About the end of spring every year, the supermarket near my place will put barely tea on an eye-catching place, telling people that it is about the time to buy it!
Japanese Barley Tea
Early summer is the harvest time for barley, so Japanese generally think that barley tea in summer is the freshest and most delicious.
It reminded me that I used to drink barley tea when I was a child. But when I grew up, there are too many kinds of drinks, such as coke, coffee or bubble tea,… etc. Those made me almost forgot the simple taste and benefits of barley tea!
Since I reside in Japan, I have found that every year whenever it is about the time or season to do something, all the related goods or products will just appear on the shelves of shops or stores. I ,therefore, notice it and drink it again in summer after so many years.
One of the reason I buy and drink barley tea is because it is very cheap and easy to get in Japan. Japan has the culture of drinking tea, not just green tea but also some other kind of tea. However, if asking Japanese to rank a representative tea in summer, barley tea is probably the most popular one.
In summer, just to make a bottle of barley tea and put it in the refrigerator will definitely help to refresh and cool off the heat when the weather is hot. In addition, barley tea is caffeine-free, so I do not worry about drinking too much to sleep at night!
Japanese Barley Tea Benefits
The advantage of barley tea is that it is rich in minerals and has a diuretic effect.
It is good to the operation of kidney and excrete salt from the body. Barley tea, as it is roasted and made of barely, has the effect of cooling the body on the perspective of ancient Chinese medicine. It is treated as a herbal medicine.
Because it is caffeine-free, either pregnant women or baby can drink it. But, be noticed that if you are allergic to wheat, it might be not good to drink it!
In addition, it is also said that barley tea is full of antioxidants. However, as it is always important that not to have “too much”, so I usually drink about one or two mag cups one day in summer !
The disadvantage of barley tea is that as it has the effect of cooling off one’s body. If the body gets too cold, the immune system and metabolic capacity will also decrease, so remember not to drink too much. It is said that a pregnant women it is best not to drink iced barley tea harshly and too much. I think the saying is from ancient Chinese herbal medicine. Maybe the safest method is to drink barley tea when it is under “normal temperature”.
In short, barley tea is a good drink in summer. If one drink barley tea adequately, its effects can be maximized! In fact, barley tea has many effects. Above is what I know about barely tea.
Japanese Barley Tea Bags
In summer, I always buy Itoen’s barley tea bags. They are very cheap. A large bag of 54 bags is only 168 yen (plus 10% consumption tax). Each bag can be boiled to one liter, cold or hot. , Is also a good money-saving partner of housewives, the point is that it is always placed in the most conspicuous place, convenient to take and leave! I first bought it out of curiosity, and then it became a must-have drink every summer.
Japanese Barley Tea Recipe
If you don’t know how to make barley tea, no need to worry because it is usually written on the package. The package of barley tea bags of “Itoen” which I often buy has suggestions and detailed cooking methods on it.
-Cold Drink
Prepare a bottle. A barley tea bag can make about one liter of barley tea. Put the tea bag into the bottle and then put it in the refrigerator. When the ice reaches the concentration you like, stir it in the cold kettle with chopsticks, and then take out the tea bag. (If the water is one liter, the soaking time is about 2 hours.)
-Hot Drink
Boil the Tea Bag
- When the water is boiled, turn off the heat.
- Put a barley tea bag into 1 to 1.5 liter of hot water.
- Wait for 10 minutes, stir it a little bit and then remove the tea bag. (Water: about 1 to 1.5 liters. Soaking time: about 10 minutes.)
Soak the Tea Bag
- Put a tea bag into a teapot and pour it with boiling hot water. (Water: about 300 ml. Soaking time: about 60 seconds.)
- When it is done, take out the tea bag, and then pour out the tea from the teapot till the last drop.
*Do not soak the tea bag for too long time; otherwise, the tea might taste bitter.
-Other methods of making barley tea
- Coffee flavored barley tea with zero caffeine – a Coffee-like Taste
Steps (for 2 people)
- Put 300 ml of water in a pot and boil.
- After the water has boiled, put in a barley tea bag and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Pour it into a mug and drink. (Can add sugar or milk according to personal preference)
- Caffeine-free “fresh milk barley tea”
Steps (for 2 people)
- Put 250ml of water in a pot and boil.
- After the water has boiled, put in a barley tea bag and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Put one (large) tablespoon of sugar into the brewed barley tea and stir well.
- Put ice cubes in a large glass, add milk in a ratio of 1:1 as in step 3. above, mix and stir and drink.
- A little extra adding to the barley tea
Step:
Add appropriate amount of sugar or salt to a cup of barley tea (about 200ml) and drink it according to your preference.
- Sugared barley tea: can be used as a source of vitality to supplement sugar.
- Salted barley tea: can be used as a salt supply during sweating.