What l-theanine means
L-theanine is the amino acid most responsible for the savory, brothy quality of high grade matcha. Shading raises L-theanine in the leaf because it slows conversion of the amino acid into catechins. A typical 2 gram serving of a good usucha grade matcha contains roughly 40 to 60 milligrams of L-theanine, with figures around 50 milligrams commonly cited by Ippodo and academic surveys of Japanese green tea.
Also called
L-theanine also appears as theanine.