Chinese Food Health gives you the basic approaches on how to nourish and preserve health in the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Next to water, tea is the world’s primary beverage. Although people may just have a cup of tea for relaxing, soothing, and refreshing, tea, as a matter of fact, has been associated with medical values for thousands of years—first noticed in ancient times, then acknowledged and further to be discovered these days.

Presently, there are over 300 chemical substances reportedly have been found in tea. While some of them are microelements that can provide additional nutrient substances to the body, others are even capable of preventing or healing diseases.

From soothing a sore throat, to speeding up and increasing levels of metabolism, reducing bad cholesterol, and preventing and controlling cancer, benefits of drinking tea are no more a mystery. Though a cup of plain tea in itself already is a healing agent, when combining with other fruits or herbs, teas become a more specific and stronger remedies.

Recommended by Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners, below are some teas carrying certain medicinal efficacies that can mitigate related health problems.

Ginger Sugar Green Tea for Flu

• Ingredients: 10 grams green tea leaves, 10 grams gingers, 30 grams rock sugar
• Method: Wash and slice gingers. Place green tea leaves, sliced gingers, and rock sugar in a pot with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
• Efficacy: Remove coldness, clear heat, disperse phlegm, stop cough, and ease stuffy nose and headache.

Chrysanthemum Pagodatree Flower Bud Green Tea for Conjunctivitis

• Ingredients: 3 grams green tea leaves, 3 grams chrysanthemums, 3 grams pagodatree flower buds
• Method: Wash and drain chrysanthemums and pagodatree flower buds. Place green tea leaves, chrysanthemums, and pagodatree flower buds in a tea pot. Pour boiling water over and brew 10 to 15 minutes.
• Efficacy: Ease conjunctivitis, promote eye health, lower blood pressure, clear heat, and remove toxic substance.

Rice Vinegar Black Tea for Dysentery

• Ingredients: 5 grams black tea leaves, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• Method: Brew tea with boiling water, then add vinegar.
• Efficacy: Clear heat, disperse dampness, moisten intestines, and remove toxic substance.

Glutinous Rice Black Tea for Diabetes

• Ingredients: [2 day portion] 2 grams black tea leaves, 50 grams glutinous rice (sticky rice)
• Method: Place glutinous rice in a pot with water. Bring to a boil until glutinous rice is cooked. Drain out the rice. Add black tea leaves and cook for a brief moment. Drink once per day.
• Efficacy: Control blood sugar levels, lower blood lipid levels, dilate blood vessels, facilitate urination, reduce swelling, and promote digestive process.

Honey Sugar Black Tea for Gastric/Stomach Ulcer

• Ingredients: 5 grams black tea leaves, 20 grams honey, 5 grams brown sugar
• Method: Place black tea leaves in a thermal cup. Pour boiling water over, then cover and brew 10 minutes. Add honey and brown sugar and serve hot. Drink three times per day before meal.
• Efficacy: Promote good digestion, nourish stomach, and ease gastric/stomach ulcer.

Ginger Sugar Peppermint Leaf Tea for Bronchitis

• Ingredients: 10 grams peppermint leaves, 15 grams gingers, 10 grams brown sugar
• Method: Wash and slice gingers. Wash and drain peppermint leaves. Place peppermint leaves and sliced gingers in a cup. Pour boiling water over, then cover and brew 10 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir. Drink once per day for 10 consecutive days.
• Efficacy: Warm lungs; inhibit cough; induce sweating; and ease chest tightness, headache, and thirst.

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