Cinnamon Powder and Honey Tea

Why people make this tea

A while back, at a food expo, Bro Niu tried a sample of old-comb honey — fragrant and wonderfully soothing to the throat — and bought a (not cheap) jar. Old-comb honey is the honey from an aged comb, a pure natural product traditionally valued for soothing inflammation and supporting the body’s defenses. As luck would have it, a friend had recently given him a jar of cinnamon powder, which is warming and traditionally used to settle the stomach and ease aches. Because cinnamon is “hot” in nature and can stir up heat, pairing it with honey tempers that warmth and helps avoid the dry mouth you might otherwise get.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits those who feel cold (cold-averse, cold limbs) and have inflammatory complaints such as rhinitis, gastritis or rheumatic joint aches
• Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding, or for young children

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Cinnamon powder (yu gui fen): warming; traditionally used to warm the middle, dispel cold, support circulation, settle the stomach and ease aches
• Honey (especially old-comb honey): soothing and traditionally associated with supporting the body and easing inflammation; here it also tempers cinnamon’s heat

Ingredients (1 cup)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cinnamon powder	1/2 teaspoon
Old-comb honey	1 teaspoon	Plain pure honey works if you have no comb honey

Method

1. Put the cinnamon powder in a cup and stir first with a little boiling water.
2. Add some cool boiled water, stir, then mix in the honey. Serve.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea warms the middle and dispels cold, and is traditionally used for cold limbs and inflammatory complaints such as rhinitis, gastritis and rheumatic joint pain. But pregnant and breastfeeding women, and young children, should not take it. If you have no old-comb honey, ordinary pure honey is fine.

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Published April 18, 2026 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.