Looking for info about Genmaicha and unsure about what you don’t know about Genmaicha? This article will provide some background info about unique tea.
By reading this article you will find out the origin of Genmaicha, its health benefits and other little known info about this tea. If you choose not to read this article, then you will miss out learning about this wonderful tea and its potentially beneficial effects for your health.
Genmaicha (or translated ‘brown rice tea’) is the Japanese name for a type of tea that includes the leaves of Sencha mixed with roasted/puffed brown rice. Colloquially, it has been called “popcorn tea” due to the roasting process. While roasting the tea, some of the rice grains ‘pop’ in a similar way to how popcorn does.
It was also generally drunk by the lower class and poor because of its reduced price. The rice provided filler with the tea leaves and because of it’s lower cost was regularly called “the people’s tea”. Although in today’s day and age, Genmaicha is enjoyed by everyone.
For religious people who fast because of their beliefs, Genmaicha was used for sustenance.
Once brewed, Genmaicha has a light yellow hue that is golden in fashion. The roasted rice adds a roasted grain and delicious popcorn flavour. Due to the added rice, you will notice that Genmaicha has a similar flavor and richness of roasted grains and coffee, making it an ideal tea for breakfast. It will also contain less caffeine compared to coffee.
Here are some health benefits that you didn’t know about Genmaicha:
Filled with Anti-Oxidants
Antioxidants help combat the free radicals in your body. Free radicals damage the cells in your body and potentially cause tumors. Antioxidants help neutralize and remove free radicals from your body, in turn reducing cell damage and even helping aid recovery.
Relaxing and Calming Benefits
There is a property in Genmaicha called Theanine which has a calming affect on your mind. This will aid in relaxation as well as mental focus.
Aids with Weight Loss
The antioxidant called EGCG contained in genmaicha helps boost your metabolism and burn excess fat. This has the positive effect of helping with weight loss. Tea also helps you to suppress your appetite, preventing you from eating unnecessary calories and storing more fat.
Decrease Risk of Cancer
As mentioned earlier the antioxidants in genmaicha help fight free radicals that damage cells and potentially lead to cancer. By drinking Genmaicha you will be able to reduce the risk of getting cancer.
After reading this article you will have filled in the gaps about what you don’t know about Genmaicha. We learned that it is also called ‘popcorn tea’, was originally drunk by the poor and religious people during fasting, and it contains both roasted brown rice and sencha leaves. We also learned that it is filled with antioxidants, has relaxing and calming benefits, aids with weight loss and decreases the risk of cancer. Make sure to try some Genmaicha soon!