We have all known the exceptional health benefits that Green Tea has to offer, but one drink that has surpassed regular green tea in taste, flavour, texture, and caffeine is a Japanese tea called Matcha tea.
Matcha is usually whisked with a wooden whisk in a bowl using warm water or milk. The reason this is done is so that when you add matcha to the milk, it does not create any lumps. So, the question is, can you put matcha powder in a milk frother?
Yes, you can put matcha powder in a milk frother. There is no reason that you cannot add matcha powder directly to your frother. Electric frothers whisk at high speeds, making clumps far less likely and giving you a creamy, café-style matcha in seconds.
How does a milk frother work?
For an even better understanding of how things would go if you put matcha powder in your milk frother, let’s understand how a milk frother works.
In simple words, A milk frother is an equipment used for frothing milk or creating milk foam. Milk foam is most commonly used in beverages like cappuccino, latte, hot cocoa, matcha latte, etc.
The process of frothing milk involves incorporating air into the milk until it becomes light and foamy. Most electric milk frothers have a whisk on the bottom of the milk jug.
When you turn the milk frother on, the whisk spins at a high speed, which helps incorporate air into the milk, making it light and foamy. So, if you’re adding matcha powder directly to your milk frother, you will end up with a beautiful frothy matcha latte.
When to add matcha to the milk frother?
Now, if you want to add matcha powder to your milk frother directly, when would be the right time to do so? From what I observed, the best time to put matcha powder in the milk frother is not at the beginning, but in between when the milk is warm.
When you add matcha powder directly to cold milk, there is a high chance that it will get lumpy. So, I always prefer to add matcha powder when the milk is warm.
Another good point to note is, do not overheat the milk. When you add extremely hot water or milk to matcha powder, it brings out a bitter flavor. This is primarily due to polyphenol catechins, a compound that is present in berries and tea that has an astringent flavor.
About Matcha Powder and Its Rich History
The origin of matcha dates back to the 8th century in China. Powdered tea was made from steam-prepared dried tea leaves. However, the process of whipping the powdered tea with hot water in a bowl became popular during the latter part of the 12th century.
It is said that during this time, Matcha was discovered by a Buddhist monk, Myoan Eisai. He later brought the famous drink to Japan. Eisai realized that drinking matcha tea gave him a calm and alert feeling, which in turn helped him meditate better.
Eisai is famously quoted as saying that Matcha green tea was the “elixir of the immortals’. Powdered tea was soon forgotten in China, but it became an important ingredient at Zen monasteries. Matcha powder not only helped the monks meditate better but also was considered to attain enlightenment.
Benefits Of Matcha Powder
I discovered some exceptional health and wellness benefits when reading about this green tea powder. Here are some of them:
1. Matcha powder puts you in a calm and alert mood
One of the most common benefits of drinking matcha is that it relaxes your mind and helps you focus. This happens due to s L-theanine, an amino acid that is present in matcha. The L-theanine content in matcha green tea is 5 times the amount of other green teas.
2. Matcha is high in antioxidants
Studies show that matcha has a really high antioxidant rating, which can also prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) test found that matcha measured at a staggering 1384 units per gram. That is 15x the antioxidants in blueberries or 125x the antioxidants of spinach.
3. Matcha helps you concentrate better
The simple reason behind this is the L-theanine and caffeine combination. Caffeine in matcha binds to catechins (A type of compound found in tea and berries). As the catechins break down, caffeine is slowly released into the bloodstream over a 6 to 8-hour period.
This results in not giving you the jitters that you would get after consuming high amounts of caffeine. Instead, it makes you feel calm and helps you focus better.
Best Matcha Powder to use
While there are dozens of options to choose from when it comes to Matcha powder, you need to make sure that you select the best quality matcha to get the best flavor and taste.
Naoki Matcha Superior Ceremonial Blend is the best choice for this.
This green tea is perfect for use in beverages or desserts. Made with the most premium quality green tea leaves, it is sure to leave your taste buds wanting more.
Naoki Matcha tea is rich in antioxidants. Some of the benefits that it offers are:
- Increase energy levels
- Help reduce stress and improve mental alertness
- Support metabolism and help with weight loss
- Supports the immune system and helps reduce inflammation.
- Help the body cleanse harmful elements.
Best Milk Frother for Matcha Latte
There are so many milk frothers available in the market that it can be really confusing to select a milk frother that is best for your use and needs.
The frother that I personally love and use when making matcha lattes is Nespresso Aeroccino XL Frother
I’ve always loved the milk foam on top of my coffee or green tea, which made me try a bunch of milk frothers. The things that I loved about Nespresso Aeroccino is that it is so easy to use and clean. Its compact size does not take up a lot of space on the counter and looks very elegant.
The frother can be used to make hot foam, cold foam and even hot milk. All you need to do is add milk, turn on the frother, and it whips. The frother automatically turns off when frothing is done and goes into energy saving mode. You can them pop this straight into the dishwasher to clean.
How to Make a Matcha Latte?
Making a matcha latte is really simple and not as complicated as people make it out to be. Especially if you’re using a good quality milk frother, then all you need to do is bring all your ingredients in one place and it’s done.
Let’s walk you through the ingredients and a step-by-step process of making a delicious matcha latte at home:
Ingredients
- 1 Tsp. Matcha Powder
- ½ Cup of Milk
- 1 Tsp Maple Syrup or Honey (optional)
Process
1. The first step is to add milk to the milk frother. Set the temperature you would like and turn the frother on.
2. After around 10 seconds, add in the Matcha Powder and let the milk foam.
3. Finally, pour your matcha latte into a cup and add honey or maple syrup, and give it a good stir. Drink warm and enjoy!
Notes
1. It isn’t wrong to add the Matcha Powder at the beginning. You can do that. I prefer adding it once the milk is slightly warm.
2. Instead of using the Milk frother, you can use the traditional method of whisking matcha with warm water and then adding frothy milk.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy green tea lattes, you can go right ahead and make this delicious drink using your milk frother. It is refreshing, beautiful, and tasty, a perfect start to your day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, you can mix matcha in a Nespresso frother. In fact, Nespresso Milk Frother is another great option for frothing milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
Yes, you can use milk to dissolve matcha powder. Ensure that the milk isn’t too hot; it needs to be warm. Using very hot water or milk brings out the bitter flavor of matcha.
If you want to experience the true taste of matcha, you should try it first simply because it is known for Green tea. To make matcha, you need to whisk it with hot water, or frothy almond, oat, or regular milk. You can make it Iced or cold. You can also add toppings like cream, cinnamon powder, condensed milk, etc.
We have all loved and admired the bright green shade that matcha is, but the reason behind this is the way matcha is grown and processed. Matcha is never exposed to sunlight. Bamboo traps are hoisted over the tea plants. The lack of sunlight causes the plants to concentrate large amounts of chlorophyll and other nutrients, and therefore, it results in an extremely bright green matcha powder.
Yes, you can add almond or coconut milk to your matcha powder beverage.
Caffeine in matcha binds to catechins (A type of compound found in tea and berries). As the catechins break down, caffeine is slowly released into the bloodstream over a 6 to 8-hour period. Therefore, caffeine in matcha powder can last anywhere between 6 to 8 hours.