How to Store Matcha Powder and How Long It Lasts

There are many reasons to love organic matcha tea, like the kind we offer here at Tenzo Tea, and knowing how to store, mix, and prepare it properly will ensure you can enjoy great flavors and health benefits for as long as possible. 

Matcha powder is a versatile, natural, and delicious treat that can inspire and support your physical and emotional health throughout the day. It’s a staple you’ll love to keep in your kitchen pantry and are sure to enjoy in drinks, smoothies, and even desserts. Here’s what you’ll want to know about keeping your matcha fresh—and all the best things you can do with matcha powder today.  

How to Store Matcha Powder 

RULE #1

MORE OXYGEN, MORE PROBLEMS

One of matcha’s most powerful components is also one of its most sensitive parts, and that is catechins. Catechins are the super powerful antioxidants that give matcha its restorative attributes. Catechins are also likely the reason you were interested in green tea, to begin with, as they are largely responsible for the anti-inflammatory and immune benefits associated with matcha. But, to retain these impressive benefits, you have to store your matcha carefully. Exposure to oxygen causes the catechins in matcha to deteriorate and renders them ineffective. Because of this, your matcha should be stored in an airtight container or at the very least, in one that minimizes contact with oxygen. 

The tin our matcha is shipped in serves many purposes, the rest of which we’ll address later, but for now the one you need to know is that it minimizes the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with your matcha. If you want to move your matcha to a different container, look for one which squeezes the air out, leaving the tea in a vacuum. Or, you can simply place your matcha jar inside a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, and seal it up. Whatever works best for you so long as it's sealed. 

RULE #2

SHOW MATCHA THE COLD SHOULDER

In addition to being damaged by exposure to oxygen, matcha can also be damaged with prolonged exposure to heat and humidity. But, before you run off to throw your matcha in the fridge, you should be aware of a few things. First, unless the climate you live in is extremely hot or insanely humid, your matcha is likely fine sitting out on the counter or placed in a cabinet. 

However, if you do live in a very warm climate or perhaps if you don’t have air conditioning, you may want to take an extra step to ensure that your matcha stays fresh and green. Placing your matcha in the fridge seems like a natural defense, but there are some potential downfalls to doing so. Matcha can and will absorb any strong odors in your fridge. So if you plop your matcha down next to yesterday’s Chinese takeout, your matcha’s going to taste like chicken fried rice tomorrow. This can easily be solved by placing your matcha in an airtight container or plastic bag, which also solves the oxygen problem. Two birds, one stone. 

RULE #3

ROOM TEMP OR BUST

At first, this rule may seem to be in direct contradiction to the previous rule (Show matcha the cold shoulder), but give us a second to explain. Although the fridge may be the best place for you to store your matcha, you should never serve it cold. 

When matcha is kept in a refrigerator because of an excessively hot environment (one exceeding the usual room temperature), it can open itself up to its other enemy, humidity. Just as a cold cup will produce condensation when in contact with warm air, so will your matcha container. And when it does, your matcha will suffer. To avoid this mishap, take it out of the fridge before you plan on drinking it and let it come to room temp with the top secured closed. You’ll still likely have condensation on the outside of the container but the matcha inside will be nice and dry. Of course, this isn’t an issue unless your matcha is stored in the fridge, and as we mentioned above, the only reason to do this is if the environment is unusually hot.   

RULE #4

STAY IN THE DARK

You may already know from a previous blog, that one of the things that makes matcha different from your average green tea is that farmers shade the green tea leaves that are destined to be matcha. This process preserves matcha’s beautiful color and encourages the plant to produce higher levels of chlorophyll by slightly stunting the plant’s growth. This delicate procedure sets matcha apart from all other teas and is one of the reasons why matcha is so powerful. 

However, shading the plants while their growing also means that the matcha that arrives on your doorstep is extremely sensitive to light. And, when we say sensitive to light, we really mean that matcha hates light. After matcha has been processed, the chlorophyll can no longer respond to sunlight, and so exposure to it destroys the chlorophyll, ruins the vibrant green that we all know and love, and gives the tea a slightly metallic taste. 

In order to ensure that your matcha stays fresh and green, you need to store it in a dark place and/or in a dark container. As matcha lovers ourselves, we’re well-aware of this problem, which is why we ship out matcha in a tin container. If your matcha arrives in a clear container, immediately transfer it to a different one to protect it from light. If you don’t have any containers that aren’t clear on hand, we suggest storing your matcha in a dark, cool cabinet or closet that you don’t open often and purchasing a new container ASAP. 

RULE #5

IT’S NOT A FINE WINE

At some point or another, you may have heard that aged matcha is more flavorful than fresh matcha and were tempted to let your existing matcha age to amp up the taste. With the utmost precision and high-quality equipment, tea experts can create aged matcha that tastes slightly better than the fresh stuff. However, unless your kitchen allows you to control the light, the temperature, and humidity, this is not something you should be doing at home. 

There is no denying that matcha is a finicky plant and that growing top-grade matcha is an art form. It’s what makes the perfect matcha so perfect. But it also means that aging matcha is a little more complicated than just letting it sit somewhere. Leaving your matcha out to age will ruin the taste and potentially even make you sick. So we suggest leaving this one to the experts. 

How Long Does Matcha Powder Last? 

It’s important to pay attention to the matcha powder storing process because proper storage helps to ensure that your matcha powder will remain fresh and usable for as long as possible. 

Matcha powder is technically non-perishable as long as it isn’t opened and can be kept for upwards of a year in a cool, dark environment. 

Once you have made that first cup, however, you have about a month to ensure the matcha powder is used at its prime. You may use it a few weeks after that, but there will be a notable difference in flavor, scent, and effects, and it is not recommended that you use matcha open longer than eight weeks. 

If you have matcha powder that is beginning to lose its potency, consider unique recipes! Matcha can be used in many baked goods, where it will still give off bold and delicious tastes even if it’s no longer fresh. 

Why Drink Matcha Tea 

There are many benefits to drinking matcha tea, and you’ll want to drink it all the time after that first try. To start, matcha tea is a low-impact way to get the energy boost you need from your morning coffee or afternoon energy drink without the intense caffeine crashes or the associated side effects of too much caffeine consumption. 

It is one of the most caffeine-rich tea options, just under black tea, and can have nearly as much caffeine as a shot of espresso, with around 72 milligrams of caffeine per eight-ounce cup. Thanks to the natural ingredients and method of preparation, the energy boost you feel when you drink matcha tea will last longer and be gentler. That means fewer afternoon crashes, headaches, or digestive issues. 

The benefits of matcha tea don’t stop there. It can be helpful in reducing the appearance of blemishes on the skin, can support healthy body function, and can aid in making you feel refreshed and revitalized. Matcha tea has long been used in meditation practices, and because the energy support is subtle and gentle, you’ll feel fewer symptoms of the stress of tension and find it easier to get to sleep at night. All of that can help to add to feelings of peace and restfulness, without taking away from productivity or creativity.  

How to Pick the Right Matcha Powder 

Here at Tenzo Tea, we want to make it easy to pick the right matcha tea for your lifestyle. There are many different kinds of matcha tea harvested around the world, and you’ll have your pick when it’s time to bake, blend, or enjoy your matcha tea in its basic form. 

We took our time and focused our attention on finding the perfect matcha tea blend for all of your health and wellness needs, and it bears a striking similarity to the matcha tea from many generations ago. 

To make sure it’s the highest quality possible, we accounted for several important factors, including location, storage, color, and taste. Each can have its own impact on the quality, flavor, and benefits of the matcha tea, and we’re dedicated to bringing you the perfect blend every time. 

When it comes to picking the right matcha tea, we hope you’ll turn to Tenzo Tea. Our matcha tea is sourced from Japan and backed by the Japanese Agriculture Stamp. Bright colors and light, aromatic smells can indicate that the matcha powder is high-quality, and that perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with just a hint of bitterness only shows up in the best mixes. Whether you’re turning to Tenzo Tea or seeking out your own matcha powder mix, you deserve the highest quality products for energy, inspiration, and peace. 

Conclusion 

Matcha powder is a healthy and delicious treat that you’ll always want to have on hand. Its sweet and bountiful flavors come from the delicate tea leaves and special method of preparation, which makes it especially important to store your matcha powder properly. When you keep matcha powder in a cool, dry environment, it will last longer and maintain more of its great flavors and health benefits, making it easy to enjoy smoothies, teas, lattes, and more. 

When you’re ready to begin experimenting with matcha powder in your kitchen, trust the classic ingredients you’ll find here at Tenzo Tea. We’re not just dedicated to helping you find beautiful matcha flavors with a rich history. We also want to ensure that you have the information to store, prepare, and use them with ease. Explore our library of resources and recipes and begin trying out your favorite matcha drinks today. 

Sources: 

https://time.com/5188377/matcha-tea-benefits/

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/preserve-matcha-green-tea-8382.html