Herbal & Flower Teas
Astragalus, Goji Berry and Red Date Tea
traditionally associated with supporting immune defences and qi and blood — a simple tea often made during flu season
In short: Astragalus, Goji Berry and Red Date Tea is a herbal & flower tea that traditionally associated with supporting immune defences and qi and blood — a simple tea often made during flu season. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, energy & vitality, immune support. Total time about 20 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, goji berries, red dates.
Why people make this tea
During a serious flu season, supporting your body in advance is the most sensible strategy. Nourilo shares this simple three-ingredient tea as a practical step alongside the basics: good hand hygiene, adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and a calm mindset. The three ingredients are among the most studied tonic herbs in Chinese food therapy, and each plays a specific role in supporting the body’s natural defences.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that every person has immune cells — the question is how active and effective those cells are. People who are chronically stressed, sleep-deprived, eat poorly, or smoke and drink excessively will typically have suppressed immune function and become ill more easily. This tea is designed to address the underlying qi and blood deficiency that leaves the body open to seasonal infections, not to fight infection once it has taken hold.
Nourilo notes that sliced astragalus root (the kind cut into thin cross-sections) works best for a quick tea like this, as the flat slices release their flavour more efficiently than the long stick-style root.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Astragalus root
TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported.Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root.PubMed 41286474 · 3 more astragalus root studies - Goji berries
Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies - Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Ingredient notes for this recipe
- Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium
- Astragalus: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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