Does Matcha Go Bad? All about Matcha

Does Matcha Go Bad?

Does Matcha Go Bad? How long can Matcha last after opening? These questions will be considered by most matcha lovers. Let’s find out the answer in my blog post!

Does Matcha Go Bad?

With so many people falling in love with Matcha, not only that, a lot of questions have been asked. One question is whether or not the tea has gone wrong and lost its properties overtime. I did some digging around to find out more about this topic, but it seems like there isn’t much information on this subject just yet. Hence, I also make some sections for how to keep the matcha fresh and some benefits of drinking matcha.

Before discussing whether or not “Does Matcha Go Bad”, it’s important for us to first define exactly what Matcha even means.

Just get started right now.

1. What is Matcha?

The Japanese tea ceremony is a meditative ritual where Matcha, green tea powder ground into a powdered form which makes it easier to dissolve in liquids, is whisked with hot water. The drink can be enjoyed alone or as part of the elaborate experience that includes an aide preparing and serving the ingredients for you. 

Nowadays, various ways exist to enjoy this beverage outside Japan, including making boba teas at home. Also popular are drinks made by mixing instant coffee granules with milk, then topping off your latte/coffee cup halfway through with bubble-filled black tapioca balls called “boba.”

2. Does Matcha go bad?

You might wonder can matcha go bad. Yes, Matcha can go bad, it is a delicious tea that loses its flavor in less than one month. After the package has been opened, it can last up to four weeks before losing the original Matcha green tea powder’s color, taste, and quality.

The taste of Matcha does not spoil in the traditional sense, but it becomes bland and loses all flavor. Nevertheless, it is still safe to use. However, you will have difficulty finding its original taste because there won’t be much left after cooking or making pastries with this ingredient.

If the Matcha has gone off, it will lose its color and become bitter. The quality differentiates culinary grades from lower grades, so if you have a batch of low-quality Matcha that doesn’t taste good anymore, there’s no point in keeping it around.

Looking to get the most out of your Matcha? You can use it on average for up to three months, depending upon storage and frequency of usage.

3. How Long Does Matcha Last Before It Goes Bad?

Matcha, a powdered green tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies and casual beverages alike, has an unopened shelf life of 12 months. However, the Matcha will lose color and flavor within four weeks, even if it’s not consumed once opened.

The date on the label will be around one year, even two years, but it will not represent when the Matcha powder reaches its full potential. The truth is, once you open it up to expose it to oxygen (air), this ingredient begins losing its properties immediately – so much that after about one month from opening, your fresh tea has begun oxidizing!

It’s best to buy Matcha powder in small batches that you would drink within one month, two months max. This is because the tea will begin tasting bland and lose its flavor and health benefits once it reaches a certain point of time after opening an unopened pack or tin can.

4. How to Decide Matcha is Not Fresh?

Now, you know the answer to the question of “can matcha powder go bad?”. It’s time to see how it is bad. To ensure the quality of your Matcha, you should know how to identify when it is no longer fresh. There are a few ways that this can be done, and I will explain them below.

• Color 

Matcha is known for its bright green color. This means it can easily be differentiated from other teas and has a low to non-existent oxidation level that preserves the flavor of Matcha’s original ingredients. 

However, once this vibrant shade becomes duller in color, you know your tea powder is beginning to oxidize, which will result in an undesirable taste and ruin any chances of preserving the health benefits associated with consuming Matcha. Likewise, if your Matcha becomes yellow, you can not do anything with it anymore. 

• Taste

One of the most beautiful things about Matcha is that it isn’t going to be bitter. So while you will notice a deep and rich flavor, there won’t be an aftertaste that would taste sweet.

When tasting your tea, if it wasn’t initially bitter but has become so, this indicates changes in its properties—most likely not for good!

You may find that culinary grade Matcha is a little bitter at first, but don’t worry because the flavor also has more of an impact.

• Smell

While Matcha does not smell very strongly, it still has a hint of its scent. The grassy undertones are complemented by sweeter hints that give the tea an overall pleasant aroma, perfect for drinking in large batches or sharing with friends and family alike.

If the Matcha is losing its smell, it’s beginning to lose some of its properties. It hasn’t lost all flavor or antioxidants yet, though – you can still finish this one!

• Mold

If an ingredient has mold on it, don’t use it. Mold can make you sick, and eating contaminated food could be fatal. If you spot any mold, throw the ingredients away and buy new ones-it’s no longer safe for consumption.

5. The benefits of Matcha 

There are a lot of advantages from Matcha for people’s health, let check it out right now:

• High antioxidant 

Matcha have a lot of antioxidants known as catechins stabilizing harmful free radicals. These are compounds that can damage cells and lead to chronic disease. When matcha powder is added to hot water, it has all the nutrients from an whole leaf. Hence, it will tend to be more antioxidant-rich than steeping a teabag filled with leaves used by other methods. By one estimate, there are up to 137 times more significant amounts of particular catechins found in Matcha over regular types of green tea.

Due to the good source of antioxidants, matcha can reduce damage caused by free radicals and increase antioxidant activity. Not only that, but including Matcha in your diet could also decrease the risk of several chronic diseases like cancer or cardiovascular disease.

• Protect liver

A study found that Matcha may help protect the health of your liver by protecting it from damage. One 16-week study gave diabetic rodents Matcha, which prevented kidney and liver damage. Another 90-day trial showed green tea extract significantly reducing elevated levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease at 12 weeks.

• Boost brain function

Matcha contains caffeine and L-theanine, which can increase alertness while preventing the crash that often follows coffee consumption. In addition, a study found that Matcha increases alpha brainwave activity in our brains when we are relaxed or performing tasks requiring attention.

Matcha is an excellent alternative to coffee because it doesn’t lead to high energy followed by an inevitable drop-off not long after you’ve had your morning cup of joe. Instead, Matcha has been shown in studies to promote wakefulness without causing anxiety over time, as many people experience caffeine intake alone.

• Prevent cancer

Green tea are considered to be able to decrease the size of cancer tumor and slow down breast cancer’s growth. Matcha is capable of killing cancer cells. Besides, EGCG in matcha & tea is supportive in againsting the lung, skin and liver cancers.

• Promoting heart 

Besides, drinking green tea can reduces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Green tea may also protect against heart disease by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which is associated with a reduced risk for stroke or cardiac events.

• Lose weight 

Green tea also can enhance weight loss. In addition, studies have shown that it increases energy expenditure and fat burning, which may help speed up metabolism.

• Easy to make 

It is effortless to make a cup of Matcha with power, a cup, and some hot water. 

6. Disadvantages of Matcha

• Price

Macha has various price ranges based on its price, but it is always more expensive than other drinks such as coffee. 

• Risk of liver toxicity 

Because it consumes high of EGCG and some other polyphenols, it might damage the liver, although it might need some more evidence. 

• Contaminants

Because it is made from green tea, it might have some risk of consuming the tea leaves whihc have heavy metals such as arsenic or lead. 

• Other problems

Because it is green tea, that’s why it might cause some stomach upset if you dink when you are starving. Besides, it also causes constipation for someone, and caffeine might make you get insomnia. 

7. Does Matcha Powder Go Bad? Keep Your Matcha Fresh

Matcha powder can go bad. Matcha powder can be left in humid conditions where it may go moldy. As the Matcha deteriorates, its color will diminish to a brownish-green shade. When this happens, you should probably throw out your old Matcha supplies because they have lost their freshness and taste over time.

How to keep Matcha fresh

1. Why buy cheap, low-quality Matcha when you can enjoy a more flavorful, high-quality version? Good Matcha is often sourced from Japan and shade-grown for at least 3-4 weeks before harvest.
2. While lower in quality than ceremonial grade, culinary grade matcha is still great to use when making baked goods like green tea, whipped cream, or ice cream. (I even make my culinary-grade Matcha!)
3. When you buy Matcha, make sure it is stored in a dark container and has an expiration date. Most grocery stores do not publicly share the expiry of their tea or show it when they first put it on sale, which means that before someone purchases this from them for home use may already be stale.
4. Like other green tea, matcha should be kept properly. To retain its freshness and flavor, try to drink your cup within a few months of opening the container or place it in an airtight bag with some desiccant packets before putting it into storage. Making drinking matcha part of your daily routine helps ensure that you don’t forget about it at the back of a cabinet when there is nothing else left for you to enjoy!
5. Matcha is best when it’s fresh, so make sure you keep your tea in an airtight container. If the match didn’t come with one already, invest in a tin or opaque bag instead of regular plastic bags that let oxygen through and quickly cause oxidation.
6. Since Matcha is sensitive to odors, you can store mine in a mini-fridge away from food smells. Matcha’s best stored inside Ziploc bags help reduce the likelihood of condensation and keep product quality high. 
7. You should not buy matcha green tea in bulk because the expiration date may have already passed. If you do purchase a large amount, portion some of it out into smaller containers for daily use to limit exposure to oxygen.

8 . Where to buy it?

It is very easy to find Matcha in any grocery store. However, it is much easier to buy it online from Amazon, Walmart, Wholefoods, Asian Markets, or Trader Joe’s. You can choose the brand, flavors and grades, all information, and even see the reviews from previous customers. 

FAQs about Does Matcha Go Bad

Q1: How to make Matcha?

• Prepare 100mg boiled and filtered water, then leave it cool for 3 minutes. 
• Add a half tsp of Matcha in a bowl, add a splash of water, and mix with the bamboo whisk to make it a smooth paste.
• Add more water to the bowl and then stir it well with the whisk and flick the whisk back and forth until it is combined and then get the frothy foam on the top. 
• Enjoy it 

Q4: Is it safe to drink the expired Matcha?

Although Matcha might take on an unpleasant taste, it is still safe to drink. You can make a smoothie with the ingredient or mix it into berries and honey for added flavor.

Q3: Is Matcha safe to drink every day?

While green tea and Matcha are considered healthy drinks daily that contain caffeine, people who might be sensitive to the stimulant should note this in 2016. WHO also linked hot beverages like coffee and tea with a higher risk of esophageal cancer.

Conclusion 

The answer to the question “Does matcha go bad” is “Yes, it will go bad over one month after opening the sealed box” However, there are many ways to keep it fresh for a long time. Storing Matcha in an airtight container is the best way to preserve its flavor. Keeping it away from sunlight, direct heat, and humidity will prolong the shelf life of this ingredient. It’s also a good idea to place it in your kitchen cabinet for easy access when you need it!

Hence, don’t worry about it. Just go for some matcha to wake up your brain right now!

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