Herbal & Flower Teas
Water-Draining, Dampness-Clearing Tea
Traditionally used to clear summer heat and support the body in draining dampness
Why people make this tea
When the weather turns hot and sticky, Bro Niu likes a clean pot of dampness-clearing tea — the kind of cooling brew Cantonese families reach for in summer to feel light again. This blend of lotus leaf, lotus pod, poria, water plantain, smilax, beans, Job’s tears and kapok flower is traditionally simmered to clear summer heat and support the body in draining excess dampness.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone feeling heavy, tired or “damp” in hot, humid weather.
- Pregnant women should leave out the Job’s tears (yi mi). Those with frequent night urination or a cold constitution may find the tea too cooling. If you are weak in energy (qi-deficient), Bro Niu suggests adding Chinese yam (huai shan) to make it gentler.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Lotus leaf and lotus pod (he ye, lian peng): traditionally used to clear summer heat.
- Poria (fu ling) and water plantain (ze xie): classically associated with supporting the body in draining dampness.
- Smilax (tu fu ling): traditionally used to clear heat and dampness.
- Rice beans, hyacinth beans and Job’s tears: beans and Job’s tears traditionally linked to draining dampness and strengthening the spleen.
- Kapok flower (mu mian hua): a classic Cantonese summer ingredient traditionally used to clear heat and dampness.
Ingredients (about 4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lotus leaf | ~11 g (3 qian) | |
| Lotus seed pod | 1 | |
| Poria | ~11 g (3 qian) | |
| Water plantain rhizome | ~11 g (3 qian) | |
| Smilax glabra rhizome | ~11 g (3 qian) | |
| Rice beans | ~19 g (5 qian) | |
| Hyacinth beans | ~19 g (5 qian) | |
| Job’s tears | ~19 g (5 qian) | Omit if pregnant |
| Kapok flower | ~11 g (3 qian) |
Method
- Rinse all the ingredients.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water and simmer about 2 hours down to roughly 4 bowls. Drink as a tea.
Bro Niu’s tips
Many Chinese herb shops sell ready-packed dampness-clearing tea blends — convenient if you would rather not gather each herb yourself.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Ivy Chui): Can I add monk fruit (jin luo han guo) to the dampness tea instead of rock sugar? Bro Niu: Yes, you can add monk fruit to the dampness tea — no problem.
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Q (anonymous reader): Is this tea suitable if I am qi-deficient with heavy dampness? Bro Niu: If you are qi-deficient, add Chinese yam (huai shan) ~37 g, which is traditionally used to strengthen the spleen, move qi and help drain dampness.
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Q (Hyyi): I’m 8 weeks pregnant with pregnancy eczema and constipation — what can I cook to ease it? Bro Niu: Pregnant women can have a mung bean and kelp sweet soup (without Job’s tears, which is traditionally avoided in pregnancy). You can also boil mugwort leaf (ai ye) in water for 10 minutes as an external wash. For persistent skin trouble in pregnancy, please also check with your doctor.
Published August 2, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
