What amino acid production increases during shading, yielding umami?
Answer
L-theanine
The shading process is specifically designed to manipulate the tea plant's metabolism, causing it to slow or halt the natural conversion of the amino acid L-theanine into catechins. Since L-theanine is directly responsible for imparting a savory, deep, satisfying flavor often described as umami, retaining high concentrations of this compound results in the characteristic taste profile of shaded teas like Gyokuro and Matcha. Catechins, conversely, are the compounds whose reduction minimizes the astringency and bitterness associated with sun-grown green teas.
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How Matcha Gets its Flavour | The Science of Shading - YouTube
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