Sophora Flower, Cassia Seed and Chrysanthemum Tea

Why people make this tea

Many of us who live a comfortable, Western-style life end up eating out a lot, leaning on rich, fatty, high-cholesterol and sugary food day after day. Over time that pattern is associated with the so-called “three highs” — higher blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipids. This little flower-and-seed tea is my easy daily companion for that: it is light, fragrant, quick to steep, and gentle enough that the whole family can enjoy it. It is also one of my favourite teas for tired, strained eyes.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits people watching their blood pressure, blood sugar or blood lipids, and anyone who wants a soothing tea for tired eyes; old and young can drink it.
• Pregnant women and people with a cold, weak (yang-deficient) constitution should not drink this tea.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Sophora flower (huai hua): Traditionally used to cool the blood and is associated with supporting healthy blood pressure and blood sugar; it is also said to support the strength and resilience of small blood vessels, which is linked to keeping blood lipids and vessel hardening in check.
• Cassia seed (jue ming zi): Traditionally valued to support the liver and bright, comfortable eyes, and associated with supporting healthy blood pressure; it is also a classic slimming-tea ingredient.
• Chrysanthemum (ju hua): Traditionally used to clear the liver and brighten the eyes, moisten the lungs and promote fluids, and is associated with supporting healthy blood lipids and blood pressure.

Ingredients (1 pot, refillable)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Sophora flower (huai hua)	1 tbsp	Sold at Chinese herbal shops
Dry-roasted cassia seed (jue ming zi)	1 tbsp	Dry-roast in a clean wok ~7 min for easier extraction; store and use as needed
Tai chrysanthemum buds (tai ju)	1 tbsp	Other white or Hangzhou chrysanthemum works too

Method

1. Place the sophora flower, roasted cassia seed and chrysanthemum buds in a teapot.
2. Rinse once with boiling water and drain.
3. Pour in fresh boiling water, cover and steep for about 10 minutes.
4. Drink; you can keep refilling with hot water until the tea runs pale.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea is clean and fragrant, suitable for old and young, and it is especially kind to the eyes. Sophora flower, available at Chinese herbal shops, is traditionally used to ease intestinal and hemorrhoidal bleeding. To make cassia seeds give up their flavour easily, dry-roast them in a clean wok for about 7 minutes and store them ready to use. If you do not have tai chrysanthemum buds, other white or Hangzhou chrysanthemum is fine. Again, pregnant women and those with a cold constitution should not use it.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader): My cousin’s wife had breast-cancer surgery and just finished her first round of chemotherapy. She feels dizzy and nauseous. She is in the UK — is there a tea or soup that could help her feel more comfortable? Bro Niu: Chemotherapy is very hard on the body and can damage blood-making cells and weaken immunity, so the first focus is nourishing the blood. A “four reds” soup is a good choice: red beans, red-skinned peanuts (ordinary peanuts are fine too), goji berries and red dates, each to taste, simmered about 1 hour until the beans and peanuts are soft — no sugar added. At least 3 batches a week; these should be available in the UK. You can also simmer black fungus and snow fungus with lean pork to help support blood-cell growth, adding any other ingredients she likes. Avoid high-fat, greasy and sugary foods.
• Q (Wing): My 9-year-old son often says his calves feel tired at night and asks me to massage them, though he runs and plays normally in the daytime. Is this growing pains? Any simple food-therapy soup? Bro Niu: Keep an eye on it. If it is only tired calves at night with no other problems, it may well be growing pains or perhaps low calcium. Give him more milk, at least two eggs a day, and small fish such as whitebait fried with egg, which are very calcium-rich. Broccoli-type vegetables, shiitake and other mushrooms, black sesame paste and walnut paste are good too. If it persists, please see a doctor for a check-up to find the cause.

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Published March 9, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.