Is Matcha The Same As Green Tea?

Matcha is technically green tea. Both come from the Camellia sinensis plant and share centuries of history in Asian tea culture. But calling them the same would be wrong.

The magic is in the details. Matcha plants are shade-grown before harvest, a process that completely transforms the tea's character.

The way you prepare each one tells the story too. With green tea, you steep the leaves in hot water and get rid of them. With matcha, you whisk the entire ground leaf into water and consume it all. This means matcha delivers its health benefits in a much more concentrated form.

In this Mag article, we’ll break down the difference when it comes to matcha vs green tea.

Key Differences Between Matcha and Green Tea

Cultivation

Matcha plants spend their final 3 to 4 weeks before harvest growing under shade. This might sound simple, but it changes everything about the tea.

The reduced sunlight forces the plants to produce more chlorophyll, giving matcha that signature vibrant green color. The leaves also generate higher levels of L-theanine and other amino acids, creating matcha's distinctive umami flavor and smoothing out any potential bitterness.

Green tea plants, in contrast, grow in full sunlight or with only minimal shading. They develop different flavor compounds as a result, typically producing lighter, more delicate taste profiles.

Processing

Matcha leaves are harvested and steamed, then farmers remove the stems and veins from each leaf. These are then stone-ground into an incredibly fine powder. The grinding process is slow and deliberate, preserving the tea's delicate flavors.

Green tea follows a different path. Japanese green teas are steamed in order to stop oxidation. The leaves are then rolled, shaped, and dried. By the end of processing, the leaves retain only about 5% of their original moisture.

Here's something important to note. You might see powdered green tea where servers dissolve green powder in hot water. This isn't matcha. That's typically powdered sencha. True matcha must be shade-grown. The powder form alone doesn't make it matcha.

Preparation

Matcha preparation is a small ceremony. You scoop the powder into a bowl, add hot water at around 175°F, and whisk it with a bamboo tool until it becomes frothy.

What you're creating is actually a suspension, not an infusion. The powder doesn't dissolve into the water. If you let it sit too long, it will settle at the bottom of your cup.

Green tea preparation is more familiar to most people. You place whole or broken leaves in hot water at around 175°F and let them steep for 1 to 4 minutes.

The water draws out the tea's compounds, creating an infusion. Then you remove and discard the leaves. Many green teas can be steeped more than once before the flavor begins to fade.

Nutrition

The nutritional difference between matcha and green tea is astonishingly different, when you think they both come from the same Camellia sinensis plant.

The difference is mainly because you consume the whole leaf with matcha, meaning you get much higher concentrations of beneficial compounds.

Antioxidant content is the most surprising. One study found that the amount of EGCG (a powerful antioxidant) available from drinking matcha was 137 times greater than the amount found in a specific variety of Chinese green tea, and at least three times higher than other green teas tested.

L-theanine levels tell a similar story. Research shows matcha can contain around 44.65 mg/g, while regular green tea typically has about 6.56 mg/g. This amino acid is what creates that feeling of calm alertness matcha drinkers often describe. It provides energy without the jitters.

Caffeine content in green tea is roughly 35mg per cup. Matcha has more caffeine gram for gram, but you typically use less powder per serving than you would tea leaves. Therefore, the caffeine content can end up surprisingly similar between the two.

Flavor

Matcha has a rich, complex flavor that shifts as you drink it. You might taste umami at first, then comes gentle sweetness, followed by nuttiness. The flavor profile varies depending on which cultivars were used to make the powder.

When properly prepared, matcha has a smooth, creamy, almost frothy texture. It coats your mouth in a way that feels substantial. This is partly why matcha works so well in lattes.

Green tea offers something entirely different. The flavor is light and refreshing, with notes that can range from floral to grassy depending on the variety. The liquid is thin and clear. One thing to watch is if it’s steeped too long or too hot, the tea will release bitter tasting compounds.

Price

Matcha costs significantly more than green tea, gram for gram. The shade-growing process is labor-intensive and requires careful attention over several weeks. Some tea farms dedicate specific plots exclusively to matcha production and only harvest once per year.

There's also a distinction between grades. Ceremonial-grade matcha is meant for drinking, either on its own or in lattes. This is the highest quality and can be costly. Culinary-grade matcha for cooking is more affordable but tends to have a slightly more bitter flavor.

What This Means for Your Cup

Green tea is perfect if you want something you can sip throughout the day. You can re-steep the same leaves multiple times, making it budget-friendly too.

Matcha offers something different. It works beautifully if you’re seeking brilliant flavor, sustained focus without jitters, higher nutritional content, or a creative ritual.

If you’re looking for a new matcha to enjoy, our 753 Matcha could be the one for you.

It’s a single-origin, ceremonial grade matcha grown in the mountains of Shizuoka. It's shade-grown and crafted from Asahi, Okumidori, and Saemidori cultivars. The result is smooth, layered, and umami-rich, with gentle nuttiness and delicate nori undertones.