaves being selected and processed into a beautiful, young, matcha green tea powder.

Yes, matcha and standard tea contain caffeine. However a typical cup of matcha contains 1/5 the caffeine of a coffee. Matcha also delivers this caffeine very differently to coffee. With matcha the caffeine is absorbed and released slowly by the body over a period of 6-8 hour. This means that, unlike coffee, matcha provides a sustainable energy boost with no more rapid 30 minute spike, slump or “jitters”. The L-theanine amino acid in matcha is known for its ability to increase alpha waves in the brain and promote calmness and concentration giving matcha users a great “Zen” state.

We usually recommend 1-3 serves per day which helps you reach the USDA’s antioxidant target for good health. Drinking more serves of matcha is fine. Like anything, we would advise you to monitor how your body feels as matcha does help with things like weight loss and energy. We probably wouldn't recommend drinking more than 21 cups per day of anything. But if you drink more matcha than this you may exceed some daily recommended nutrient levels. Any more will just be passed through and not absorbed by your body.

Our matcha contains 1,573 ORAC units per serve which is significantly higher than blueberries, broccoli and goji berries.

Antioxidants help destroy the free radical particles that damage your cells causing cancer, ageing, strokes and other degenerative diseases. By consuming matcha, you are ensuring your body constantly circulates antioxidants which destroy free radicals and takes them out of your body before they are able to inflict damage. Zen Green Tea matcha also contains high levels of EGCG which has been studied and tested extensively for its ability to prevent tumour and cancer cell growth, improve brain function, and its ability to increase fat oxidation (burns fat!). EGCG is actually sold as a supplement in many health food stores - but why would you need that when you have our amazing matcha.

This is a personal choice where we recommend that you speak to your doctor. We have quite a few pregnant or breastfeeding customers who have just one cup of matcha a day. Matcha does contain the caffeine of 1/5 of a cup of coffee.

Matcha shouldn't cause nausea; however, if you feel nauseous we recommend you do not drink matcha on an empty stomach and reduce the amount of matcha you are using per serve. You could also try mixing your matcha with other ingredients, for example, in a smoothie or trying it in some of our amazing recipes. As with all foods, if nausea persists then there may be a chance that you could have an intolerance and should stop drinking matcha and see if this stops the issue (although this isn't very common!).

Quite the opposite! Matcha green tea powder is a superfood which contains a high level of the antioxidant EGCG which helps boost the metabolism. A faster metabolism is what you need to burn more calories in your body, so by increasing your EGCG-intake with matcha, it can help promote weight loss. Matcha also contains a small amount of caffeine which helps increase your energy levels. The caffeine in matcha is released slowly in the body, to give you a long and sustained energy-boost throughout the day. Matcha drinkers won't have the energy crash that coffee or energy drink consumers experience and therefore won't feel the need to reach for those sugary snacks. What's more, matcha has been proven to help keep hunger cravings at bay. Matcha is sugar-free and contains zero calories, so it's a great healthy beverage.

Using a bamboo whisk enhances the matcha experience as the prongs work to properly suspend the matcha particles throughout the tea. We highly recommend the bamboo whisk for the best tasting matcha! If you do not wish to invest in a whisk straight away you can simply dissolve the matcha in a small amount of water and mix thoroughly before topping up with more water.

Matcha stores best in the fridge in its original packaging which is airtight and not exposed to light. It can also help to place the entire packet in an airtight container to keep it protected from moisture.

When stored in a cool, dark environment like your fridge matcha tea will last in good condition for over 18 months. Out of the fridge you will notice that over time the matcha will lose its vibrancy and some of its health benefits although it will still be fine to drink.

Good quality matcha has a very light, naturally sweet taste. You can choose whether you make a stronger flavour by adding more matcha per serve. Matcha should have no bitterness at all and it is very easy to drink.

Traditionally matcha is drunk as a hot drink prepared using a bamboo matcha whisk which helps form the smoothest matcha. However, matcha can be used in many ways from a hot tea, an iced tea, as a latte, in a smoothie or baked in a cake.

Matcha does have a best-before date because, like all plant foods, it contains enzymes so it degrades over time. It is important to buy your matcha from a business which sources in small batches directly from Japan to ensure that your matcha will be fresher. Fresh matcha contains more antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. At Zen Green Tea we import small batches of matcha to ensure that our matcha is very fresh when it reaches our customers. You can help preserve your matcha for a long period by storing it in its original opaque packaging in an airtight container and putting this in your fridge or freezer. The cold temperature stops the enzymes from ageing so you can keep your matcha for years. Matcha also degrades with exposure to air and light. If you do not choose to store matcha in the cold away from light and air then the best before is up to 18 months. You will notice the colour of the matcha fading over this period of time and the taste becoming a little more bitter.