Purple-Leaf Begonia and Hawthorn Tea

Why people make this tea

After a stretch of rich, oily, heavy eating, Nourilo likes a tart cup to help things along. Purple-leaf begonia (zi bei tian kui) is a well-loved clearing herb, and pairing it with hawthorn — the classic Chinese “fat-cutter” for greasy meals — gives a bright, ruby-red tea. It is traditionally favoured by the “three highs” crowd: high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high cholesterol.