The Tea Recipes for Health

Chinese people are believed to have enjoyed tea drinking for more than 4,000 years. Legend has it that Shen-Nong, tasted all kinds of herbs to find medical cures. He was poisoned 70 times a day by some herb he had ingested; and was always detoxicated by tea. For a long time, tea was used for health care and disease treatment in China.

Drinking tea helps quench thirst, digest food, refresh the mind, promote vision, dissolve phlegm, produce diuresis, and relieve irritability.

Recent studies on tea have produced scientific evidence and benefits of tea.

Most people would probably know about tea but not “Health Tea”. The origins of health tea dates back to the age of Shen-Nong, when people search for medical and edible plants for consumption. Through research and experience in treating various diseases, health teas and formulae increase in numbers.

There are four types of health teas:

Health care – Refresh mind, reduce body weight, promote hearing and vision, improve looks, reinforce kidney, blacken hair, strengthen teeth, strengthen reproductive ability, increase endurance, and longevity.

1. Tea for prevention of diseases – Prevent diseases such as common cold, headache, hoarse voice, sunstroke and etc.

2. Tea for treatment of diseases – Cure indigestion, loss of voice, cough, hypertension,etc.

3. Tea for rehabilitation – Can strengthen body after a prolonged disease, quicken recovery after a surgery or delivery, and improve the intelligence and help you stay focused during stressful times.

Some people may misinterpret health tea to be some sort of decoction of herbal medicine that taste bitter and awful. This view is incorrect. Health tea is not medicine but a kind of dietotherapy, a kind of natural therapy.

I had selected a few health teas on this website to have the following characteristics:

Great taste and smell: The tea has an aromatic smell and does not taste bitter

Safe and effective: The teas are mild, neutral, and non-toxic in nature and suitable for all ages to consume.

Easy to prepare: Can easily prepare at home with daily household ingredients.

Easy reference: Indexed according to Pin Yin names and with Chinese characters.

The Tea for Maintaining Health

Ren Shen Tea (人 參 茶)

Ingredients:
人 參 Renshen, Ginseng (Radix Ginseng) 5g

Directions:
Place Ginseng in a cup and cover the cup and let it simmer for 30 minutes before drinking. Use hot boiling water to make tea.

Functions:
To strengthen the immune system, reduce blood sugar, activate the nervous system, promote synthesis of protein and nucleic acid, enhance heart contraction, inhibits cancer cells.

It is regarded as medicine in Shen-Nong’s Herbal Classics. If the correct amount is prescribed, it is safe for long-term consumption to prolong life.

Click here to download and print Health Tea Recipe

Nao Qing Tea (腦 清 茶)

Ingredients:
炒 決 明 子 Chao Jue Ming Zi, parched Cassia Seed (Semen Cassiae) 250g
甘 菊 GanJu, Chrysanthemum (Flos Chrysanthemi) 30g
夏 枯 草 XiaKuCao, Common Selfheal Fruit-Spike (Spica Prunellae) 20g
橘 鉼 JuBing, Prepared Tangerine (Fructus Citri Praeparata) 30g
首 烏 ShouWu, Fleece Flower Root ( Radix Polygoni Multiflori) 30g
五 味 子 WuWeiZi, Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit (Fructus Schisandrae) 30g
麥 冬 MaiDong, Dwarf Lilyturf Tuber (Radix Ophiopogonis) 60g 
枸 杞 子 Gou JiZi, Barbary Wolfberry Fruit (Fructus Lycii) 60g
桂 圓 肉 GuiYuanRou, Longan Aril (Arillus Longan) 60g
桑 椹 SangShen, Mulberry Fruit (Fructus Mori) 120g

Directions:
Pestle into coarse powder. Use 15g each time, make as tea with boiling water. Take two times a day.

Functions:
To clear liver fire, promote vision, nourish the brain and refresh the mind.

Indications:
Insomnia and neurasthenia due to yin deficiency of the heart, liver and kidney and hyperactivity of fire.

Click here to download and print Health Tea Recipe

Long Yan Yang Shen Decoction (龍 眼 洋 參)

Ingredients:
龍 眼 肉 Long Yan Rou, Longan Aril (Arillus Longan) 30g
西 洋 參 Xi Yang Shen, American Ginseng (Radix Panacis Quinquefolii) 6g
百 糖 BaiTang, White Sugar, desired amount

Directions:
Put all ingredients and a little water into a bowl. Steam for 60 minutes, Drink the steamed mixture.

Functions:
To calm the mind, improve memory, replenish qi and nourish the heart.

Indications:
Progeria with poor memory, senile dementia, palpitation, anxiety and neurasthenia.

Click here to download and print Health Tea Recipe

LingZhi BoHe Decoction  ( 靈 芝 薄 荷 )            

Ingredients:
靈 芝 LingZhi, Lucid Ganoderma (Ganoderma Lucidum seu Japonicum)  2g
薄 荷 BoHe, Peppermint (Herba Menthae) 5g
谷 芽 GuYa, Rice Sprout (Fructus Oryzae Germinatus) 5g

Directions:
Slice Lucid ganoderma, cut peppermint, toast rice sprout, Decoct Lucid and rice sprout and add white sugar to taste. Put peppermint into the decoction and continue simmering for 10 minutes, serve hot.

Functions:
To replenish brain essence and refresh mind.

Indications:
Irritability in summer, fatigue and irritability due to qi deficiency.

Click here to download and print Health Tea Recipe

Back to top

To be continued…