Organic vs Non-Organic

ORGANIC vs NON-ORGANIC

As consumers’ demand for organic products continue to rise, we’ve seen a constant surge in demand for organic Matcha as well. More consumers are demanding organic food products as a way to reduce the intake of chemicals and potential health risks associated with ingesting pesticides and chemical fertilizers. But can we really tell the difference between Organic and Non-Organic Matcha? The answer is most certainly yes.

We strongly recommend Organic Matcha because you are consuming the whole leaf (matcha is grounded from tea leaves), so you would not want any chemicals such as synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in your Matcha.

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COLOR AND TASTE

The most evident differences between organic and non-organic matcha powders are the color and taste. Organic matcha tends to be a little less vibrant in color and it tends to taste a little less rich and sweet. The reason for this is due to the fertilizer used.

Matcha tea leaves (Tencha tea leaves) are shade-grown to produce the high levels of Chlorophyll and Amino Acids (L-Theanine), that gives Matcha its vibrant green color, and enhances the natural sweetness, however, as Matcha tea leaves do not get energy from the sun, they need to get it from somewhere else, usually fertilizers. In short, chemical fertilizers are more potent because they perform much faster to pump the plants full of nutrients, while organic fertilizers take months to work their magic. The flavor and color of organic matcha are slightly altered because organic fertilizers do not have the “instant effect” that chemical fertilizers have, so the crops get its nutrients over a longer period of time.

HEALTH RISKS OF NON-ORGANIC MATCHA

The problem with organic fertilizers is that they lack the “instant effect” of chemical fertilizers. Organic fertilizers do not have the capacity to support the plant’s “ultimate growing potential” and this slows down the rate at which the matcha plants get their nutrients, ultimately altering the flavor and color. But slightly altered color and the flavor is a small price to pay for the purity of organic matcha powder. Chemical pesticides not only harm the environment, they also pose a myriad of health risks and research has linked exposure to chemical pesticides to increased presence of neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease, leukemia, lymphoma, asthma and more. All our matcha are produced under very strict regulation and Organic Certified in Japan, which are very safe for consumption.

So what are the other differences between Organic and Non-Organic Matcha? There may be more to producing high quality Organically certified Matcha than you think. Head over to Why Shizukesa to understand our organic practices.