barley tea
Beverages
Is barley tea high in polyols?
Is barley tea high or low in polyols? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
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Compare barley tea across criteria
Sensitivity notes
Why polyols food checker matters
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
- Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
- Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
Sensitivities
What barley tea contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where barley tea fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about barley tea
Barley tea is roasted barley grain steeped in hot water, known as mugicha in Japan and boricha in Korea, where it is drunk cold by the jug all summer and often kept in the fridge in place of plain water. On a trigger journal it is one of the cleanest drinks you can log: caffeine A, histamine A, salicylates A, oxalates A, nickel A, sulfites A, glutamates A, and low FODMAP with fodmaps graded A. It is genuinely caffeine free, which is why it is poured for children and drunk late in the evening in households where nobody would touch green tea after dinner. There is exactly one catch, and it is a serious one: barley tea is made from barley, so it grades gluten E. Steeping is not distilling, and the barley proteins come out into the water with the flavour. This is not a gluten free tea, however much it behaves like a herbal one.
Watch for
- Gluten E.An infusion still extracts barley protein into the water, so barley tea is off the list on a coeliac diet even though it contains no visible grain by the time you drink it
- The name does not warn you.Mugicha, boricha and roasted grain tea all sit on a shelf beside genuinely herbal teas, and a barley tea bag looks exactly like a herbal one
- Bottled and blended versions vary.Korean and Japanese ready to drink barley teas are often blended with corn tea or lightly sweetened, so the label is worth reading if you are tracking added sugar as well as gluten
- Worth knowing what it is NOT: unlike barley grain, which is high in fructans, the infusion grades fodmaps A, so a low FODMAP diet is not the reason to avoid this one
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Polyols Guide
Everything you need to know about polyols sensitivity and smart food choices.
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.
These foods are generally well-tolerated for Polyols sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in polyols and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Polyols, consider these strategies:
- 1Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- 2Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- 3Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
- 4Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- 5Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
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Get the AppFAQ
Is barley tea high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat barley tea if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Gluten, AIP, and EoE Compatible next for a fuller picture.