Learn to brew cooling teas at home

Learn to brew cooling teas at home
A cup of glehnia root tea.
PHOTO: Learn to brew cooling teas at home

SINGAPORE - It is hot outside and you feel a sore throat creeping in. A soothing cup of herbal tea may just help keep coughs and colds at bay.

In the first of a three-part series, TCM physicians share recipes of cooling teas that you can brew at home.

Recipe #1: Glehnia root tea
(Serves one to two)

INGREDIENTS

6g glehnia root (nanshashen)
6g dwarf lilyturf tuber (maidong)
9g fragrant Solomon's seal
rhizome (yuzhu)
9g trichosanthes root (tianhuafen)
300ml to 500ml hot water

METHOD

Soak all the ingredients in hot water for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Suitable for: People with yin deficiency symptoms, such as a parched throat, dry skin, excessive thirst, cough with little or no phlegm, as well as those who perspire in their sleep when there is no obvious reason for it.

Use with caution: People who are prone to bouts of diarrhoea due to a weak digestive system.

Also, those who suffer from a cough or flu arising from wind and cold pathogens, in which they exhibit symptoms such as constantly feeling cold, coughing out white phlegm or a runny nose.

Source: Ms Lim Sock Ling, Bao Zhong Tang TCM Centre

Recipe #2: Mulberry leaf tea
(Serves one or two)

INGREDIENTS

10g mulberry leaves
10g chrysanthemum flowers
3g liquorice root
350ml water Sugar (to taste)

METHOD

Boil all the ingredients in a pot with 350ml of water. Filter out the herbs, add sugar to taste and serve.

Suitable for: People who exhibit wind-heat symptoms, such as a sore throat, blocked nose and a cold. It is also useful for those with high blood pressure and whose eyes get tired easily due to a “heaty” liver.

Use with caution: People with low blood pressure.

Source: Ms Koh Moh Cheng, Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic


Get a copy of Mind Your Body, The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.