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Starbucks and Dunkin sell it.

The supermarket has it.

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chef and wellness expert

Elaborate matcha tea ceremonies are still common in these countries; this truly is a very special tea.

What follows is a brief history of the tea and tips for making it at home.

How do the health benefits of matcha compare to green tea?

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Watch the video below to find out.

[Matcha is produced] by taking the shade-grown tea leaves, steaming them, and drying them.

The grinding is done using a special stone, she says.

Young woman mixing ice coffee

The slower milling process minimizes heat and friction that can destroy the nutrients in the leaves.

Consuming matcha has equally been as done mindfully as it has been made.

Traditionally, matcha is served during anelaborate tea ceremony.

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chef and wellness expert

He made the tea ceremony into an art form, Kumai says.

We still honor his work and matcha tea ceremony ways in Japan to this day.

It is our duty to respect and carry on the traditions of this beautiful practice.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

From there, it is served one of two ways.

But people in East Asiaand all across the globestill enjoy drinking matcha every day.

to make it do so, you need the right tools.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

Green tea is grown in shaded fields and also in open fields with no shade.

There are also different grades of matcha, Honda says.

She explains that the higher the grade, the deeper green the hue and the more potent it is.

It should be a vibrant green (or deep, forest green for high-grade varieties).

Powder thats yellow or brown is either low quality or rancid.

(BothIppodoandKumaisell matcha sets.)

First, Honda says to use the bamboo tea ladle to scoop matcha powder into the bowl.

(A typical serving is two scoops.)

Next, use the sifter to get out any clumps.

Then, pour hot water into the tea bowl.

The best temperature is 175F to 185F, Kumai says.

Boiling water makes the matcha too bitter and unpleasant in taste.

The last step is the most artful: the whisking.

Whisk by making vigorous m or n motions quickly flicking the wrist, Kumai instructs.

You want the whisk to slightly touch the bottom of the bowl, Honda adds.

After about 15 seconds, youll start to see little bubbles form on top.

Kumai says shes all for this.

you’re free to make it your own while still honoring the process, she says.

That way, its integrated into the whisking process.

The matcha-making process is very meditative and its supposed to be, Kumai says.

This is part of what makes it special.

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