Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha) そば茶

Brewed from buckwheat grains, this healthy and delicious Buckwheat Tea or Sobacha will be your new favorite drink! A popular tea in Japan, it is a great way to get the many benefits, along with its antioxidant power. You could enjoy it cold or warm and it’s perfect for an evening drink just before bed. 

Do you want to add a new and healthy beverage to your diet? If yes, then, you must try Buckwheat Tea or Sobacha (そば茶) and start drinking it regularly. The tea offers immense health benefits and it is absolutely one of our favorite beverages to relax and build up our immune system.

Of late Mr. JOC and I have started drinking more non-caffeinated drinks like buckwheat tea in replace of coffee and green tea. We still love our coffee and green tea, but we wanted to incorporate more simple yet healthy habits to keep our energy in check. Are you interested in knowing more about buckwheat tea? Keep reading this post!

What is Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha)?

Buckwheat tea, known as Sobacha (そば茶) in Japan, is a tea made from roasted buckwheat (soba 蕎麦,そば) grains, leaves, or flowers of the plant. The tea is drunk for enjoyment apart from health purposes.

Buckwheat tea is also known as memil-cha (메밀차) in Korea and kuqiao-cha (苦荞茶) in China. In the most recent development, tartari buckwheat grown in Gangwon Province in Korea is popular for making memil-cha, as it is nuttier and contains more rutin (plant pigment that is found in certain fruits and vegetables, and is known for powerful antioxidant properties).

What Does Buckwheat Tea Taste Like?

The tea has a dry, nutty, earthy taste and a light scent.

How to Serve Buckwheat Tea

Brew the buckwheat tea just like any other tea and enjoy it as is without adding any sweetener or milk. You can serve either warm or cold. In today’s post, I’ll show you how to make the tea from grains.

Where to Find Buckwheat Tea

Look for them at Japanese or Asian markets and health food stores. Amazon sells some brands as well.

Amazing Benefits of Buckwheat Tea

There are incredible health benefits to drinking buckwheat tea. Sure, green tea is rich in antioxidants and is beneficial for overall health. However, if you have been advised to cut down on caffeine intake in your diet, buckwheat tea is the best alternative, offering all the benefits of green tea sans caffeine.

In nutshell, here are some of the health benefits I found online:

• Helps in managing diabetes (reduce the concentration of glucose in the body)
• Helps in the immune system (high in various antioxidants and vitamins)
• Aids in digestion (antioxidant improves digestive function, eliminate bloating and constipation)
• Improves heart health (lower levels of blood pressure and cholesterol count)
• Prevents kidney problems (antioxidants slow the progression of the condition)
• Reduce the risk of cancer (help defend against cellular mutation and the spread of cancer)
• Promotes weight loss (low in calorie, stimulate metabolism, eliminate water weight)

But it is much more than the healthful compounds that I drink buckwheat tea; I also enjoy its subtlety and the relaxation it brings to my mind.

Note: Just One Cookbook is not specialized in health facts, so please do your own research if you would like to find out more about the health benefits of buckwheat tea.

How to Make Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha)

If you want to brew the tea, all you need is dry buckwheat grains* and a saucepan or teapot!

• Step 1: Boil 3 ⅓ cups (800 ml) of water in a saucepan on the stove or in an electric kettle.
• Step 2 – saucepan: Add 2 Tbsp (20 grams) of roasted buckwheat grains to the saucepan and boil for 30 seconds.
• Step 2 – teapot: Add 2 Tbsp (20 grams) of roasted buckwheat grains and boiling water in the teapot.
• Step 3: Allow the tea to steep for 3-4 minutes before straining.
• Step 4: Serve hot.
• Step 5: Brew 2-3 more times, but add a few minutes to the steeping time.

*When making the tea from leaves and blossoms, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried tea to 1 cup of hot water and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Perfect Tea for The Evening

Since we tend to work late at night after our kids go to bed, we found ourselves battling to concentrate on the overwhelming list of to-do. It is not exactly the wisest thing when we have to film recipes in the late evening. We get tempted with the food and often find ourselves snacking our way to stay awake. With buckwheat tea, we are able to relax and concentrate better. While I am not sure if I can successfully lose weight with buckwheat tea, I sure feel more energized and sleep better. Since it’s not caffeinated, it makes a great cup of tea to drink in the evening. I hope you enjoy Sobacha just like we do!

Potential Downsides

Consumption of buckwheat is not associated with many adverse health effects when consumed in moderation. However, some people may be allergic to buckwheat.

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Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha)

Cook Time

4 mins

Total Time

4 mins

 

Brewed from buckwheat grains, this healthy and delicious Buckwheat Tea or Sobacha will be your new favorite drink! A popular tea in Japan, it is a great way to get the many benefits, along with its antioxidant power. Enjoy it cold or warm.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: buckwheat noodles, soba

Servings: 1 (or more)

Author: Namiko Chen

Ingredients

With a saucepan on the stove

• 2 Tbsp buckwheat tea
• 3 ⅓ cups water

With a teapot

• 2 Tbsp buckwheat tea
• 3 ⅓ cups water

With a tea bag

• 1 tea bag (you can purchase the brand I used on Amazon.)
• ¾ cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients. Please adjust the amount of water (or buckwheat tea) based on your preference.
   

With a saucepan on the stove

1. Boil 3 ⅓ cups (800 ml) of water in a saucepan on the stove and add 2 Tbsp (20 g) of buckwheat tea.

   
2. Boil for 30 seconds and turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow the tea to steep for 3-4 minutes.
   
3. Strain the tea over fine mesh sieve and serve hot.
   

With a teapot

1. Boil 3 ⅓ cups (800 ml) of water in an electric kettle or a saucepan on the stove. Add 2 Tbsp (20 g) of roasted buckwheat grains to a teapot.

   
2. Pour boiling water over the buckwheat in the teapot. Allow the tea to steep for 3-4 minutes before straining.
   
3. Serve hot.
   

With a tea bag

1. Boil ¾ cup (180 ml) of water in an electric kettle or a saucepan on the stove. Add 1 tea bag in a teacup or teapot and pour boiling water over the tea bag.

   
2. Allow the tea to steep for 2 minutes before removing the tea bag. Serve hot.
   

To Serve Cold:

1. Let the buckwheat tea cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

To Brew Again:

1. Brew 2-3 more times, but add a few minutes to the steeping time.