Three-Date Wheat Berry Tea (San Zao Mai Mi Cha)

Why people make this tea

There is an old saying in Chinese: “Eat three dates a day and stay young.” Dates have been the cornerstone of women’s blood-nourishing food therapy for generations. After menstruation, during the perimenopause, and in the weeks following childbirth, the body needs gentle, sustained replenishment — and dates offer exactly that in a form that is easy to digest and pleasant to taste. By combining three varieties of date (red, nan zao, and honey date) with toasted wheat berries — which calm the heart and mind — this tea provides a quiet, everyday ritual of nourishment. It tastes genuinely delicious: lightly sweet, warming, and comforting.

Method

1. Pit and slice the red dates. Score or halve the nan zao. Rinse honey dates.
2. Heat a clean dry wok over medium heat. Add wheat berries and stir gently until fragrant and lightly golden — about 3–5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for 30 minutes until reduced to about 3 cups.
6. Serve warm. Eat the dates and wheat berries for full benefit.

Nourilo’s Tips

Wheat berries (mai mi) are not oats and not barley — look for them at Chinese herbal shops or Asian grocery stores, labelled as whole wheat with a light yellow outer bran (sometimes used in traditional sticky-rice-and-wheat congee). For people with a “hot” constitution, Nourilo suggests adding Jin Qiao Mai (golden buckwheat) — a naturally cooling grain with additional benefits — to balance the warming dates. This tea can be re-steeped: bring back to a boil for a second round.