Banana Flower Tea

Why people make this tea

Banana blossom is more commonly known as a savory vegetable in Southeast Asian cooking — requiring blanching and soaking to tame its bitterness — but as a tea, the preparation is far simpler. Traditional herb references mention banana flower in connection with heart and chest discomfort, and with supporting healthy blood pressure. Nourilo notes that the bitterness itself may be part of the plant’s heat-clearing quality — much like bitter melon or certain cooling greens — and that a small amount of rock sugar is all that is needed to make it pleasantly drinkable.