Daidai Flower and Licorice Tea

Why people make this tea

Daidai flower (also written dai dai hua) comes from a citrus tree called the ‘returning green orange’ in Chinese — a poetic name for the fact that the fruit can stay on the tree through winter, and by the following year when the tree blooms and sets new fruit, the old fruit’s skin turns from yellow back to green. The flowers are white, deeply fragrant, and mildly bitter-sweet. This gentle floral tea is particularly effective for the uncomfortable feeling of gas and bloating that so many people experience — especially after stress, eating too quickly, or eating irregular meals. Paired with licorice root, which moderates the slightly bitter edge of the flower and adds harmonising digestive support, this tea is something you can keep on your desk and sip whenever the stomach feels tight or gassy.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits people who experience frequent abdominal bloating, gas, belching, chest tightness, or poor appetite — especially when these are related to stress or an irregular schedule.
• Traditionally considered a beauty tea when drunk alone, as well as a digestive remedy.
• Adding a piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) or orange peel makes it especially effective for those with liver-related bloating.
• Generally suitable for regular use; those on long-term medication should check with their doctor before adding any new herbal tea to their routine.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Daidai flower (dai dai hua): Also known in Chinese food therapy as orange blossom or dai dai hua, this is the dried flower bud of the bitter orange tree. Its flavour is sweet and mildly bitter, and its nature is considered neutral. It is traditionally associated with moving stagnant qi in the middle burner (digestion), resolving a feeling of fullness and distension, and easing emotional stagnation (what traditional Chinese medicine calls liver qi constraint). The fruit of this same tree, when dried and processed, becomes the herb zhi shi — a well-known digestive herb in Chinese medicine.
• Licorice root (gan cao): A natural harmoniser in traditional Chinese herbal formulas. Its gentle sweetness moderates the bitter notes of the daidai flower, and it supports digestive function and has a mild soothing effect on the stomach lining.

Ingredients (1 pot / multiple infusions)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Daidai flower (dried)	5 g	Available at Chinese or Asian grocers, or online; also sold as orange blossom or dai dai hua
Licorice root slices (gan cao)	3 g
Optional: dried tangerine peel (chen pi)	1 small piece	Adds especially helpful for those with more stubborn bloating

Method

1. Place daidai flower and licorice root (and tangerine peel if using) into a teapot.
2. Pour a small amount of freshly boiled water over the ingredients and immediately discard this first rinse.
3. Refill with boiling water.
4. Steep for 7 minutes, then pour and drink.
5. The same ingredients can be re-steeped multiple times until the flavour is very faint.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea can be enjoyed as a daily wellness drink even without specific symptoms — it has a long history as a beauty tea when drunk alone. Adding a small piece of dried tangerine peel or orange peel makes it even more effective for liver-and-stomach bloating. Daidai flower is available at Chinese herb shops and specialty floral tea shops, as well as online — look for it listed as orange blossom tea, dai dai hua, or orange flower (cheng hua).

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Elaine): I sometimes get uncomfortable gas after eating too much. Is this tea suitable for regular use? Bro Niu: Yes, this floral tea is suitable for regular use. It helps to move qi so the liver stays relaxed — a calm liver means less gas. You can also add a piece of dried tangerine peel to enhance the qi-moving effect.

• Q (kitty): I often have stomach discomfort, gas pushing up into my throat, and constant hiccuping or passing gas. Is this tea right for me? Bro Niu: This tea suits you well — it helps to soothe the liver and ease stagnation. A relaxed liver means less gas overall. Of course, it also helps to eat less gas-producing foods like beans and legumes. Adding a piece of dried tangerine peel to the tea will strengthen the effect.

• Q (mailwtai): My niece, 4.5 years old, has been complaining of occasional stomach pain for two months. Tests show nothing wrong — just some intestinal wind. Any food remedy? Bro Niu: Advise the parents to reduce cold and raw foods. A simple remedy: steep a few slices of dried ginger with a small handful of dry-roasted rice and a few red dates. This gently warms the spleen and relieves pain.

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Published April 11, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.