Discover the Benefits of Brewing Kukicha Tea

The Japanese kukicha tea, is one of the best infusions of the moment, thanks to its extremely healthy properties for the body.

It is a very easy tea to prepare and has the particularity, that it hardly has theine, which makes this historic Asian drink, one of the most chosen by those who love this type of infusions.

If you’re wondering what kukicha tea is, it’s a Japanese specialty that dates back a long time.

According to the tradition of that country, it was known as the characteristic drink of the poor, since, for its preparation, wasted branches are needed.

For this reason, it is worth knowing in depth, its specific qualities and the impact that its intake can generate in our body.

What is kukicha tea?

Like black tea or green tea, kukicha is made from the plant. Camellia Sinensis. The difference lies, in which part of this plant is used and the procedure that is carried out, for its preparation.

Kukicha tea is also known as the tea of the 3 years, because its branches and stems are cut, when the plant is that age. Once the branches and stems are cut, they are classified and roasted, to give it its classic smoky flavor, unique in this type of drinks.

For its part, being a tea with very little theine (it is estimated that it only has between 0.5 and 1% caffeine), it is ideal to drink at any time of the day. Precisely, the particularity of its flavor, is one of the most valued characteristics of kukicha tea, since not many drinks like this, have this special taste.

Another quality that consumers of this Asian drink ponder is how healthy its intake is for the body.

Medicinal properties of kukicha tea

The benefits of kukicha tea are multiple, so it is worth knowing, everything that this infusion can bring to the human body.

There is no doubt that, one of the most important medicinal properties of kukicha tea is the large amount of calcium it has, which helps nourish bones and teeth, thus preventing osteoporosis and cavities.

At this point, it is estimated that 1 cup of this infusion contains up to 13 times more calcium than a glass of milk.

Kukicha tea is also rich in vitamins and minerals. It has antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, in addition to zinc, phosphorus and magnesium.

These compounds make it an ideal drink for anyone, especially those who are growing. On the other hand, this tea has digestive properties, ideal for after the meal, especially if the person suffers from heaviness, indigestion or acidity.

Drinking kukicha tea is very useful to disinfect and tone the intestines, thanks to its high tannin content.

In turn, their alkalizing characteristics, will help fight excess acidity, which can cause poor diet, stress or bad habits.

For its part, its great variety of compounds, also make it an energy infusion, which helps fight chronic fatigue.

In addition, drinking kukicha helps regulate and reduce blood sugar levels, eliminating toxins, protecting the mucous membranes and, ultimately, strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

Finally, this Japanese tea, has diuretic properties, which helps fight fluid retention and swelling.

It is a drink that can be taken cold or hot, so it fits perfectly, with all kinds of meals and can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

How to prepare it?

As is evident, the benefits of drinking kukicha tea for the body are many. And preparing it, it will be something is very simple.

This infusion can be made in several different ways. The key at the time of its preparation, is to make the most of the wealth of the kukicha green tea and its properties.

The first thing to do, regardless of which method is chosen, is to collect the branches and leaves that have been on the plant. Camellia Sinensis for 3 years.

Then, comes the roasting procedure, which involves cooking these branches and leaves for a few minutes over low heat.

EPif you want to see in detail, how you can prepare this infusion, here we indicate it:

One of the most popular ways to do this is to boil it for 5 or 10 minutes over low heat and in an iron teapot, to get the best possible flavor. In this sense, if the fire is wood, the taste of the tea will be even better.

This is because it complements perfectly, the toasted flavor of kukicha, with the iron of the kettle and the smoked of the firewood. For many, this is the best way to brew kukicha tea.

Another way to do this is not to let the roasted stems and leaves boil, but to introduce them when the uya water is boiling and, after a few seconds, remove it from the heat.

In this way, a higher concentration of nutrients is noticeable, although their taste tends to be much softer.

Finally, it is possible to make this drink, leaving the tea to soak overnight.  The goal is to make the most of the vitamins that kukicha has, since when drunk hot, these vitamins tend to decrease.

In short, as kukicha tea can be consumed cold or hot, there are variants at the time of preparation, this traditional Asian drink.

In turn, as the temperature at the time of its intake is not of interest, it can be combined with all kinds of meals or simply drink it alone, at some free time of the day.

Contraindications

Although kukicha tea has amazing qualities for the body, you have to take certain precautions when taking it.

First of all, it is always recommended its intake, after a central meal of the day, in order to avoid that, the iron absorption, is affected.

For its part, it is a drink that can cause problems for medicated people, so, in these cases, it is always recommended to consult doctors, so that it does not interfere with medications.

Finally, to the be very low in theine, can be consumed during any time of the day, unless there is some kind of allergy to this compound.