Friday, March 28, 2014

Red Leaf brand White Matcha stone ground tea: Reviewed

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Matcha is a high quality green tea that is finely milled into a powder. I was sent some white matcha from Red Leaf to try for this review. I have not tried any other brands or types of this powered tea so this is my only experience with Matcha. White Matcha is made in exactly the same way as regular Green Tea Matcha, stone ground to a fine powder. Traditionally, it is said that the matcha be sifted before preparation for purity, but I skipped this step as I did not have a sifter fine enough. To prepare the tea, pour hot water at a temperature close to the boiling point, over about 1/2 to 1 rounded teaspoon of Matcha powder. I used only a 1/2 teaspoon of Matcha powder for mine, and used water boiled from my Keurig machine.

Whisk the tea in a W formation, to mix thoroughly when preparing in the traditional way. Traditionally a delicate bamboo broom whisk is used in a pottery type bowl, but I did not have a bamboo whisk, so I used a small metal whisk. The whisk should be vertical and barely touching the bottom of the bowl or cup. Once your Matcha has developed a soft, light foam, slowly lift the whisk from the center. I mixed it until the matcha powder and water was thoroughly incorporated. Do not leave any big bubbles in your tea because it ruins the look of your matcha, and is considered rude in the Japanese culture.

Matcha tea is a portrayal of elegance in Japanese Tea Ceremonies and culture and provides many health benefits. When brewing tea from a powder form, it is the highest quality tea in its purest form. We are consuming the whole leaf, rather than just the watered down form when brewed over the leaves. White matcha provides these benefits:

High antioxidants preventing free radicals in the blood stream
Maintains Blood Pressure
Aids in Digestion
Boosts Immune System
Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer
Anti-aging: decreases fine lines, wrinkles in the skin
Helps maintain a beautiful complexion
Low Caffeine content: 1% caffeine content of coffee

The taste of White Matcha is a mild tea with a natural herbal sweetness. It does look very dark when brewed, even at half strength. I did not add any sugar or honey to my Matcha. I have been drinking a cup each evening in my favorite bees and lemon limes tea cup. It is a relaxing drink and I like how it is preservative free and chemical free. It is very natural and a healthy tea.

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If you found this review or any of my other product reviews interesting or helpful, please provide a rating of helpful or a friendly comment. I love hearing from my readers. I always provide my honest review when testing out products. Honesty is important when reviewing, as I want to maintain integrity to how I view the product and help those interested learn more about it to see if it is the right fit for them. I do not praise or endorse a product just because it was provided free or at a discount to me. Honesty and a critical review also helps provide info to the makers of the product which can help provide insight and improvements needed. I am not connected in any way to this company or any other products I have reviewed in the past. I do not receive payment for endorsing or reviewing these products.



Please excuse the tea residue on the edges of the tea cup, I should have cleaned up the edges before photographing the tea.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.



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