Does barley tea contain caffeine?

Barley tea is a popular beverage in Korea, Japan, and China. Traditional tea is made from the leaves of Camellia, while barley tea is brewed with roasted barley, thus containing no caffeine at all. However, it can provide you with many other health benefits, from preventing tooth decay to helping weight loss.

Health benefits of barley tea

1，Prevent tooth decay

Barley tea contains a high level of antioxidants that can prevent the bacteria and plaque from adhering to your teeth which may cause cavities. According to the studies, it seems that this magic only happens on roasted barley seeds instead of unroasted ones.

2，Improve digestion

If you have heartburn, acid reflux or other symptoms, drinking a cup of barley tea will help you relieve the pain as it is a natural antacid. Barley tea also contains rich fiber, which can improve bowel movement and health.

3，Help lose weight

Barley tea is a wonderful beverage for people who want to lose weight because it not only contains few calories, but it is more delicious than plain water. Just make sure that you don’t add any sweeteners like milk or cream.

Side effects of barley tea

Overall, barley tea has few side effects, but you’d better avoid barley tea if you are gluten-sensitive. Some barley tea may add corn (in Korea, for instance), you can also check if are allergic to it.

How to brew barley tea

If you want to drink a cup of barley tea, the most convenient way is to use roasted barley seeds or tea bags directly from the store, but you can also make barley tea from scratch. It’s easy.

1，Roast barley seeds: First, you need to put unroasted barley seeds in the oven without oil. Heat them until they turn slightly brown.

2，Cook roasted barley: Pour the grains into a pot and add some water –distilled water or tap water would not be recommended as they taste either bland or bitter. Bring it to a boil and then keep it to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

3，Reheat barley tea any time: The barley tea should be left to get cool down after cooking. You can directly use the warm tea or put it in the fridge until the next time you want a cuppa.

4， You can add a bit of sweetener like milk or honey for extra flavor (diabetics or people trying to lose weight are not suggested, though). Spices like cardamom or cinnamon are a great choice as well.