Why Is Matcha Used In Starbucks Drinks
Matcha is a finely ground powder of Japanese green tea packed with antioxidants known for its bright green color. Compared to other green tea, its a bit bitter and has a vegetal taste. Thats why not a lot of people consume this tea as it is. Most commercially available matcha is combined with sweeteners, giving the bitter green tea a whole new flavor profile.
Starbucks also uses pre-sweetened matcha in its matcha drinks. This matcha closely resembles instant matcha powder rather than the regular matcha since the real one doesnt dissolve in water as quickly as Starbucks matcha. But dont worry. Starbucks still uses real matcha its just blended with sugar, removing the solid and intense flavor of the tea.
Like coffee, matcha also contains caffeine. A scoop of matcha at Starbucks has 80mg of caffeine. So the caffeine content of your Starbucks matcha drink depends on how many scoops of matcha you add plus other add-ons such as an espresso shot.
Iced Green Tea Lemonade
Thought the iced green tea couldn’t get anymore refreshing? Well, think again! One of the most favored iced drinks, green tea lemonade adds tang and sweetness to lemongrass, lemon verbena, and mint flavors of Starbucks green tea.
The flavors are combined together perfectly, ensuring that one doesn’t dominate over the other. The result is a drink that is cool, tart, and just the right level of sweet. It is sure to become your go-to drink on a warm day.
What Is Matcha Green Tea Good For Benefits Of Matcha
The vibrant, leafy color in green tea emerges from the tea leaves high chlorophyll levels and adds to the benefits of Matcha.
Drinking Matcha tea raises antioxidant levels and improves energy through hydration boosting.
Matcha green tea also has compounds in it that act as antioxidants to fight cancer, viruses, heart disease, and can protect your skin and bones when consumed regularly.
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Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte Recipe
Whether youre already on the matcha bandwagon or are trying matcha for the first time, I cant wait to show you my Starbucks iced matcha green tea lattecopycat recipe.
Its so easy to make at home and you can make it for a fraction of what it costs at Starbucks.
In other posts Ive mentioned that my daughter is a long-time Starbucks barista. How lucky for all of us since first Ill show you the real Starbucks recipe.
Then, my copycat recipe will show you equivalent at-home measurements and good options for ingredient substitutions.
How Do Companies Get Away With This
Well, it’s mainly it’s because most consumers are unaware
Most drinks made with matcha in a cafe setting often use a lower quality of matcha green tea powder called culinary grade.
Which is much more bitter and bold than matcha powder used when drinking matcha on its own.
And because this fake matcha after tastes pretty bitter and bold, it’s a cheap substitute for big companies.
The biggest thing to realize is that it’s not at all a true representation of matcha green tea.
Meaning it doesn’t honestly or realistically express the depth or true flavors of matcha.
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Diy Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
- Pin7492
Light, creamy and refreshing iced matcha latte made at home, in the blender in under a minute. This Starbucks copycat recipe taste just as good for a fraction of the price!
The milk and matcha powder is mixed in the blender to remove any lumps. This means you can double or triple the recipe and store the remaining Matcha in the fridge for the rest of the week. To use, simply pour into a cup of ice and enjoy!
The trick to making a good matcha latte is a good quality matcha powder. Matcha powder is one of those things that you should spend the few extra pennies and get the good brand because matcha varies in quality. Generally, the lighter the matcha the better quality. Stay away from matcha that looks olive or brownish.
What is Matcha Powder?
Matcha is a type of powdered green tea that is mostly grown and produced in Japan. During the last few weeks of their growth, the tea leaves are shaded from the sun to increase their chlorophyll content and produce the vibrant green color. The leaves are then ground to produce a fine powder which is used in recipes for making teas, lattes, smoothies, and even ice-cream.
What Is In Matcha Green Tea
Matcha this, Matcha that.
Shade-grown tea leaves called Tencha make Matcha tea.
Tencha leaves are the green tea leaves that havent been ground into the fine powder known as matcha.
Starbucks green tea typically comes in a latte form because it is blended with a steamed milk of your choice. Starbucks also adds sweetener to boost the flavor of the bitter tea leaves, although you can pair Matcha green tea with just hot or cold water.
Interested in becoming a Tea Leaf Expert – Check out this Tea Leaf Reading Kit that comes with a tea cup!
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Expert Tips For Making The Best Copycat Iced Starbucks Matcha Latte Recipe
- Use a blender, for best results. Simply whisking the ingredients together will not be enough to remove any lumps and create a creamy frothy texture.
- Be sure to use fresh cold milk. This will result in a creamier consistency.
- Make sure to use pure matcha powder, not matcha mixes. This is a healthier option, with less sugar and calories. Youll get all the benefits of matcha without any of the bad stuff!
What Side Dish Can Be Served With This Latte
Many different side dishes can be served with Starbucks matcha green tea latte. Some popular options include:
- Sushi
- Fruit salad
- Green smoothie.
As you can see, many different and delicious options can be served alongside this amazing drink. No matter what you choose, you are sure to enjoy your matcha green tea latte even more!
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Whats In A Starbucks Matcha Latte
Starbucks makes their iconic matcha latte with a custom sweetened matcha powder made just for them and hot or cold steamed milk or a milk alternative. Its basically a sweetened latte, but you swap espresso for matcha.
The bonus to Starbucks using a sweetened matcha is that it mixes much faster and easier, avoiding the dreaded matcha clumps that can be difficult to get rid of when using matcha powder that is unsweetened. This allows Starbucks to make them faster, too, a critically important component to keeping that long line moving at all times.
Lets answer some of the most common questions about Starbucks matcha lattes and matcha in general.
How To Make An Iced Matcha Latte
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How To Make A Hot Matcha Latte At Home
Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.
What Is Matcha Powder
Matcha powder is a type of ground up green tea that is usually grown in Japan. I did not know this before, but after doing some research, I found out that during the last few weeks of the growth of the green tea, the lea leaves are shaded to increase their chlorophyll content. Thats what gives it that bright and vibrant green color.
After the harvest the leaves are ground up into a fine powder to make tea and many other recipes using matcha.
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Why You Should Drink Authentic Matcha
Okay, so it’s pretty clear by now that I’m a bit of a tea geek.
You only wanted to know what matcha Starbucks uses in their drinks and I went off on all these weird tangents…
But it’s because I really believe in drinking authentic matcha!
It’s such an interesting, flavorful tea that most people peaks within their cup at Starbucks.
Drinking real matcha has many benefits:
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It’s going to taste like what it’s intended to
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It’s likely to have many more nutrients and antioxidants
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It’s likely to be more recently ground .
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and it leads to a way better green tea drinking experience.
What Is In An Iced Starbucks Matcha Latte
Matcha latte is a tea latte made with matcha green tea powder, hot or cold milk and sweetener. You’re essentially swapping the espresso in a traditional latte for matcha green tea. It’s a vibrant green color and has an earthy, slightly bitter taste, and just like a regular coffee latte, it can be made as sweet as you like.
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Copycat Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Recipe
Posted by Jessica Pinney on April 17, 2017
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This copycat recipe shows you how to make your own Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte at home with just three ingredients.
I love this drink sooooooo matcha!
Okay, thats it for the matcha puns. I promise.
Im a simple gal when it comes to my caffeine drinks and generally not a lover of crazy coffee drinks or over the top Starbucks creations.
However, I fell in love with this drink many years ago when I worked for a production company here in Los Angeles. Ive never been able to shake my love for it.
These days I make it at home several times per week.
Its super easy to make and all you need is milk , matcha powder, and vanilla syrup.
I make mine a little fancy by using this vanilla bean simple syrup. Starbucks uses this vanilla syrup.
This post contains affiliate links . See our disclosure for more information.
I personally prefer the caffeine buzz I get from matcha versus coffee. No jitters and Im more focused. Some people even use it as a dietary aide because it suppresses your appetite.
To mix the green tea latte, I like to use my handheld milk frother. It is hands done one of my favorite kitchen tools that cost less than $10. I also used it to make my Lucky Charms Cereal Milk Latte.
If you dont have one, mixing with a regular ol spoon works great.
Update: Im adding a few tips and techniques that can help you make your matcha lump free!
Version : How To Make Matcha Latte In A Milk Frother
If you have a milk frother, then making matcha latte has become even easier! I personally use a Dualit milk frother, which has the ability to make both hot and cold froth. I love this in particular, as it saves me having to heat the plant milk in advance.
If your frother does not heat the milk, then please heat the plant milk in the microwave or on the stovetop beforehand.
Simply combine the plant milk, matcha green tea powder, and vanilla syrup in the milk frother, then switch it on using the heating setting of your milk frother.
Allow it to run through the frothing process – this should only take a minute or 2 for most milk frothers.
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Does Matcha Have Caffeine
It sure does! In fact, dont let the green tea powder fool you matcha has way more caffeine than regular green tea. Green tea has about 25mg of caffeine per cup, but matcha has double the amount, with at least 70mg of caffeine per cup! By comparison, one espresso shot has 75mg of caffeine, so considering how much matcha is in a grande or even venti, youre definitely not skimping on caffeine by switching to this green drink. To learn more about caffeine in coffee and tea drinks, head to this post.
Best Way To Order Starbucks Matcha Tea Drinks
Matcha tea is a popular caffeinated drink with many health benefits. The caffeine in this drink supports brain functioning and enhances memory. It also contains methylxanthines which support skin health. Consuming this drink can also prevent damage to the liver and kidneys.
Starbucks offers this Japanese tea in different forms. As you order the matcha tea drinks on the Starbucks menu, you should pay attention to the following.
- Choose the milk option you prefer: Starbucks uses low-fat milk to make matcha tea. You can ask a Starbucks barista to substitute the milk. Feel free to order a matcha drink with milk alternatives such as coconut, oat milk, soy, or almond if you want a healthy drink.
- Consider a syrup: You can also make matcha tea sweeter by ordering it with flavored syrup. Starbucks allows you to add different kinds of syrups to matcha drinks. Most people choose options like honey blend, vanilla, or toffee nut.
- : Though Starbucks matcha tea contains caffeine, the amount varies based on the number of matcha scoops. If you order this drink in a small cup, it is likely to have less caffeine compared to ordering it in a large cup.
- Think of how to top it: You can also make your drink more delicious by asking a barista to top it. For instance, you can try matcha tea with vanilla cream cold foam or whipped cream.
With that in mind, here is the best way to order Starbucks Matcha tea drinks.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. You only need 4 simple ingredients to make a matcha latte: matcha powder, water, milk and sweetener.
- You can adjust the level of sweetness. What I love about making a matcha latte at home is that I can control the level of sweetness. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of simple syrup to closely replicate the matcha lattes at Starbucks , but you can adjust the sweetener to taste.
- Less caffeine than coffee. One teaspoon of matcha powder has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. Perfect way to start your morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up without the hard crash.
The Concept Of Terroir
The tea plant is sensitive to the environment it grows in.
Meaning the soil, light, and the climate around the plant impact its health and the flavor of the tea made from it.
This concept is known as terroir.
So, like wine, the growing location makes or breaks a tea.
This is incredibly important with matcha.
Better growing locations means better tea.
So put simply:
Matcha must come from Japan.
And some locations in Japan grow better matcha than others.
Starbucks saves costs here which isnt intrinsically bad.
Theres a time and place for inexpensive tea too.
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Why Is This Version Healthier Than Starbucks’
This version is healthier because it has a lot less sugar than Starbucks’ version. Let’s take a look at their ingredients and compare. And let’s assume that we’re talking about a 16 oz beverage made with almond milk. The following information is based off of what is available on Starbucks’ website. The math is a rough estimate obtained by subtracting the amount of sugar in a 16 oz glass of only milk and a 16 oz matcha drink, so the math is going to be a little off since there isn’t 16 oz of milk in a 16 oz matcha drink.
Common Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte Questions:
What kind of matcha does Starbucks use?
Starbucks uses a sweetened matcha powder. Its ingredients are sugar and Japanese green tea powder.
How much caffeine does Starbucks iced matcha green tea latte have?
These are the caffeine levels for each size of an iced matcha green tea latte according to the Starbucks website. Tall : 55 mg Grande : 80 mg Venti : 110 mg
Is Starbucks matcha healthy?
The matcha powder Starbucks uses contains sugar so its not possible to get a sugar-free matcha green tea at Starbucks. On the other hand, there are many health benefits associated with matcha. Here is the nutrition information for each size of a Starbucks iced matcha green tea latte so you can judge its nutrition for yourself. Tall: 140 calories, 4 g fat, 21 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein Grande 200 calories, 5 g fat, 29 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein Venti: 280 calories 8 g fat, 41 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein
Can a Starbucks iced matcha green tea latte be customized?
Yes, iced green tea lattes can be customized, like every drink at Starbucks. For example, you can change the type of milk to non-fat milk, whole milk, half and half, almond, coconut, or soy. Additionally, you can add syrup like vanilla.
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Whats In Starbucks Matcha
This is one of the best kept secrets of Starbucks. Unlike their chai latte, which we know is a Tazo brand concentrate made just for them , the exact matcha they use is not readily disclosed. They do share that it is two ingredients: sugar and Japanese green tea powder.
Some guesses have been made about the origins of their matcha, with some guessing its made by the brand Aiya, a reputable Japanese company, and others saying their matcha originates in the Wazuka region of Japan. Both possibilities confirm that they use a high quality matcha.