Organic Matcha (Ceremonial, Grade A)

Not all matcha labeled "ceremonial grade" lives up to the name; lower grades are often sold as ceremonial. At Yu Tea, we believe great matcha starts with an unwavering commitment to quality, so we offer only organic ceremonial-grade matcha.

Shade-grown, first-harvest leaves give our matcha its vivid color, smooth umami and the calm, steady energy that comes from caffeine and L-theanine together. Many companies, including our former brand Sei Mee Tea, also offer "everyday" and "culinary" grades to keep prices down. Yu Tea chose a different path: a wider range of traditional Japanese teas, and only the very best of each type.

Taste the difference for yourself. For more, see our page explaining Matcha grades.

Ceremonial A-Grade Matcha is meticulously crafted to achieve the highest standards in color, flavor, texture, and purity, setting it apart from generic ceremonial-grade matcha. While generic ceremonial matcha often varies in vibrancy, taste, and refinement, our A-Grade Matcha reflects superior cultivation, harvesting, processing, and testing practices, ensuring an exceptional tea experience every time.

Color: Vibrant Green from Superior Chlorophyll Content - Our Ceremonial A-Grade Matcha features a bright, vibrant emerald-green hue, a testament to its high chlorophyll content. This vibrant color results from shading tea plants for at least 20 days, usually three to four weeks, before harvest, stimulating chlorophyll production. In contrast, generic ceremonial matcha may have a yellowish or dull green color due to shorter shading periods or the use of less optimal leaves.

Flavor: Smooth and Sweet from Elevated L-Theanine Levels - The flavor of our A-Grade Matcha is characterized by its smoothness and subtle sweetness, thanks to its high L-theanine content. This amino acid, enhanced through proper shading techniques, creates a naturally balanced umami profile with no bitterness. On the other hand, generic ceremonial matcha often tastes more astringent or bitter due to lower L-theanine levels, reflecting subpar shading or the inclusion of mature, coarser leaves.

Texture: Ultra-Fine Powder for a Luxurious Mouthfeel - Our matcha is meticulously crafted using traditional stone mills, which gently press and slowly grind tea leaves into ultra-fine, rounded particles. This careful process creates a distinctive, luxurious mouthfeel.

In contrast, machine-based grinding methods cut or break the tea leaves into sharp-edged particles, producing a coarser powder. While this approach allows the powder to dissolve more quickly in water, it lacks the smooth, velvety texture and authentic experience of stone-milled matcha.

Our matcha is made exclusively from young, tender leaves ground by traditional stone mills, a process that enhances its exceptional quality. Due to the delicate nature of the leaves, the powder has a sticky texture, much like grinding tender baby spinach with a mortar and pestle. To enjoy its smooth, velvety consistency, whisking is essential. A traditional bamboo whisk adds a mindful, meditative aspect to the tea-making ritual, but a quick whirl with a handy electric frother works as well.

Some believe that easy mixability indicates higher quality, but in fact, it often signals coarser, more mature leaves or machine grinding. Methods like machine cutting or ball-milling create jagged, uneven particles that mix easily in water. In contrast, the stone mill method produces smooth, round, uniform particles that result in the velvety mouthfeel of premium matcha.

Another common misunderstanding about matcha is its "mixability" in water. Unlike sugar, the powder doesn’t dissolve in water because it’s finely milled plant material. So, it’s natural for the powder to suspend in water, and you may notice some settlement over time. This is not a sign of low quality - simply give the cup a gentle sway or stir it to restore the suspension. Unusually high mixability often signals lower quality tea leaves and/or grinding methods, and may even indicate the inclusion of agents like tapioca. Additionally, if the powder completely dissolves, it could be freeze-dried liquid, not wholesome tea leaves in powder form.

For the best experience, we recommend using pure water heated to 145°F. This
temperature preserves the smooth, rich umami flavor and velvety texture. Higher
temperatures can create a sharp sensation in the mouth, diminishing the roundness of high-quality matcha.

For step-by-step guidance on preparing your matcha for the best flavor and texture, check out our green tea preparation guide.

At Yu Tea, we believe in full transparency when it comes to what's in your cup. Our Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a document we've carefully compiled from third-party lab reports. It outlines the results of comprehensive testing for each batch of our Organic Matcha - including checks for heavy metals, microbial contaminants, pesticide residues, and other quality markers.

We also include information on naturally occurring compounds like caffeine and antioxidants to help you better understand what's in our Matcha. Sharing this report is one of the ways we uphold our commitment to quality and trust - so you can sip with confidence.

View the Matcha Certificate of Analysis

Catechins: about 185 mg per 1.5 g serving, including about 122 mg of EGCG.

L-theanine: about 28 mg per serving.

These figures are from our most recent batch testing; results vary by lot and by packaging. Our matcha is a 100% natural food product, so its nutrient levels shift a little from harvest to harvest.

Each single-serving Matcha stick contains 1.5 grams or roughly 3/4 tsp.

Each pouch of Matcha contains a net weight of 75 grams or roughly 2.65 oz.

To help you make informed choices about your tea consumption, here's a comparative look at caffeine content across our tea collection (per serving, one stick) along with other common beverages (per 8 oz):

Yu Tea Collection*:

Decaf Sencha : 4 mg

Genmaicha: 5 mg

Decaf Matcha: 6 mg

Hojicha: 17 mg

Sencha: 20 mg

Matcha: 41 mg

Other Beverages:

Decaf Coffee: 2 – 12 mg

Hot Chocolate: 5 – 25 mg

Black Tea: 14 – 61 mg

Brewed Green Tea: 24 – 40 mg

Coffee: 95 – 240 mg

*Note: Our tea values are from our most recent batch testing; results vary by lot and packaging.

If you love matcha but want almost none of the caffeine, our decaf matcha comes in at about 6 mg per serving. Our decaf matcha guide explains how it is made and what is left in the cup.

At Yu Tea, we believe true matcha excellence comes from uncompromising quality. The full depth of matcha’s flavor can only be achieved when crafted to the highest standards. That’s why we focus exclusively on premium matcha and a curated selection of Japanese teas - like Decaf Matcha, Sencha Powder, Decaf Sencha Powder, Genmaicha Powder, and Hojicha Powder.

While blends or lower-grade matcha may be more affordable, they often sacrifice purity and flavor. Our focused approach ensures unmatched quality in every tea we offer, reflecting our expertise and dedication to quality. We’re committed to delivering the very best for your tea journey.

The one study done with green tea and milk found that skim milk lowered the EGCG people absorbed by about a third, while most of the catechins still got through; milk proteins (caseins) bind to catechins. You can read what the studies found in our milk and green tea article.

We don't know of studies in people that tested plant-based milks with green tea. Almond, oat and other low-protein milks have less of the proteins that bind catechins, so they are a reasonable choice for a latte, but that is an educated guess, not a tested result.

We haven't seen evidence that a little sweetener changes what green tea's catechins do, so choose the one you like and use it sparingly; try the tea plain first, since good green tea has its own natural sweetness. If you drink green tea for its EGCG, have at least some of it plain, with water only.

Yu Tea is a food, not a medicine. Over the years we have worked with a group of naturopathic doctors, integrative oncologists, nutritionists and health coaches; you can meet them on our experts page. If you have a health condition or take medication, please ask your own doctor whether green tea suits you, since green tea can interact with some medicines.

Matcha and sencha powder are both made from whole green tea leaves, but they are grown and processed differently. Matcha is shade-grown for several weeks before harvest, which raises its L-theanine and chlorophyll. That gives it a vivid green color, a creamy umami taste, and the calm, steady focus that comes from caffeine and L-theanine together.

Sencha grows in full sun, so more of its L-theanine turns into catechins, which give it a refreshing, slightly astringent taste. Gram for gram, our sencha has slightly more EGCG than our matcha. A serving has about 20 mg of caffeine against about 41 mg in matcha (from our most recent batch testing; results vary by lot and packaging), so it is a good choice if you are sensitive to caffeine.

With both powders you drink the whole leaf, not just what steeps out of it. Your choice comes down to taste: matcha's smooth, rich profile or sencha's light, crisp flavor. For more, see Matcha vs. Sencha, or start with what sencha is.

Absolutely! We welcome wholesale inquiries. Simply email us, and we will take care of your needs.

Yes, we conduct rigorous testing on all our tea products, including Matcha, to ensure their quality and safety. This includes testing for potential contaminants such as heavy metals like lead. While trace amounts of certain elements can naturally occur in soil, we take every precaution to ensure our teas meet the highest safety standards for food products.

We are committed to transparency and providing safe, high-quality teas to our customers. For more information about contaminants in food, you may find resources like the FDA’s Environmental Contaminants in Food page helpful.

All Yu Tea products are food, not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with any food product, we recommend consulting with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have specific health concerns before incorporating our teas into your routine.

To keep your Matcha fresh, store it away from air, sunlight, moisture and heat:

• Resealable Bags: Our teas come in resealable pouches or individual single-serving sticks for extra convenience and freshness. For pouches, after each use, gently squeeze out the air and reseal the bag securely.
• Alternative Containers: If desired, transfer your tea to a non-clear, air-tight container with a snug-sealing lid to keep it fresh.
• Temperature Control: In warmer climates (average temperatures around 70°F), store in the fridge if possible. Ensure to bring it to room temperature an hour before use to prevent condensation.

Over time, matcha slowly loses its color, aroma and flavor. The best-by date is two years after production; tea past that date may still be safe to drink, but it will taste flatter. For the brightest cup, enjoy it before the best-by date.

Stored this way, every cup should taste as fresh as the first.

Absolutely! Matcha is versatile and can be used in various recipes, including smoothies, baked goods, and savory dishes, adding a fresh, rich green tea flavor. For inspiration, explore our collection of delicious matcha recipes (which can also be swapped with our Decaf Matcha), perfect for any occasion.