Hidden in Herbal Infusions: Tasty and Nourishing Traditional Chinese Medicinal Drinks

When it comes to traditional Chinese medicinal drinks, many people might first think of bitter herbal soups. However, within the realm of Chinese medicine wisdom, there are numerous healthful beverages that not only harmonize the body and mind but also carry a natural sweetness. These drinks, based on ingredients sourced from herbal medicine or foods, safeguard health throughout the seasons, breaking the stereotype of "good medicine tastes bitter" with mild flavors.

Popular and Tasty Picks (High Acceptance)

Sour Plum Soup 酸梅汤(suān méi tāng):

• Main ingredients: Chinese plums, hawthorn, tangerine peel, licorice, rock sugar/osmanthus flower.
• Taste: Sweet and sour, quenching thirst, with a hint of smoky flavor (from Chinese plums) and fruity/osmanthus aroma.
• Benefits: Appetite stimulation, thirst-quenching, heat relief (particularly suitable for summer), easing greasiness.
• Preparation: Wash the ingredients (except rock sugar/osmanthus) and soak in cold water for over 30 minutes. Boil on high heat, then simmer for 30-40 minutes before adding dissolved rock sugar and osmanthus for fragrance. Best served chilled after cooling.

食欲(shí yù),noun,appetite

Example:

1. The patient has no appetite.  
   病人没有食欲。  
   bìng rén méi yǒu shí yù.  
2. Spicy food stimulates my appetite.  
   辣的食物刺激我的食欲。  
   là de shí wù cì jī wǒ de shí yù.  

Goji Chrysanthemum Tea 枸杞菊花茶(gǒu qí jú huā chá):

• Main ingredients: Goji berries, chrysanthemum flowers (preferably Hangzhou white chrysanthemum or wild chrysanthemum), rock sugar (optional).
• Taste: Refreshing with a slight sweetness, pleasant aroma from chrysanthemum, natural sweetness from goji berries.
• Benefits: Liver-clearing, eyesight improvement, nourishing the liver and kidneys, soothing eye dryness and fatigue (suitable for eye strain from excessive use, staying up late).
• Preparation: Simply brew in boiling water. Adjust the ratio of chrysanthemum to goji berries based on preference for a more floral or sweet taste. Can be steeped multiple times.

Red Date Longan Tea 红枣桂圆茶(hóng zǎo guì yuán chá):

• Main ingredients: Red dates, longan flesh (dried longan), ginger (optional), rock sugar (optional).
• Taste: Sweet and rich, highlighting the natural sweetness of red dates and longan, with warmth from the ginger.
• Benefits: Tonifying blood, invigorating the spleen, calming nerves for better sleep (especially suitable for women, those with blood deficiency, cold-sensitive, pale complexion).
• Preparation: Deseed and split the red dates, wash the longan flesh, slice the ginger (if using). Boil all ingredients in water for 20-30 minutes; add rock sugar at the end. Without ginger, it becomes a sweet and fragrant red date longan tea.

Honey Lemon Water 蜂蜜柠檬水(fēng mì níng méng shuǐ):

• Main ingredients: Fresh lemon slices, honey, warm water.
• Taste: Sweet and sour, fresh.
• Benefits: Hydrating, promoting bowel movements, replenishing vitamin C (note: do not use boiling water with honey as it will destroy active substances).
• Preparation: Brew lemon slices in warm water (40-60℃), add honey after the water cools slightly, stir well.

Distinctive and Flavorful Choices (May be More Acquired Taste, but Loved by Fans)

Vetiver Sugarcane Water 茅根竹蔗水(máo gēn zhú zhè shuǐ):

• Main ingredients: Fresh vetiver, sugarcane, water chestnut (singhpura), carrots (optional), rock sugar.
• Taste: Clear and sweet, with a plant fragrance and the crisp sweetness of water chestnuts.
• Benefits: Heat-clearing and diuretic, moistening lungs and nourishing fluids, detoxifying rashes (ideal for summer heat relief, dry seasons, and preventing heatiness).
• Preparation: Wash and cut all ingredients, boil in water on high heat then simmer for 1-1.5 hours; add rock sugar to taste.

Tremella Lotus Seed Soup 银耳莲子羹(yín ěr lián zǐ gēng):

• Main ingredients: Tremella fungus, lotus seeds, red dates, goji berries, rock sugar.
• Taste: Rich in gelatin, soft and smooth, sweet and delicious.
• Benefits: Nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, stomach nourishment, beauty and sleep aid (ideal for dry seasons, dry skin, and yin-deficient constitution).
• Preparation: Soak and tear the tremella into small pieces, deseed the lotus seeds (or buy coreless lotus seeds), remove the red date pits. Boil the tremella until gelatinous (about 1 hour), then add lotus seeds and red dates until soft; finally, add goji berries and rock sugar for a few minutes.

滋养 (zī yǎng),noun,nourishment

Example:

1. Vegetables provide essential nourishment.  
   蔬菜提供必需的滋养。  
   shū cài tí gōng bì xū de zī yǎng.  
2. Love is nourishment for the soul.  
   爱是心灵的滋养。  
   ài shì xīn líng de zī yǎng.  

Tangerine Peel Pu'er Tea 陈皮普洱茶(chén pí pǔ ěr chá):

• Main ingredients: Tangerine peel (preferably Xinhui tangerine peel), ripe Pu'er tea leaves.
• Taste: Full-bodied and smooth, with the fruity aroma of tangerine peel and the aged fragrance of Pu'er tea, with a pronounced aftertaste.
• Benefits: Soothes liver function, dries dampness and phlegm, aids digestion, lowers cholesterol for weight control (suitable after meals, for sluggish digestion, heavy dampness, or greasy meals).
• Preparation: Simmer together the tangerine peel and Pu'er tea leaves in a teapot or covered cup, steep in boiling water or brew to drink. Adjust tangerine peel quantity and steeping time based on taste preferences.

Rose Red Date Tea 玫瑰红枣茶(méi guī hóng zǎo chá):

• Main ingredients: Dried rose buds, red dates, rock sugar or rock sugar (optional).
• Taste: Fragrant with a rich floral aroma, sweet flavor from the red dates, a very feminine scent.
• Benefits: Soothes the liver, regulates menstruation, nourishes the skin, blood supplement and calming nerves (suitable for emotional fluctuations, liver depression, dull complexion, and menstrual discomfort in women).
• Preparation: Deseed and steep red dates with dried rose buds in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Sweeten with sugar if desired.

Selection and Preparation Tips

• Drink Selection: Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes individualized treatment. Although these drinks are relatively mild, understanding your constitution (cold/hot, deficient/excessive) can help select the best-suited ones for yourself. For example, ginger date tea is suitable for those who feel cold; chrysanthemum tea or vetiver water may help with heatiness; dried tangerine peel Pu'er tea can aid in digestion after a heavy meal.
• Freshly Made: Most drinks taste best when freshly prepared (except for sour plum soup, which develops a unique flavor when chilled).
• Moderation: Even enjoyable health drinks should be consumed in moderation, ideally 1-2 cups per day.
• Special Considerations: Pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and individuals with specific conditions (such as diabetes or gastric ulcers) should consult with a doctor or professional Chinese medicine practitioner before consuming. For example, cautious use of coix seed, hawthorn, or longan in excess for pregnant women; diabetic patients should avoid sugary drinks.

These drinks not only offer delicious flavors but also provide a simple way to incorporate wellness into daily life. You can choose and mix them according to your taste preferences, seasonal changes, and bodily needs. Enjoy the taste and nourish your body and mind at the same time!