Buckwheat Tea

This was a new one  to me, my husband bought it back from a trip to China.

As you can see from the picture below, it is labelled "bitter buckwheat tea".

This caught my attention because bitter things are good for most of us, stimulating the liver and gallbladder and benefiting our digestion; but they are especially beneficial to those of us who are Badkan or phlegm types with our slow metabolisms.

This tea is very pleasant to drink! It is nutty and smooth, no tannin or caffeine. I do not find it bitter at all, so am curious as to why it is labelled such. If you like bancha tea you will probably enjoy this. It is only really available on-line if you are not traveling in China any time soon, but there are a number of specialty tea sites that carry it. Not super cheap, but each spoonful or sachet can be used a couple of times, so it works out not too expensive.

The one I have is made from Buckwheat hulls, others can include stalks as well.
It is naturally gluten free.

So why is it healthy? Buckwheat contains vitamin B1 and B2, rutin (also regarded as beneficial in green tea and red wine) Rutin is a capillary strengthener and fighter of free radicals. High blood pressure and arteriosclerosis are two things that are believed to be improved by this tea.  High in choline, it is alleged to prevent fat accumulation in the body, in particular the liver, and aids against constipation. Containing more protein that brown rice it provides a good source of amino acids.

If only good health were that simple, a cup or two of a delicious tea and we are good to go! Of course our bodies and lives are more complex than that! But to replace caffeinated and or high tannin drinks is always a good option in our diets, and the buckwheat tea can make a pleasant change from green tea or other herb teas.

I am enjoying it and find I have at least two cups a day (it seems to be very thirst quenching, maybe that's just me!). And I have issued a repeat order for when the husband is China bound again!