It’s Tea Time: Genmaicha (Brown Rice Green Tea)
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Image Credit: Gothick at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
I
was strolling in Makati one day when I saw a small Korean grocery store and I
went inside out of curiosity. Oh boy, I’m glad I did go inside otherwise I
won’t be able to discover this amazing tea that is now a staple in my tea collection.
The tea I’m talking about is called Genmaicha
which is the Japanese word for “brown rice green tea”. It is also known as Hyeonmicha in Korean.
Genmaicha
is a type of Japanese green tea that is mixed with roasted brown rice kernels.
Yes, you might think the combination is unusual but there is actually a little
bit of history behind the invention of this tea. During ancient Kyoto days,
most people can’t afford to buy pure green tea. One day, a tea farmer had
decided to use roasted brown rice as fillers to reduce the price of green tea,
therefore making it more affordable to most people at that time.
Unlike
the bitter and grassy taste of pure green tea, genmaicha has more pleasant
nutty flavor which is attributed to the starch and sugar present in the brown rice.
So if you’re not a fan of drinking green tea because of its bitterness, then
genmaicha is something you should try for a start. What I like the most about
genmaicha is its deep aroma that smells like newly cooked rice, I can’t help
but to sniff my tea as I drink it. Moreover, genmaicha (being not a pure green
tea) contains less caffeine and is less acidic compared to other teas. As a
point of comparison, genmaicha has 4mg of caffeine per cup (250ml) compared to 42mg
per cup of black tea, so drinking genmaicha before sleeping won’t be a problem.
Contrary to its name, genmaicha is not color brown or green, rather it has a
light yellow color.
Health Benefits of Genmaicha
Boost Immune System
Since
genmaicha is a type of green tea, it is rich in antioxidants that can help
strengthen your immune system. It contains polyphenols
and flavonoids which are both known
as disease-fighting antioxidants that can protect your body against common
diseases.
Reduce Risk of Cancer
Genmaicha
contains high amount of catechin
compound called epigallocatechingallate
(EGCG) that has the ability to suppress cancer cells. In fact, there was a
study that shows that women who drink any variant of green tea regularly has reduced
risk of getting breast cancer.
Increase Metabolism
The
same EGCG catechin in genmaicha also
has anti-obesity effect. It reduces the body weight by increasing the rate at
which your body burns fat.
Relieve Stress
One
of the active ingredients of genmaicha is an amino acid called theanine that is known to promote
relaxation. Unlike chamomile tea, genmaicha doesn’t have a sedative effect. It
will not help you fall asleep. It will only help you calm down your nerves
during a very stressful day.
Brewing Time and Temperature
For tea bags: Steep one tea bag in a cup of hot water (with a
temperature of 80 – 85 C / 176-185 F) for 1 – 2 minutes.
For loose leaves: Put a teaspoon of tea leaves in a cup of hot
water (with a temperature of 80 – 85 C / 176-185 F). Steep for 1 – 2 minutes,
then strain out the leaves using a small strainer.
Where to Buy Genmaicha in the Philippines
Genmaicha
can be bought in most Korean or Japanese grocery stores in the country. You can
also buy them from Han Mart via Shopee.
P.S.
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