The Quest for Matcha Alternatives

With Japanese matcha supplies running low, tea aficionados look to the United States for healthy alternatives.

A shortage of matcha is fuelling demand for alternatives. Daryna7/Shutterstock

Japanese matcha production has almost tripled over the past decade—but it’s still far from enough to meet demand.

With health fiends and trendy influencers touting the drink on social media, consumption has skyrocketed. Social media has transformed a beverage once reserved for tranquil tea ceremonies into a fashionable, on-the-go caffeine fix—a trend that Japanese producers of quality matcha cannot keep up with.

The Japan Times reported in February that farmers of matcha tea struggle to meet the demand of global customers. Some quality tea producers have even declared a limit on the output of their ground tea.

Now, coffee shops and grocery stores are trying to keep up by selling matcha sourced from China, but problems abound, including impure and potentially hazardous counterfeit products.

Fortunately, there are U.S.-grown alternatives, which may be less expensive and offer a secure supply chain—along with the beloved flavor and health benefits of high-quality matcha.

Matcha Availability Crisis

Japanese farmers can’t easily increase their yield. A tea tree takes five years to reach maturity, and growing and harvesting matcha leaves requires special effort. The plants are shaded for weeks before the spring harvest, the tender first crop—called tencha leaves—is hand-picked, and the leaves are then carefully stone ground into the distinct green powder that makes ceremonial-grade matcha.

Japan’s inability to meet demand has opened the matcha market to competitor teas from other countries, primarily China, which accounts for nearly 50 percent of the global tea market by volume.

Customers can discern the quality of their matcha tea by examining its color and focusing on the pure taste of the product. A vibrant jade-green or emerald hue, combined with a silky texture, minimal bitterness, and a noticeable umami flavor, is what consumers should watch for.

Chinese tea powder may be grittier, with a duller green or even brownish hue, and a more bitter taste. However, the use of lower-quality leaves is not the biggest concern. Ongoing questions remain about unregulated pesticide use in China and soil contaminated with heavy metals.

Contamination in Tea

Researchers in a 2023 study published in Toxics reviewed 227 published papers on heavy metals in Chinese tea. They analyzed results from 34 tea-growing provinces and found cancer-causing metals in the tea, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, and lead.

Samples from southwest China, Anhui province, and Shaanxi province were found to be beyond the acceptable safe range and extremely carcinogenic, or cancer-causing. The researchers recommended stricter control of heavy metal pollution in tea from these regions.

Not all studies agree. Several other studies report low levels of potentially toxic metals in Chinese tea and consider the product mostly safe. Tea plants generally absorb cadmium into their stems and roots and not into the leaves, meaning they may not end up in your cup. Still, researchers urge tea farmers to continue monitoring their crops for copper, nickel, arsenic, and lead.

Pesticides such as neonicotinoids—an insect neurotoxin—are also frequently used on Chinese tea farms. Most studies focus on detection methods and how residues behave, but very little research examines the potential health risks from these treatments.

A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology offered insight by evaluating the health risks of pesticide residue in Chinese herbal medicines, including tea.

The researchers investigated 1,017 herb samples and found relatively high levels of insecticides in tea leaves and other above-ground parts of the plant.

On a positive note, an article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggested that rinsing tea leaves before brewing can reduce pesticide residue. However, this is almost impossible to do with ground matcha powder.

Healthy US-Grown Alternatives

Several tea farms in the United States carry USDA organic certification, and some even produce matcha.

Although matcha is not the primary product of American tea growers, other teas and plant-based powders offer comparable health benefits, even if they are not an exact substitute.

Regular Green Tea

Did you know that the tea plant used to produce matcha also makes regular green tea? Its scientific name is Camellia sinensis, a small shrub of the Theaceae plant family. It grows best in acidic soil, humid weather, and mild temperatures—conditions you might even be able to recreate in your garden.

The main difference between matcha and green tea comes down to the type of leaves used and the timing of the harvest, both of which influence their chemical makeup.

Shading the plants before harvest produces fewer catechins—antioxidant compounds linked to heart and metabolic health—and more L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes calm and focus. Even so, both matcha and green tea provide many health benefits, from supporting digestion and cardiovascular health to strengthening the immune system.

Moringa

Moringa oleifera is a short-lived tree native to India and Asia, often called the “miracle tree” or the “tree of life.”

A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences highlighted moringa’s numerous health benefits, including support for liver and heart health, reduced cancer risk and inflammation, and aid in wound healing, ulcer treatment, and pain relief. Moringa is considered a medicinal all-rounder, thanks to its rich mix of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, alkaloids, and flavonoids.

Moringa is sometimes compared with matcha in what has been called the “battle of the superfoods.” While its composition is somewhat different, the two share several qualities: Both have antioxidant properties, help fight inflammation, boost cardiovascular health, and strengthen immune function.

Additionally, moringa powder is rich in protein, calcium, fiber, and vitamins. Matcha contains epigallocatechin gallate, also known as EGCG, which provides a quick energizing boost to the brain, while moringa does not. Instead, its compounds promote long-term brain health.

Spinach Powder

Everyone knows spinach, but have you considered its health benefits compared with matcha? While the green leaves of spinach cannot match the concentrated antioxidant levels found in matcha (similar to green tea), spinach still delivers plenty of nutritional value.

You can find organic spinach powder made from freeze-dried or dehydrated leaves in health food stores or online.

Spinach is a rich source of phytonutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and other bioactive compounds, offering a wide range of health benefits. A 2020 chapter by Springer Nature found spinach helpful in combating tumors, inflammation, and oxidative stress. It concluded that eating or drinking spinach regularly could improve well-being through reduced risk of cancer and obesity, and lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

The great thing about moringa, spinach, and matcha is that you can combine them, and they complement each other well. For a one-teaspoon matcha latte, simply use half a teaspoon of matcha and substitute the other half with moringa powder or a mix of moringa and spinach. Experiment with different mixes to find your favorite flavor. Add in your preferred milk, cream, or sweetener, and you’ve got a delicious and nutritious drink.