Herbal & Flower Teas
Chicken Gizzard Lining and Sanqi Powder Tea
Traditionally invigorates the blood and supports healthy cholesterol
Why people make this tea
Modern diets are over-rich, and middle-aged and older adults are especially prone to high cholesterol — which can in turn raise the risk of fatty liver and cardiovascular trouble. The everyday key is more vegetables, less meat. There’s a well-known folk food-therapy for cholesterol support: grinding chicken gizzard lining and raw sanqi (tienchi) into powder and taking it daily. Traditionally, milder cases see a difference after about 10 days, and stubborn cases after about 20. This powder-tea is traditionally credited with invigorating the blood, resolving stasis and easing swelling and pain — and is well regarded by those minding their cholesterol.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Adults wanting traditional support for healthy cholesterol alongside a lighter diet
- NOT for pregnancy or during menstruation — sanqi has a blood-thinning action
- If you take blood-thinners or other medication, space the tea ~2 hours from medicine and consult a Chinese-medicine practitioner first
- A little loose stool can occur; if so, halve the dose and take it twice a week
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Chicken gizzard lining (ji nei jin): traditionally supports digestion and helps the body deal with rich, accumulated food.
- Raw sanqi / tienchi (sheng tian qi): traditionally invigorates the blood and resolves stasis; associated with supporting healthy cholesterol and blood pressure.
Ingredients (10 sachets, one 10-day course)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken gizzard lining, powdered | 100 g | Finely ground |
| Raw sanqi powder | 75 g | Finely ground |
Method
- Grind the chicken gizzard lining to a fine powder and grind the raw sanqi to powder.
- Divide into 10 small sachets.
- Morning and evening, mix one sachet into warm water and drink as a tea. 10 days is one course.
Bro Niu’s tips
Some Chinese-medicine shops will grind ingredients to powder for you, and some shops specialise in ready-ground powders — either is a convenient way to get these two ingredients. This tea is traditionally used to support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure, but it is not suitable during pregnancy.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Mei Yee): Is the 100 g chicken gizzard lining plus 75 g raw sanqi, divided into 10 sachets, a 5-day amount? Bro Niu: That amount is a 5-day supply — one sachet morning and evening. If it helps, rest for two days, then take another 5 days.
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Q (Sharon): My husband takes blood-sugar, cholesterol, blood-pressure and aspirin (a blood-thinner), and has colonic diverticula — can he take sanqi powder? Bro Niu: Since sanqi also thins the blood, he must be cautious. Take it about 2 hours after his Western medicine, one teaspoon, once a day at most, to avoid doubling the blood-thinning effect — and it’s best to consult a Chinese-medicine practitioner.
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Q (anonymous): I get loose stools after taking sanqi powder — does it have a detox effect? Bro Niu: Sanqi invigorates the blood and resolves stasis; it must be avoided during menstruation and pregnancy. A small amount shouldn’t cause diarrhoea — try halving the dose and taking it twice a week.
Published August 18, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
