Herbal & Flower Teas
Purple-Backed Gynura & Hawthorn Tea
Traditionally helps cut grease, ease food stagnation and refresh on hot days
Why people make this tea
I first bought some purple-backed gynura in Tai O and simmered it into a sweet drink to chill — wonderfully tasty and refreshing. Later I bought some from a herb shop, but it never tasted quite as good (it had probably picked up the smell of the other herbs in the drawers). Purple-backed gynura is a classic for clearing summer heat and quenching thirst, and paired with hawthorn it helps cut grease and ease that heavy, stuffed feeling after rich, fatty meals — a friendly drink for people watching blood lipids, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People who have over-eaten rich, fatty food and feel sluggish and stuffed; those watching blood lipids, blood pressure or cholesterol; anyone wanting a cooling hot-weather drink.
- If you have stomach pain or excess stomach acid, drink it after meals, not on an empty stomach.
- Lovely chilled — children often enjoy it cold too.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Purple-backed gynura (zi bei tian kui): Traditionally associated with clearing summer heat, generating fluids and easing thirst.
- Hawthorn (shan zha): Long valued for helping cut grease and ease the fullness of heavy, fatty meals.
- Slab sugar (pian tang): Rounds out the taste; use to your preference.
Ingredients (about 4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Purple-backed gynura (zi bei tian kui) | ~8 g | Rinsed |
| Hawthorn (shan zha) | ~38 g | Rinsed |
| Slab sugar | To taste | |
| Water | 5 bowls |
Method
- Rinse the purple-backed gynura and hawthorn.
- Simmer in 5 bowls of water for 15 minutes.
- Stir in slab sugar until dissolved, strain out the solids, and drink.
Bro Niu’s tips
Chilled, this tea is a hit with children too, and it makes a refreshing cooling drink for hot weather. The gynura sold at Tai O sometimes comes with liquorice (gan cao) included — you can simmer that in as well. If you have excess stomach acid, drink it after meals.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Jenny): I made it and it’s delicious — can I drink it often? Bro Niu: As long as you don’t have stomach pain or excess stomach acid, you can drink it regularly.
- Q (Wen Yu): The Tai O gynura comes with liquorice — can I simmer that with the hawthorn? And if I have stomach acid, can I drink it? Bro Niu: Yes, you can simmer the liquorice in together; if you have excess stomach acid, drink it after meals.
- Q (May): Can children with favism (G6PD) use purple-backed gynura and liquorice? I heard they can’t even use honeysuckle. Bro Niu: Children with favism should be able to drink purple-backed gynura tea. They should avoid honeysuckle, burdock seed, gardenia, coptis, wintersweet, pearl powder, and things with wintergreen oil, camphor, citronella or medicated balm. Mothballs are also out. Nothing else is currently known to harm these children.
Published May 6, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
