Barley tea, or boricha, is a beloved beverage among Korean women, who often drink it daily.
Boricha is made from roasted barley grains and is a popular drink in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and many East Asian countries. This tea has a honey-like amber color, a mildly bitter taste, and a refreshing sweet aftertaste. In Korea, it is commonly enjoyed hot during winter and cold in summer, with convenient bottled and tea bag options also available.
What makes boricha so appealing to Korean and Japanese women is not just its refreshing flavor but also its rich antioxidant content, particularly ferulic acid. This acid helps protect the skin from UV rays, reduces irritation, and slows down the aging process.
Unlike many other teas, barley tea is caffeine-free, so you can drink it any time of day, even in the evenings, without worrying about losing sleep. Regular consumption helps keep the skin plump, radiant, and less prone to dullness caused by environmental factors.
Koreans often prepare a large pot of this tea, let it cool, and store it in the fridge to drink throughout the day. This drink not only helps with heat relief and body detoxification but also aids digestion and improves sleep quality, resulting in clearer, smoother skin and a slimmer figure. When the body experiences less inflammation, and digestion is improved, the skin naturally becomes brighter and clearer.
Barley tea not only aids in weight loss but also helps keep the skin plump, radiant, and less dull.
Many Korean women drink barley tea daily.
Going beyond just drinking it, Korean women also utilize barley water as a natural toner. After cooking the barley, they let it cool down, pour it into a spray bottle, and use it as a facial mist. Thanks to its gentle, moisturizing, and antioxidant-rich properties, barley water soothes the skin in hot weather, reduces hyperpigmentation, and gives the complexion a healthy glow with consistent use.
To maximize its benefits, Korean women often pair barley water with their traditional diet. They substitute barley tea for water when enjoying dishes like bibimbap or seaweed soup, a combination that aids in weight management while nourishing the skin.
Some creative individuals even soak paper face masks in cooled barley water and apply them to their faces for about 10 minutes, achieving instant hydration. This method is not only cost-effective but also provides a spa-like experience at home. Moreover, due to its gentle nature, barley water rarely causes irritation and is suitable for all skin types, including oily and sensitive skin.
Korean women not only drink barley tea but also use it as a skincare treatment.
Barley tea, despite its simplicity, is a trusted beauty and weight management secret that has been passed down through generations of Korean women. A daily cup of boricha not only detoxifies the body and improves digestion but also nourishes the skin from within, making it radiant and supple.
With its combination of beauty and health benefits and its refreshing flavor, boricha truly deserves the title of a “national drink” that Vietnamese women should consider incorporating into their daily routines to achieve the slender figures and glowing complexions of Korean women.
