Mugicha (Barley Tea)

Mugicha (麦茶) is a Japanese infusion made from roasted unhulled barley grains (Hordeum vulgare). The roasted grain is brewed in hot or cold water to give a caffeine-free amber beverage with a roasted-grain aroma. Mugicha is the traditional summer household drink in Japan, served chilled in pitchers and tetra-pack RTD bottles, and is a default beverage for young children due to its lack of caffeine.

Yes. Barley contains no caffeine, and roasting and brewing do not introduce caffeine. Mugicha is a true caffeine-free beverage, distinguishing it from green, black, and oolong teas (which all contain caffeine even after high-temperature roasting). This is the principal reason mugicha is the default Japanese household tea for young children and for late-evening consumption.

Yes — mugicha is made from barley, which contains gluten (specifically hordein). The brewed beverage contains very low extractable gluten levels relative to the source grain, but mugicha cannot be labelled 'gluten-free' under FDA (≤20 ppm) or EU regulations because the source grain is barley. Manufacturers must declare 'cereals containing gluten (barley)' on the label in the EU under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.

Roasted barley grains and brewed mugicha have been studied for antioxidant capacity associated with melanoidins (Maillard-derived polymers formed during roasting) and for anti-coagulant 2H-pyran-2-one compounds (alkylpyranones) identified by several Japanese research groups. Findings to date are exploratory and do not support specific health claims; roasted barley products in Japan are sold as ordinary food, not as functional foods.