What's the difference between green tea powder and matcha powder?

Green tea powder and matcha powder are often confused – both are made from green tea, but due to fundamental differences in raw material standards and processing techniques, they are completely different in terms of ingredient activity, application scenarios, and value proposition.。

一、Raw materials and processes determine the "fundamental difference".

1. Raw material comparison

2. Processing technology

（1）Green tea powder processing: high-efficiency mass production, preserving basic activity

• Core process: Fresh leaves → Blanching → Rolling → Drying → Crushing → Sieving → Finished product;
• Process characteristics: Pursuing "high-efficiency mass production", the fixing temperature is high and the drying speed is fast, retaining only the core active ingredients of green tea (tea polyphenols), but chlorophyll and amino acids are easily lost due to high temperature;
• Key drawbacks: High temperatures are easily generated during the pulverization process, which leads to the oxidation of some tea polyphenols and uneven particle size (with visible fine residue), resulting in a rough taste.

（2）Matcha powder processing: meticulous processing to lock in unique ingredients

• Core process: Covering and cultivating fresh leaves → Steaming to kill green → Cooling → Drying → Removing tea stems and fibrous tissues → Stone grinding → Aseptic packaging → Finished product;
• Processing characteristics: Low-temperature quality control throughout the entire process; steam fixation preserves chlorophyll and amino acids; slow stone grinding avoids high-temperature oxidation; and the particle size is much larger than that of green tea powder.
• Key requirements: The grinding equipment must be a dedicated stone mill, the processing environment must be sterile, and the output per batch is low, resulting in high costs.

二、Differences in ingredients, sensory properties, and safety

• The core advantage of green tea powder is its "high content of tea polyphenols," making it suitable for scenarios that seek "antioxidant effects."

• The core advantages of matcha powder are "high theanine + high chlorophyll + delicate taste", making it suitable for scenarios that pursue "flavor, color and high-end experience".

 三、Precise matching -- application scenarios

1. In the health supplement industry: Green tea powder is the preferred choice for those prioritizing efficacy.

•  Core demand: The antioxidant and metabolic regulation effects brought by high tea polyphenols;
•  Advantages of green tea powder: It has more than 25% higher polyphenol content than matcha powder, and its cost is only 1/3 to 1/5 of that of matcha powder. It is suitable for making health products such as capsules and compressed candies that "aid antioxidant" and "regulate metabolism".
•  Recommended specifications: Tea polyphenols ≥18% (health product grade), moisture ≤5%, microorganisms ≤100 CFU/g;
•  Forbidden substitution: If matcha powder is used as a substitute, the amount added needs to be increased by 3 times to achieve the same concentration of tea polyphenols, which leads to a surge in costs.

2. Food Sector: Segmented Scenarios, Each with Its Own Applicable Targets

 3. In the cosmetics industry: characteristics determine the direction of adaptation.

• Green tea powder: suitable for "antioxidant face creams and cleansing masks";
• Matcha powder: Suitable for "whitening essences and sensitive skin repair products";
• Key difference: Matcha powder's ultra-fine particle size avoids the "rough feel" of green tea powder, but its cost is more than 4 times that of green tea powder, so the choice should be based on the product's pricing strategy.

The essential difference between green tea powder and matcha powder lies in their positioning as "functional raw materials" versus "compound raw materials combining flavor, efficacy, and aesthetics." Green tea powder is based on "high tea polyphenols and low cost," making it suitable for mass-market, functional products; matcha powder, on the other hand, focuses on "high theanine, ultra-fine particle size, and natural flavor," making it suitable for high-end, experiential products.