eyes and hour

  • All recipes
  • Free Guide
  • Shop
  • The Vision Behind eyesandhour
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All recipes
  • Shop
  • Reading List
  • Free Guide
search icon
Homepage link
  • All recipes
  • Shop
  • Reading List
  • Free Guide
×
Home » Drinks » Genmaicha vs Green Tea: The Nuttiest of Green Teas

Genmaicha vs Green Tea: The Nuttiest of Green Teas

Published: Sep 25, 2024 · Modified: Apr 27, 2025 by Dunja Djuragic Dugandzi · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

The hearty, nutty aroma of genmaicha can win over the heart of any green tea hater. Yes, it’s that good.

Genmaicha is the Japanese name for a mix of toasted rice and green tea. When brewed properly, genmaicha has a wonderful flavor, a light aroma, and very little caffeine. 

Today, we discuss the similarities and the differences between genmaicha and green tea – all in hopes you’ll give the toasty-smelling, tummy-filling brown rice tea a chance.

cup of genmaicha and Japanese green tea with small piles of tea leaves next to the cups
genmaicha tea (left) made with mixture of green tea leaves and brown rice kernels  
Jump to:
  • Genmaicha vs Green Tea in a Nutshell
  • Brewing Genmaicha vs Green Tea
  • Toasted Rice and Green Tea 
  • Genmaicha for Weight Loss – Facts and Misconceptions 
  • Humble Beginnings – The History of Genmaicha
  • Tea, Rice, and a Few Popped Kernels
  • Learn more about Japanese tea

Genmaicha vs Green Tea in a Nutshell

Japanese green tea comes in many tasty varieties. All made from the tea plant but differently processed, Japanese green teas usually come in grassy or seaweedy tones. 

Genmaicha (玄米茶) combines the nutty aroma of toasted brown rice to the vegetal flavors of green tea. It’s literally green tea (usually sencha or bancha) with the addition of rice, typically roasted brown rice that includes some popped kernels. That’s why genmaicha is also known as popcorn tea or brown rice tea.

cup of genmaicha and green tea from above with small piles of tea leaves on the table next to the cups
cup of genmaicha (left) and cup of sencha green tea (right)

Brewing Genmaicha vs Green Tea

Since the tea contains green tea, you should brew genmaicha and Japanese green tea the same way – for about a minute, with water temperature at around 80°C (176°F). You can brew genmaicha for slightly longer without it getting bitter. 

Best results and maximum aesthetic if you use a Japanese teapot and teacup (get a yunomi for this type of tea).

up close picture of genmaicha with brown kernels of toasted brown rice
genmaicha green tea with roasted rice

Toasted Rice and Green Tea 

Cha (茶) means tea. Genmai (玄米) means brown rice in Japanese. 

Type of Rice

It’s the same type of Japanese rice that people eat, but it goes through less processing. The grain has its inedible husk removed, but it’s not polished enough to become white rice. Instead, brown rice still has its bran and germ (cereal layers) on. That’s why you get slightly different nutritional value from brown rice compared to white rice. The main beneficial difference is a compound called gamma-oryzanol – known to help with an upset stomach, menopause symptoms, and blood sugar levels. Brown rice is toasted for that nutty aroma. 

Types of Tea

Genmaicha consists of 50%-75% brown rice, and 25%-50% green tea. Because of the rice, genmaicha is usually more yellow in color than green tea.
Bancha is used in cheaper genmaicha, while higher quality brands use sencha or even gyokuro tea. You can also find varieties of genmaicha that include sencha and a little bit of matcha – called matcha-iri-genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶), this is a delightful combination with a more prominent green color.

Thanks to literally containing less tea, compared to green tea, genmaicha also has less caffeine per cup.

cup of genmaicha from above with small pile of tea leaves with brown rice kernels next to the glass

Genmaicha for Weight Loss – Facts and Misconceptions 

Genmaicha has the power to make you feel sated, even if you don’t eat. That is thanks to the starch from the rice – you get a little rice water in your tea, helping you feel less hungry.

Historically, monks used this effect to help go through periods of fasting, and ill people who couldn’t tolerate solid food drank genmaicha to soothe the stomach and ingest some calories.

So, genmaicha is one of the few teas that actually contains calories. It’s not a significant amount, it’s close to zero – like 2 - 3 calories per cup, but still some, and more than a simple green tea. Thanks to that, it can help stabilize your blood sugar level (and provide many other health benefits thanks to its gamma-oryzanol content). 

Sounds counterintuitive that genmaicha is used for weight loss? Sure - it can’t make you lose weight. But it can help make dieting more tolerable!

In addition, drinking green tea on an empty stomach can causes digestive issues or nausea for many people. Thanks to the rice, genmaicha doesn’t cause the same effect, so you can have it in the morning even if you skip breakfast!

genmaicha tea leaves with brown rice kernals inside a white tea kettle with handle

Humble Beginnings – The History of Genmaicha

Today, genmaicha is widely consumed and loved for its incredible nutty flavor. 

But in the past, it was known as people’s tea; it was an inexpensive tea that even the poor could afford. That’s mainly thanks to its rice content:

Tea used to be much more expensive in the past, while rice was relatively plentiful among the peasant class (especially rice that wasn’t fully processed). Making the drink more affordable was also the reason why traditional genmaicha is made of bancha (second or third harvest tea, typically lower in quality). However, today, we can even find expensive genmaicha made with luxurious teas like gyokuro. 

There are several stories of how genmaicha was created. Some date the tea as far back as the samurai age, but the most believable stories place the date of creation to some time in the 19th and early 20th century, during periods of terrible poverty.

pouring genmaicha into a cup with tea leaves in the background
pouring the perfect cup

Tea, Rice, and a Few Popped Kernels

Genmaicha is a wonderful addition to any tea lover’s collection: this flavorful yet gentle option is an amazing drink to have in the afternoons (thanks to low caffeine) and during periods of fasting. But really, I personally have it whenever I get the chance – I just love the nutty flavor too much! 

Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you prefer genmaicha or green tea, but you should definitely give genmaicha a chance if you didn’t already!

up close picture of genmaicha tea leaves and brown rice kernels from above

Learn more about Japanese tea

The Different Types of Japanese Green Tea

Matcha or Sencha: Tea Bags vs Powder

Matcha Green Tea – Why It's So Healthy

Green Tea vs White Tea: Your Tea Guide (Which is better?)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dunja Djuragic Dugandzic

Dunja believes simple, straightforward, a little cheeky, and very informative writing can change the world. From teenage years, her fascination with the Japanese way of life continues to grow - and so does her research. Since 2015, she writes content about Japan, travel, world cultures and heritage, crafts and art, printing technologies, and a variety of digital products.

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER

Eri Nakamura Kobe-Based Freelance Photographer Specializing in Culinary Art

With roots in Kyoto and training from the Japan Institute of Photography and Film, Eri has built a career capturing the beauty of food. Eri is passionate about creating images that make culinary creations shine, helping brands tell their story through stunning visuals.

More Drinks

  • Iced black sesame latte.
    Iced Black Sesame Latte (Kurogoma) – Creamy, Nutty, and Caffeine-Free
  • hojicha latte art
    Hojicha Latte Recipe
  • steaming cup of hojicha tea in glass mug
    Hojicha Tea (Houjicha) – The Toastiest of Green Teas 
  • girl whisking matcha with bamboo whisk
    Matcha: Whisk vs Frother (for the Best Matcha Froth)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to eyesandhour!

Hi, I'm Matt Eisenhauer ("eyes and hour"). In 2015, I became part-owner of a restaurant in Aoyama, Tokyo. Ever since then, I've been creating Japan-inspired recipes to share what I learn (over 8 years!).

Get my new book! (free)

The Healthy Snacker's Guide to Japan

Popular posts

  • takoyaki recipe
    Takoyaki Recipe– Gluten-free, Keto, Low-carb
  • natto recipe
    Natto Recipe for People Who Don't Like Natto (Yet)
  • Tony Robbins Unleash the Power Within
    Tony Robbins- the real deal?
  • tamagoyaki
    Tamagoyaki- Reshape your breakfast, your fry pan, and your body with these Japanese rolled omelettes
  • taiyaki recipe
    A New Taiyaki Recipe: Gluten-free, Grain-free, and Low Carb
  • ajitama soy marinated with pepper on table
    Ajitama Egg Recipe (Japanese Ramen Eggs) – Easy & Jammy at Home

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for free book

Shop

  • Favorite items
  • Reading lists

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Eyes and Hour