Genmaicha vs Green Tea: The Nuttiest of Green Teas

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*

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 19^th and early 20^th 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.