Myths About Matcha: What's True and What's Not
Matcha carries its share of preconceptions, often contradictory ones: too expensive, too long to prepare, tastes like grass, only drinkable as a latte. We wanted to go through them one by one, without pretending everything is perfect, but really explaining what's behind each one, starting with the one we hear the most.
Matcha is expensive, are brands taking advantage?
This is the criticism we hear most often, and it comes from a real observation: matcha costs more today than it did a few years ago. But the explanation isn't a margin that brands started inflating. It's the purchase price of matcha from Japanese producers themselves that has skyrocketed since 2021, for several reasons that have compounded.
Global demand has multiplied, driven in particular by social media and the craze for matcha lattes, while the land area set aside for tencha, the leaf that becomes matcha once ground, remains limited and doesn't expand overnight. At the same time, Japan's producer population is aging, with fewer and fewer successors taking over, and some harvests have been weakened by weather-related setbacks. The result: a temporary shortage among several producers in 2024 and 2025, and purchase prices that mechanically climb for everyone, brands included.
And that purchase price is only the starting point: on top of it come packaging (boxes, labels), storage, logistics to get it to France, and the marketing costs needed to keep a brand running. When the price of the raw material rises this much, it doesn't just show up on its own, it ripples through each of these costs that rely on it, which is why the final price climbs even faster than the producer price itself.
Despite all these increases on the producer side, we haven't changed our prices at Nōka in two years.
Matcha tastes like grass
This preconception isn't entirely wrong, but it points at the wrong culprit. A matcha that tastes grassy and bitter is almost always a matcha whose production was rushed: a poorly shaded leaf, oxidation not stopped quickly enough, or stems and veins not properly removed during de-veining, the step we cover in detail in our article on tencha. A good matcha, well prepared upstream, has a round, slightly sweet umami taste, not a note of freshly cut grass.
It takes too long and isn't practical to prepare
In practice, preparing a matcha takes roughly the same time as pulling a shot of coffee from a machine, and much less time than a classic infusion left to steep for several minutes. What creates this impression of complexity is mainly the image of the bamboo whisk and the precise movement associated with the tea ceremony. At Nōka, we actually do recommend that traditional preparation with a chasen, because it remains the best way to experience the full texture and taste of matcha. But it isn't required either: day to day, a simple electric milk frother or even a shaker are more than enough for a lump-free result, when time is short. We cover every method, from the most traditional to the quickest, in our article on how to drink your matcha.
Matcha is only drunk as a latte
Historically, it's actually the opposite: in Japan, matcha is traditionally drunk with hot water, with no milk at all. Matcha latte is a more recent invention, popularized in the West, which remains an excellent way in but isn't the only way to enjoy it. You can also prepare it as a classic usucha, in a more concentrated koicha version, or even iced with sparkling water for a lighter take. On the specific question of milk, we've already covered the impact of cow's milk and plant-based milks on matcha in our article on matcha's benefits for skin, so there's no need to go over it again here.
Matcha is full of heavy metals
This is a legitimate concern, and it deserves a real answer rather than denial. The tea plant naturally tends to accumulate certain metals present in the soil, which explains why this question keeps coming up. The right response to this preconception isn't to brush it aside, but to check it: that's exactly why we have our matchas tested by an independent accredited laboratory, with complete and transparent results that we detail in our article on the lab results. Not all matchas are equal on this point either, which brings us directly to the last preconception.
All matchas are the same
This is probably the most costly preconception for anyone who really wants to appreciate matcha. Grade, tea plant cultivar, growing region, and the way the leaf was ground make a huge difference to the taste, texture, and color of the finished product. We explain what really sets grades apart in our article on what matcha grades actually mean, and how to spot the signs of a poor-quality matcha in our article on how to spot a bad matcha. Two matchas at the same price can be very different, and so can two matchas at very different prices.
In summary
Most preconceptions about matcha come from a bad experience with a poor-quality matcha, not from matcha itself. The price follows an industry-wide reality, not excessive margins, a grassy taste signals a botched production, and preparation is much faster than people imagine. Understanding what's behind each preconception makes for more informed choices, and often gives matcha a second chance.
Have a question about these preconceptions or about our matchas? Feel free to contact us, we'll be happy to answer.
