Acanthopanax, Goji Berry and Red Date Tea

Why people make this tea

Cognitive decline is one of the most challenging conditions families face in ageing — not just for the person affected, but for the carers who watch a loved one slowly lose their bearings. Nourilo developed this simple three-ingredient tea as something easy enough to brew daily, mild enough for elderly family members to accept, and — based on traditional herbal knowledge — genuinely supportive of brain health over time.

The star ingredient is acanthopanax (ci wu jia), sometimes called Siberian ginseng, though it is botanically distinct from true ginseng. In Chinese medicine it is associated with improving cerebral blood flow, combating fatigue, supporting bone marrow function, and having a calming, grounding effect on the nervous system. The flavour is not heavy — when blended with goji berries and red dates, it becomes a pleasantly mild, slightly sweet tea that most people find easy to drink regularly.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly.
2. Place acanthopanax, goji berries, and red dates in a pot with 900 ml of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid reduces to about 600 ml.
4. Strain and serve warm.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Acanthopanax is available at Chinese herbal medicine shops. It comes in two forms: one with small thorns (the traditional variety) and one as flat thorn-free slices — both are effective.
• This tea has a mild flavour with no strong herbal bitterness, making it suitable even for elderly family members who dislike herbal teas.
• Adding 3–4 dried figs can improve the flavour and is perfectly fine to do.
• For a longer-term protocol, rotate this with the cistanche-goji-schisandra soup (recipe 7180) and a yi zhi ren (益智仁) tea. Take each once per week, and pause after two months of regular use.
• Nourilo also notes that recent research points to blueberries as a complementary approach — daily intake of blueberries or a blueberry supplement has been associated in some studies with slowed cognitive decline.