If you’re Nigerian and you’ve never had matcha before, there’s a good chance your first thought was:
“Wait. Isn’t this just ewedu?”
Honestly? We see it.
It’s green. It’s a little grassy. It comes in a bowl. And if someone handed you a bowl of bright green matcha without any context, you might reasonably wonder why you’re being served something that looks suspiciously like your mother’s soup.
But no.
Matcha is not ewedu. Not even close!
So, what exactly is it?
Matcha, explained
Matcha is a Japanese green tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. Its the same plant used to make green tea and black tea. The difference is in how the leaves are grown and prepared.
Before they're harvested, the tea plants are shaded for a period of time. The leaves are then steamed, dried and ground into an incredibly fine powder.
And unlike regular green tea, where you steep the leaves and remove them, with matcha you drink the whole leaf.
That's what gives matcha its distinctive colour, texture and flavour.
Why is it so green?
Good matcha has that unmistakable vibrant green colour.
Shading the tea plants before harvest encourages them to produce more chlorophyll, contributing to that beautiful colour.
But here's the thing:
Green doesn't automatically mean good.
Quality matcha should also have a fresh aroma, a fine texture and a balanced flavour.
Depending on the matcha, you might notice sweetness, nuttiness, grassiness or umami — that savoury, satisfying quality that gives matcha its depth.
Good matcha shouldn't simply taste like you're drinking grass.
So where does the ewedu comparison come from?
Let's settle this properly.
Ewedu comes from jute leaves.
Matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis tea plant.
They aren't related, and they definitely don't taste the same.
Although, to be fair, we do understand why Nigerians made the connection.
Why is everyone suddenly drinking it?
Matcha might feel like the latest wellness obsession, but it has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries.
Today, it has found its way into cafés, kitchens and homes around the world — from traditional bowls of whisked matcha to iced drinks and creamy lattes.
And we think part of the appeal is the ritual.
You measure your matcha. Add your water. Whisk it. Watch the powder become smooth and vibrant.
It's a small moment to slow down.
And, yes, it looks very good in a glass.
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