Herbal & Flower Teas
Fresh Lily Bulb and Longan Tea
Traditionally calms the heart and settles the mind
Why people make this tea
Bro Niu here. When I teach postnatal-care classes, students often ask about new mothers who struggle with sleep because of all the worry and anxiety that comes with a new baby, and whether there is a simple food-therapy fix. After childbirth, dried longan is a lovely choice — traditionally associated with nourishing the blood, supporting the spleen, easing stress and tension, and calming the heart. Because longan is on the warming side, if a new mother tends toward yin deficiency and internal heat, pairing it with fresh lily bulb keeps things balanced: fresh lily bulb is traditionally used to nourish yin, cool the stomach and calm the heart, so the two together are gentle rather than over-warming.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- New mothers and others with blood deficiency or trouble sleeping
- Pregnant women should not use this — longan is warming and traditionally avoided in pregnancy, where it is associated with added internal heat and risk
- If sleeplessness is severe or persistent, please see a doctor
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Dried longan (yuan rou): Traditionally used to nourish the blood, support the spleen, ease tension and calm the heart.
- Fresh lily bulb (bai he): Traditionally used to nourish yin, cool the stomach and calm the heart; it balances the warmth of the longan.
Ingredients (2 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh lily bulb | ~75 g | Separate the scales and rinse |
| Dried longan | 15 pieces | Rinse |
Method
- Separate the lily bulb scales and rinse clean. Rinse the longan.
- Cook both in 3.5 bowls of water for 20 minutes. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
This tea is also traditionally enjoyed by people with blood deficiency or trouble sleeping. But pregnant women tend toward internal heat, and for them longan not only fails to help but may add to that heat and carry risk — so it should be avoided in pregnancy.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Grandma Lee): Ten years ago I had my uterus and ovaries removed. Lately I have an odd vaginal odour but no discharge — is this normal? Can you suggest a food therapy? Bro Niu: Hot weather can cause odour down there — keep clean and change to cotton underwear often. If there is no improvement, please see a doctor. You can also simmer Chinese yam (huai shan), euryale seed (qian shi), stir-fried hyacinth bean and raw Job’s tears (5 qian each) with 6 red dates in a lean pork soup, which is traditionally used to reduce unwanted discharge.
Published August 18, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
