Buckwheat tea facts for kids

Roasted buckwheat, ready to be made into tea.

Buckwheat tea is a special kind of tea made from roasted buckwheat seeds. It's very popular in East Asian countries.

In Korea, it's called memil-cha (메밀차). In Japan, people know it as soba-cha (そば茶). And in China, it's named kuqiao-cha (苦荞茶).

Just like many other traditional Korean teas, memil-cha can be enjoyed either warm or cold. Sometimes, it's even served instead of water. A special type of buckwheat, called tartary buckwheat, is often used. This buckwheat is grown in Gangwon Province in South Korea. It's popular because it has a nuttier taste and contains more rutin, which is a helpful plant compound.

How is Buckwheat Tea Made?

Making buckwheat tea involves a few simple steps. First, the buckwheat seeds are husked. This means their outer shell is removed.

Next, the seeds are cooked and then dried. After that, they are pan-fried without any oil. This roasting process gives the tea its unique flavor.

To brew the tea, you typically use ten parts of water for every one part of buckwheat. About 5 to 10 milliliters of roasted buckwheat are added to hot water. The water should be around 90 °C (194 °F) (194°F). The tea then steeps for about 2 to 4 minutes. This allows the flavors to mix into the water, creating a delicious and healthy drink.