Red Bean, Red Date & Tangerine Peel Water

Why people make this drink

Red beans — small, earthy, and deeply nourishing — have been part of East Asian food culture for millennia. In Chinese food therapy they are considered an excellent food for women specifically: they are associated with blood nourishment, support healthy circulation (since red in the five-element framework corresponds to the heart), and act as a gentle diuretic that clears excess fluid without depleting the body. The combination with red dates deepens the blood-building quality; tangerine peel adds a digestive lift that prevents the drink from sitting heavily. Together they make a simple, affordable drink that many women prepare regularly throughout their period or during pregnancy.

One practical note for those thinking about weight management: if you cook the red beans just to the point where they are tender but the skins have not burst open, the starch remains contained inside. Drinking only the liquid (and setting aside the beans to eat separately) means you get the diuretic benefit without the caloric load of the starch. Once the skins burst, the starch dissolves into the liquid.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits women during menstruation (blood deficiency, pallor, fatigue, dizziness, water retention) and pregnant women with mild swelling or fatigue
• Also useful for people prone to low blood pressure, water retention, or mild digestive sluggishness
• Caution: kidney disease patients must not use this recipe (high potassium from red beans); drink warm for best effect

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Red beans (hong dou): Contain folate, B vitamins, potassium, protein, and fibre. In Chinese food therapy they are associated with the heart (via the red colour and five-element framework), supporting blood circulation and acting as a gentle diuretic. Folate content makes them particularly relevant during pregnancy.
• Red dates (hong zao): A widely used blood and qi tonic. Pitting them before cooking is standard practice. For those prone to heat from red dates, southern dates (nan zao) or a reduction in quantity can be used.
• Dried tangerine peel (chen pi): Regulates qi and aids digestion — prevents the bean drink from causing bloating; also softens blood vessels. There is no need to scrape the inner pith: it contains compounds that support vascular health.
• Brown sugar (hong tang): Warming sweetener; traditionally associated with women’s health and warming the middle.

Ingredients (about 2 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Red beans	75 g	Soak in cold water for 30 minutes first
Red dates (pitted)	6 pieces	Remove pits
Dried tangerine peel	1 piece	Soak briefly until soft; no need to scrape
Brown sugar	To taste	Add at the end

Method

1. Soak the red beans in cold water for 30 minutes; drain.
2. Pit the red dates; soak the tangerine peel until soft.
3. Combine red beans and tangerine peel in a pot along with the water they soaked in, making up to about 4 cups (about 950 ml) total.
4. Add the red dates.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
7. Drink warm. For weight management purposes, keep the beans just tender (skins intact) and drink only the liquid.

Bro Niu’s tips

For women who want the diuretic benefit without the added starch calories: do not cook the beans until the skins burst open. Stop at the point where the beans are cooked but the skins are still intact — drink only the liquid, and give the beans to family members to eat. Once the skins split, starch dissolves into the drink and the slimming benefit is lost. For anyone recovering from postpartum water retention, this drink can be taken for 7–10 days. Kidney disease patients should avoid this recipe due to the high potassium content of red beans.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (mandy): After my period I have abdominal pain and loose stools. Can I drink this? Bro Niu: Yes, you can drink this after your period. Add a few slices of fresh ginger to help dispel cold and ease the abdominal discomfort.

• Q (王太): I tend to be damp and bloated. After my period I tried drinking longan, red date, and goji tea and felt even more bloated. I want to nourish my blood — what should I use instead? Bro Niu: You can use red beans (1 liang), goji berries (3 qian), red dates (6 pieces, pitted), and tangerine peel (1 piece), 5 cups of water reduced to 2 cups. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients. This supports blood nourishment and complexion.

• Q (Christine): Are red adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) and red beans (hong dou) interchangeable? Bro Niu: They are different. Red adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) are smaller, harder, and less sweet — more effective medicinally for draining dampness and reducing swelling. Red beans (hong dou) have a better flavour and are more often used in sweet soups and pastry fillings. For medicinal purposes chi xiao dou is the more potent choice.

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Published November 7, 2017 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.