Yaupon Matcha

Yaupon Matcha is the Texan take on the Japanese tea called matcha. Matcha is a special type of tea that uses stone-ground Camellia sinensis (your traditional green tea leaves). Matcha is not only praised for its taste but also for its caffeine content. Yaupon, on the other hand, is the only native plant in North America that naturally contains caffeine. Using techniques used to make traditional Japanese matcha, yaupon leaves are sorted, dried, and ground up, creating a local version that is rich in antioxidants and big in taste.

Yaupon Matcha Trivia

• The Native Americans used the yaupon “tea” as a laxative.
• Records show that yaupon leaves were smoked by Native American medicine men in certain ceremonies.
• Due to its high caffeine content, matcha was consumed by samurai warriors in ancient Japan to prepare them physically and mentally for combat.
• One teaspoon of matcha powder contains more caffeine than a shot of espresso.
• Japanese and yaupon matcha are the only types of tea that contain dietary fiber.

Yaupon Matcha Buying Guide

While loose-leaf yaupon tea has been around for a long time, yaupon matcha is a relatively new product. Only a handful of Texan producers are applying matcha making techniques to create yaupon matcha. Your best bet to source yaupon matcha would be to go online and search for a local producer that creates this artisan product and order from there. Don’t worry though, yaupon matcha producers are very active in marketing this product online, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a producer near you that ships their product.

Yaupon Matcha Production & Farming in Texas

Yaupon grows wild in central to east Texas. Since the yaupon tree is very hardy, it doesn’t require the use of pesticides and fertilizers to thrive in Texas. Nurseries grow the yaupon tree not specifically for tea production but for transplant and landscaping use.

Yaupon matcha producers typically forage small batches of wild yaupon leaves for the production of the product. Aside from foraging wild yaupon plants, yaupon matcha and tea producers have a relationship with landowners when it comes to the yaupon trees. Yaupon is technically considered an invasive tree due to its hardiness, it is very hard to get rid of. Yaupon tea producers will clear and manage the yaupon trees in exchange for keeping the leaves and maybe even a small fee.

Pesticides:

Yaupon trees are very hardy. It can withstand droughts, floods, and even the terrain can’t stop yaupon trees from thriving. This is just an indication that no pesticides and chemicals are used in the growing of yaupon. You can rest assured that any yaupon product that you get that is sourced in Texas will be organic.

Packaging:

Yaupon matcha typically comes in two packaging types. One is in cylindrical paper boxes for home use that contains around 20-30 servings of the product while the other packaging type is in resealable kraft paper pouches that can contain up to a hundred servings of the product.

Enjoying Yaupon Matcha

Yaupon matcha is prepared the way traditional Japanese matcha is made.

Step 1:

Depending on the desired strength, sift 1-2 teaspoon of yaupon matcha into a small cup.

Step 2:

Add 2oz of hot water (not boiling) water to the sifted yaupon matcha powder.

Step 3:

For best results, use a matcha whisk (looks like a small broom) to whisk the mixture until frothy and consume immediately. If you don’t have a whisk, you can use a teaspoon but keep on stirring the mixture while slowly adding the water to avoid clumping.

Storage:

Yaupon Matcha, much like its Japanese counterpart, is a very finicky product to store. Once the packaging is open, the first thing you must do is to transfer the powder to an airtight container. Air greatly affects the quality of yaupon matcha. Now that you have moved the powder to an airtight container store it somewhere away from direct sunlight. If you frequently use matcha, room temperature storage is best. But if you’re going away for a while or if you won’t be preparing the yaupon matcha if extended periods, you can store it in the fridge. Just remember to let it “warm down” on the countertop for a few hours once you get back so that it won’t condense due to rapid temperature change.

Cooking:

Yaupon matcha can be utilized the same way Japanese matcha is used in recipes. It can be used in cookies, smoothies, souffles, cakes, and chocolate to add a matcha twist to any dessert.

Nutrition:

• Carbs
  • The carbs in yaupon matcha are provided by dietary fiber, which is essential in maintaining gut health.
• Vitamins and minerals:
  • Yaupon has been known to be rich in bioactive compounds like alkaloids and polyphenols that play a vital role in overall health and wellbeing.
    • Polyphenols in yaupon matcha have been thought to improve diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. It can also help with digestion and weight management issues.
    • Yaupon matcha contains good levels of caffeine that can perk you up and stimulates the central nervous system.
    • Yaupon matcha has theobromines, these stimulate the soft muscle tissues, smoothing out the caffeine hit and preventing a “caffeine crash.” This is one of the reasons why yaupon tea and yaupon matcha are a preferred caffeine source for some people.
    • Yaupon matcha contains theophylline. This is a type of bronchial dilator that aids in vasodilation. In layman’s terms, this improves blood circulation.
  • Yaupon matcha is also an excellent source of various antioxidants that fight against oxidative stress and the effects of free radicals on your body.
  • Some studies have shown that yaupon offers some level of cardiovascular protection and has some potential to have therapeutic effects on the cardiovascular system. More studies are required at this point.