Maui Matcha owner Michelle Nayebkhil shares the nutritional and health benefits of matcha in her new Kaanapali cafe in Whalers Village.

KAANAPALI — Maui Matcha, the sleek, minimalist-style Kaanapali cafe in Whalers Village, was recently opened by entrepreneur, professional nutrition expert and University of Hawaii at Manoa graduate Michelle Nayebkhil.

Upon receiving her license as a nutrition educator from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington, D.C., Nayebkhil was convinced that the right lifestyle can prevent and possibly cure certain diet-related illnesses such as obesity, heart disease or high blood pressure.

To share this insight with the public, she launched the new cafe.

“The PCRM program was the foundation for Maui Matcha,” Nayebkhil said. “Food and drink are so important to a daily healthy lifestyle. The past few years have seen matcha rise through the ranks of the beverage hierarchy, particularly in the wellness industry. However, research has shown that matcha is far more than just a phase or trend. I wanted to do something health-centered, something that benefits the health of others and makes them feel good. Matcha provided a chance to do this, and to help grow a healthy West Side and Maui community.”

A unique tea, matcha was once shared only amongst the highest nobility in Japan. It has progressed from being simply an aristocratic beverage to one of the most lauded superfoods today. Besides its long list of health benefits, matcha comes from a remarkable culture and tradition that ought to be pondered in our fast-paced modern world.

Nayebkhil opened her cafe to share her intriguing matcha menu to help reduce sub-clinical inflammation that often underlies other health issues. Put simply, she cares. Anyone new to the world of matcha, or an expert looking for the highest grade ceremonial blends, will find it at Maui Matcha.

Imported from Uji, Japan, the 100 percent organic matcha provides benefits that come from its special climate and cultivation techniques, ranking it high for overall antioxidants. The way it grows makes it notoriously healthy and energizing.

“The matcha green color comes from the pre-harvest shading techniques, a method nearly 1,000 years old that encourages higher concentrations of health-boosting compounds,” Nayebkhil explained.

“Matcha requires a special type of preparation. It starts with the green tea leaves, but these are taken from plants that have been shade-grown. During shaded growth, tea plants produce more theanine and caffeine, which give matcha its distinctive intense taste and green color. Growers start preparing matcha a few weeks before harvest. Tea bushes are covered to prevent direct sunlight and ensure shade. This slows down growth and encourages the plant to produce more chlorophyll and amino acids, especially the theanine. From that stage, only the finest buds are handpicked, and the leaves are rolled up before drying.

“Turned into a fine powder by a stone-grinding method, the tea leaves that are used for matcha are known as tencha leaves. They are considered the highest quality green tea leaves and also the youngest of the harvest, which encourages a calming energy and mental focus. As the leaves are left to dry, they start to crumble and form tencha. Next, the tencha is de-veined and de-stemmed, and the remaining mass is ground to a fine, bright green, talc-like powder, which is the matcha. It takes more than an hour to grind 100 grams of tencha into matcha, and then the powder must be managed with complete care.”

Nayebkhil calls matcha “the gold standard version of green tea” and notes that Maui Matcha has been “incredibly meticulous” about only sourcing matcha that is completely organic and without any additives. She noted that many mainstream matcha teas fall short in this aspect.

The cafe’s premium organic ceremonial matcha, with 137 times more antioxidants than ordinary green tea, has the strongest stress-reducing properties, and carries great benefits for wellness and longevity.

Maui Matcha’s proprietary matcha blend will also be available for purchase in-store along with a unique range of elixirs for the matcha lattes.

The cafe’s menu includes avocado toast with organic sourdough and a local chili oil that is made locally with micro-greens from local farmers.

Nayebkhil’s own recipe for chia pudding, with blueberries, toasted coconut flakes and kiwi fruit, is unmatched.

Customized matcha drinks with a choice of numerous ingredients are available. One of the most popular of these specialty drinks is made with an elixir from blue lotus flowers.

Additionally, the menu offers matcha lemonade, lavender lemonade, and a mocha mushroom drink made with a five-mushroom blend for brain health.

Both adults and children will enjoy the croissants with white chocolate mixed with matcha, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and the soft matcha and vanilla swirl ice cream.

“We have a matcha affogato — ice cream with a shot of matcha instead of espresso, a real pour-over with matcha,” Nayebkhil added.

“Everyone is welcome for breakfast, lunch options and all the treats in-between. My vision is to get people to try matcha in all different varieties and flavors and to learn about its health benefits. We also have a number of retail products, including hand-made ceramic mugs and healthy mushroom gummies to take daily. Maui Matcha is a calming and friendly setting for both locals and tourists to enjoy,” she concluded.