Toasted Cassia Seed, Chrysanthemum & Lotus Leaf Tea

Why people make this tea

Modern working life makes fatty liver surprisingly common: long desk hours, irregular meals, too much takeaway food heavy on meat and light on vegetables, chronic stress — all of these gradually overload the liver’s fat-processing capacity, often without any obvious symptoms until it has been building for years. Bro Niu’s recommendation is a practical one: keep a jar of this three-ingredient tea blend on your office desk. Before you reach for a snack, brew a cup. The combination of toasted cassia seeds (an excellent traditional “scraper” of intestinal fat), chrysanthemum flowers (cooling, liver-supporting, and eye-protecting), and toasted lotus leaf (classically used to reduce fat and cholesterol absorption) creates a tea that is pleasant to drink, mildly fragrant, and associated with supporting healthy liver function and cholesterol management. It is easy to prepare in bulk and brew throughout the day.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits most people, especially those with sedentary office jobs, high-fat diets, or a tendency towards fatigue and irritability
• Particularly associated with supporting those with fatty liver, elevated cholesterol, obesity, or the “three highs” (high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol)
• Those with a cold constitution: add 1 tablespoon of dried hawthorn (shan zha) to reduce the cooling nature of the blend
• Those with a cold-deficient spleen-stomach should not drink large amounts regularly
• G6PD patients: this tea is fine; do not substitute chrysanthemum with jin yin hua (honeysuckle flower), which should be avoided

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Cassia seeds (jue ming zi): Toasting first is essential — raw cassia seeds are much stronger and can cause loose stools in excess; toasting moderates the action. Traditionally associated with clearing liver heat, improving eyesight, and “scraping” excess fat from the intestines. One of the most-studied traditional herbs for cholesterol management.
• Dried chrysanthemum (ju hua): Cooling and liver-supporting; associated with reducing liver fire, clearing the eyes, and providing antioxidant activity.
• Lotus leaf tea (he ye cha): Dried lotus leaf, often pre-roasted; traditionally one of the premier weight-management and fat-clearing herbs in Chinese food therapy. The toasting process enhances its “scraping” effect on dietary fats.

Ingredients (1 pot)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cassia seeds (jue ming zi)	1 tablespoon	Toast in a dry pan first; or buy pre-toasted
Dried chrysanthemum flowers	1 tablespoon
Lotus leaf tea (dried)	1 tablespoon	Buy pre-toasted if possible
Dried hawthorn (optional)	1 tablespoon	Add for cold constitutions
Boiling water	1 pot (~400 ml)

Method

1. Toast the cassia seeds (if not pre-toasted): Place in a dry pan over medium heat and stir for 5–7 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool completely.
2. Measure 1 tablespoon each of cassia seeds, chrysanthemum, and lotus leaf into a reusable tea bag or infuser.
3. Place the filled tea bag in a teapot or large mug.
4. Rinse once with boiling water; discard this first rinse.
5. Pour in fresh boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes.
6. Drink throughout the day, re-steeping with fresh boiling water until the flavour is exhausted.

Bro Niu’s tips

• If you buy pre-toasted cassia seeds (shu jue ming zi), you can use them directly without further toasting.
• To make in bulk: toast a large batch of cassia seeds, cool completely, then mix with chrysanthemum and lotus leaf in a ratio of 1:1:1 and store in a sealed glass jar. Each day scoop 3 tablespoons (one of each) into a tea bag.
• For cold constitutions: adding hawthorn (shan zha) reduces the cooling nature; you can also add a small drizzle of honey to the brewed tea.
• This tea also supports eyesight and is associated with supporting management of the “three highs” — obese individuals especially may benefit from regular consumption.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (珍): I see pre-toasted cassia seeds for sale — do I still need to toast them at home? Will the effect be the same? Bro Niu: If the cassia seeds are already toasted, there is no need to toast them again — you can use them immediately.

• Q (Susanna): If I am worried about the cooling nature, besides hawthorn what else can I add? Bro Niu: You can also add dried tangerine peel (chen pi) and a small amount of honey to reduce the cooling nature.

• Q (Vanda): Does this tea have contraindications for any particular constitution? Bro Niu: This tea is suitable for most general constitutions.

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Published March 11, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.