Is more foam an indicator of better quality matcha?

Matcha science 101. 'Saponi'.

Why some matcha has less foam, but some has lots of foam. Is more foams the better quality?

Let's dig into science, something called saponin:

The foam that you see on top of whisked matcha occurs because of a compound called saponin. Within ceremonial-grade matcha, some matchas foam better than others, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the foamier matchas are higher quality; it just comes down to the saponin content of the tea.

The primary goal of heavy shading (which is done for the highest quality matchas, especially those meant for thick tea, or Koicha) is to stop the plant from converting sweet amino acids (L-theanine) into bitter catechins (polyphenols).

Therefore, the foam that you see on top of whisked matcha occurs because of a compound called saponin. A tea with very high saponins and lots of foam might actually taste more astringent.

We can make your matcha foamy and less bitter too.

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www.myvibrantleaf.com

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