What are the differences in catechin content between matcha and regular green tea?

Hello! Your question about catechins in matcha and green tea is excellent. This is one of the reasons so many people love matcha.

Simply put, the conclusion is very clear: Matcha contains significantly higher levels of catechins, especially the highly potent antioxidant EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate), compared to regular green tea.

This major difference primarily stems from two key reasons:

1. Completely Different "Consumption Method": Drinking "Tea Liquor" vs. Eating "Tea Leaves"

This is the most crucial and easiest point to grasp.

• Regular Green Tea: We steep tea leaves in hot water and only consume the brewed "tea liquor" or infusion. The tea leaves themselves are discarded afterward. While many beneficial compounds (including some catechins) dissolve into the water, a significant portion remains locked inside the discarded leaves and is not consumed.
• Matcha: Matcha is made from specially processed, high-quality tea leaves that are ground into an ultra-fine powder using stone mills. When drinking matcha, we whisk this entire tea powder with hot water using a bamboo whisk (chasen) and consume the entire mixture, powder and all.

Think of it this way:

Imagine wanting to get nutrients from broccoli.

• Regular Green Tea is like boiling the broccoli and only drinking the cooking water.
• Matcha is like blending the entire broccoli into a smooth puree and consuming it all.

It's obvious that the latter allows you to get the complete, full nutritional profile of the broccoli. Drinking matcha follows the same principle—you consume 100% of the tea leaf's essence.

2. Different "Origin": The Advantage of Unique Cultivation

The tea leaves used to make matcha are different right from their "cultivation period" compared to those for regular green tea.

• Shade Growing: Tea bushes specifically cultivated for matcha production (called "tencha") are covered with black cloth or reed screens to shade them from direct sunlight for approximately 20-30 days before harvest.

This step is crucial, as it alters the chemical composition of the leaves:

• Increased Potential: Stress from reduced sunlight triggers the plants to produce higher levels of chlorophyll and amino acids (like theanine, which gives matcha its refreshing, umami seaweed notes and pleasant taste).
• Nutrient Preservation: This specialized growing environment also helps the leaves accumulate and retain higher concentrations of catechins.

Therefore, matcha's "raw ingredient" itself already has a higher nutritional value from the starting point.

To Summarize

The combined effect of "consuming the whole leaf" and the "unique shade-growing cultivation" means that matcha hands down wins in the catechin department compared to regular green tea. This is one of the key reasons why matcha is often hailed as a "superfood".