"Average people address results, clever people address causes, but wise people address systems.”
This simple yet profound saying came to life during a recent visit to friends near Prague, perfectly mirroring the journey of matcha.
Matcha's vibrant green color and rich flavor are no accident. It's the result
of a carefully crafted system. The raw material of matcha is called tencha, tea leaves meticulously shaded for at least 20 days strictly regulated now in Japan. Before this method was invented, green tea was often bitter due to catechin,
a chemical compound that acts as a natural "sunscreen".
Around 500 years ago, Japanese farmers observed that tea grown in partially shaded areas had a superior flavor. This led to the development of the labor-intensive shading process. Traditionally, this involved constructing a shelf above the tea plants, layering bamboo-reed blinds, and then covering them with rice straw. The gradually added straw layers ultimately blocking 95-98 % of sunlight. The used rice straw was then spread throughout the tea garden after the usage, regulating soil temperature, suppressing weeds, and eventually decomposing
to nourish the next year's tea buds.
Shading fundamentally changes the tea’s composition - reducing catechins while increasing amino acids like L-theanine (known for its calming effects)
and chlorophyll (a powerful antioxidant).
The result? A richer, more balanced flavor. While traditional rice straw shading
is now rare, reserved for ultra-premium matcha, most specialty matcha use dual-layer cheesecloth or direct blanket shading. Matcha is not just a final product;
it represents a system, a collaboration between nature and human systematic efforts.
My friends' story echoed this systemic thinking. Their village's well water was polluted. Neighbours either endured it or bought bottled water – treating
the symptom. My friends went further. They installed a home filtration system, addressing the immediate cause. But their wisdom shone through when they had the water source analyzed, bringing the village's attention to the systemic problem. Now, their village is working towards a sustainable solution: a new, clean water source.
At their home, I enjoyed not only tea made with pure water but also a delicious pure-diet meal by using recipes from PurelifePraha. My friends embody
a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, and it takes both will and daring to change
the habits often invites fear and doubt.
The matcha, water, and food we consume are all integral parts of our well-being system. Are we, like my friends and the matcha producers, applying wisdom
to ensure the quality of this system?
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