Herbal & Flower Teas
Hawthorn Two-Flower Tea
Traditionally supports healthy lipids and the liver
Why people make this tea
Passing a newly opened herb-and-dried-goods shop with an opening discount, Bro Niu picked up cheap hawthorn and other staples. Summer is the season for sour, thirst-quenching hawthorn drinks; here he brews hawthorn with honeysuckle and chrysanthemum into a sweet-and-sour tea traditionally enjoyed to support healthy blood lipids, with a cooling, calming character — a pleasant everyday cup for those mindful of a fatty liver.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone wanting a refreshing, appetite-rousing daily tea
- Traditionally considered very suitable for people mindful of high blood pressure and high blood lipids
- People with excess stomach acid may prefer to drink it after meals
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Hawthorn (shan zha): classic for digestion, traditionally associated with breaking down stagnation and supporting healthy lipids; mildly warming in nature
- Honeysuckle (jin yin hua): cooling, traditionally associated with clearing heat
- Chrysanthemum (ju hua): cooling and clearing, traditionally linked with soothing the liver and supporting the eyes
Ingredients (1 pot)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn | ~38 g | — |
| Honeysuckle flower | ~11 g | — |
| Chrysanthemum flower | ~11 g | Hangzhou or “tai” chrysanthemum works well |
| Honey | to taste | Stirred in at the end |
Method
- Place all ingredients in a pot and rinse once with boiling water.
- Refill with boiling water, cover and steep for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in honey to taste and serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Sweet and sour, this tea is appetite-rousing and traditionally considered very suitable for people mindful of high blood pressure and high blood lipids. If you have a fatty liver already, it can be sipped over a long period — but leave out the sugar in that case.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Peggy): If I already have a fatty liver, does this tea help? Can I drink it long term, since I can’t make soup every day? Bro Niu: If you already have a fatty liver you can brew this tea regularly and drink it for a long stretch.
- Q (Stephanie): Is hawthorn tea suitable for people with a lot of stomach acid? Bro Niu: Those with excess stomach acid can drink hawthorn tea after meals.
- Q (Carrie): I tried “tai” chrysanthemum tea and got diarrhoea a few times — how do I combine it so it’s not too cooling? Can my 2.5-year-old drink it? Bro Niu: Try Hangzhou chrysanthemum instead. Hawthorn is actually warming in nature, so with hawthorn added it should not be too cooling. Young children don’t need medicinal teas — an occasional hawthorn tea to aid digestion is fine.
Published June 24, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
