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Friday, March 15, 2013

A glass of barley tea to help you get some zzzs


Feeling stressed out? Can't sleep well? Then grab a glass of barley tea, sit back and let it take effect. Not only is barley tea naturally caffeine free, it also contains melatonin, which helps relaxation and adjusts your sleep-wake pattern, and tryptophan, which aids in sleeping. You can drink it hot or cold and making it is as simple as throwing a large tea bag into a pitcher of water. 

Barley tea is extremely popular in Japan (called mugicha - mugi for barley and cha for tea), mostly drank throughout the summer it's incredibly refreshing and perfect to have on a hot summer night as the wind chimes gently sing in the breeze. 

Mugicha is sold in most Japanese and Chinese super markets. If you like oolong tea, chances are you will also like barley tea. Its taste is very similar with a toasted nutty flavor added to it. Oolong can taste strong and bitter, while mugicha is much milder and easier to drink.



The brewing process is very easy:


Fill a pitcher with water (hot or cold), drop the tea bag and brew for about an hour. You can leave the bag in and refill the pitcher with water until the color becomes too light. This way, you get the most out of one tea bag!


Mugicha is also very healthy as it contains antioxidants to protect against heart disease. It also helps maintain a healthy prostate and is very effective in fighting streptococci and bronchitis.

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