Herbal & Flower Teas
Honeysuckle, Mai Dong and Fig Tea
Traditionally soothes the throat and is associated with easing chronic throat dryness
Why people make this tea
If your job keeps your voice busy all day, the throat takes a beating, and an irritated throat that never quite settles can drag on for months. Bro Niu likes dried figs here because they are gentle and naturally sweet — traditionally they are said to moisten the lungs and soothe the throat. Paired with honeysuckle and mai dong, this becomes an easy daily sipper for anyone whose throat feels perpetually scratchy.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People who talk or sing a lot and battle a dry, raw, lingering throat.
- Honeysuckle is cooling — if you tend to feel cold easily, drink it sparingly or pair it with a warming, nourishing soup.
- Note: honeysuckle should not be given to infants with G6PD deficiency.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): traditionally said to moisten the lungs, ease the throat and gently support digestion.
- Honeysuckle (jin yin hua): a classic cooling flower traditionally associated with clearing heat and calming an inflamed throat.
- Mai dong (mai dong): traditionally used to nourish fluids and relieve a dry mouth and throat.
Ingredients (1–2 cups)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honeysuckle (jin yin hua) | ~18 g (5 qian) | Rinse |
| Mai dong | ~15 g (4 qian) | Rinse |
| Dried figs | 5 pieces | Slice thin |
Method
- Slice the dried figs thinly. Rinse the mai dong and honeysuckle.
- Put everything in a pot with 2 bowls of water and simmer about 15 minutes.
- Sip warm. Bro Niu suggests drinking it for 5 to 7 days in a row.
Bro Niu’s tips
Figs are traditionally said to help the stomach lining and carry a good reputation as a wholesome fruit. You can use figs dried very hard, or the softer brown-yellow candied kind — the Middle-Eastern figs tend to be the sweetest and most fragrant.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (KL): I have chronic throat inflammation with lymphoid overgrowth at the base of the tongue. Western medicine helps only while I take it. My throat is always dry, with a burning ache but no cough; I also have rhinitis. Any food therapy to help? Bro Niu: Try honeysuckle ~18 g (5 qian), a few pieces of mai dong, and a quarter monk fruit in 4 bowls of water, simmered down to 2 bowls; drink for 3 days. If it helps, you can have it twice a week.
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Q (anonymous): My husband often feels an itchy throat and wants to cough but brings up no phlegm. What should I make him? Bro Niu: An itchy throat may mean “wind.” Steep 2 dried plums (wu mei), ~4 g liquorice (gan cao) and a tablespoon of chrysanthemum as a tea, one dose a day; you can re-steep until weak.
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Q (Elaine S): Is this tea cooling? My constitution runs cold. Bro Niu: Because you first need to clear liver heat, the herbs here are cooling. Separately, make a warming, nourishing soup to balance — for example a “four-spirits” soup of Chinese yam, lotus seed, poria and fox nut with ginger and red dates.
Published August 19, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
