Spatholobus Stem (Ji Xue Teng) & Red Date Tea

Why people make this tea

Spatholobus suberectus — ji xue teng in Chinese — is a climbing vine whose dried stem, when sliced and boiled, releases a rich, dark reddish-brown liquid that looks remarkably like blood. That vivid colour, along with the plant’s long history in traditional medicine, is why it became associated with blood-nourishing therapy. It is warm in nature, nourishing and activating at the same time — meaning it both builds blood and helps move it, making it useful for conditions where blood is deficient and sluggish. Combined with a substantial quantity of red dates — 20 pieces rather than the usual 6–8 — the blood-nourishing effect is considerably strengthened. This tea must be cooked for at least 90 minutes, not merely steeped, for the active components to be fully released.

Method

1. Rinse the spatholobus stem. Rinse the red dates.
2. Combine both ingredients in a pot with 6 cups of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to about 2 cups.
4. Drink the tea and eat the red dates.

Nourilo’s Tips

The key to this tea is sufficient cooking time — do not simply steep the spatholobus stem; it needs a full 90 minutes of simmering for its properties to be released. For a further boost to platelet counts, add 11 g of peanut skins (hua sheng yi, the red inner skin of peanuts), or use 75 g of whole peanuts with skins on (red-skinned peanuts are best). This tea is also appropriate for pale, tired individuals who do not have a diagnosed blood disorder but simply need blood-building support. Take monthly for a period rather than continuously, once platelet counts stabilise. For those prone to internal heat from red dates, switch to southern dates (nan zao).