Cat's Whiskers Herb Tea (Mao Xu Cao Cha)

Why people make this tea

Nourilo received a large bunch of freshly grown cat’s whiskers from a student who tends her own vegetable garden. He had used the dried form before and found it mildly bitter and not particularly pleasant — but the fresh version, he discovered, has a lighter grassy note and is quite easy to drink. Cat’s whiskers (mao xu cao, also called “kidney grass” in some dialects) is well-known in traditional medicine across Southeast Asia and southern China for its strong diuretic effect. Nourilo confirms from personal experience: drink a cup and you will be making trips to the bathroom before long. This natural flushing effect is why it has long been associated with supporting the passage of urinary tract stones and reducing high blood pressure.