Cinnamon Apple Tea

Why people make this tea

If you tend to feel chilly, get a cold sensation in your stomach after meals, or find yourself running to the bathroom in the early hours of the morning — these are signs that traditional Chinese food therapy associates with a “cold spleen-stomach” pattern. Cinnamon is one of the classic warming spices for this, and pairing it with sweet, gentle apple softens its intensity while adding a pleasant flavour. Bro Niu recommends this simple tea as a home remedy to sip when stomach cold is bothering you.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for people with cold-type stomach discomfort: feeling cold in the belly, watery or loose morning stools, poor digestion without obvious heat signs
• People with a yin-deficient or “fire-excess” constitution (easily irritable, prone to night sweats, hot flushes) should avoid cinnamon
• Pregnant women must not use this tea — cinnamon is a strongly warming herb contraindicated in pregnancy
• Women during menstruation should not drink this
• Those with active bleeding conditions (including haemorrhoids that are currently flaring) should not use it
• If you have haemorrhoids that are not currently flaring, small amounts are generally tolerated, but exercise caution
• People with diabetes can substitute a leaf of stevia or a small piece of monk fruit (luo han guo) for the sugar

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Cinnamon (rou gui): One of the most powerfully warming herbs in traditional Chinese medicine; traditionally said to warm the kidney yang, dispel interior cold, relieve stomach cramps, and stop cold-type diarrhoea. Its flavour is pungent and warming
• Apple: Provides gentle sweetness, moisture, and a pleasant fruit flavour that balances cinnamon’s heat; easy on the stomach
• Rock/slab sugar: Mild and moistening; harmonises the flavour and helps the body absorb the tea’s warmth gently

Ingredients (2 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cinnamon bark (rou gui)	1 qian (~3 g)	Or a scant half-teaspoon of cinnamon powder
Apple	2 medium	Peeled, cored, and diced
Rock sugar or slab sugar	To taste	Can substitute stevia or monk fruit for diabetics
Water	3 bowls

Method

1. Rinse the cinnamon bark. Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces.
2. Combine the cinnamon and apple in a pot with 3 bowls of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until roughly 2 cups remain.
4. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
5. Drink warm.

Bro Niu’s tips

The sugar is optional — if you prefer to skip it (especially for blood sugar management), the tea is still fine without it. Good alternatives include a leaf of fresh stevia or a small piece of monk fruit, both of which add sweetness without affecting blood sugar. Because cinnamon is strongly warming, limit your intake and do not use it daily for extended periods unless you know your constitution is definitely cold.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (bowie): I have poor spleen-stomach function and also have haemorrhoids. Can I drink the cinnamon apple tea? Bro Niu: Yes, you can, as long as your haemorrhoids are not currently flaring. If they are actively inflamed or bleeding, hold off until they settle down.

• Q (Yanice): What exactly is a “yin-deficient fire-excess” constitution? Is it alright to have this tea occasionally? Bro Niu: People with yin deficiency tend to have insufficient body fluids, which leads to internal heat — symptoms include feeling hot and restless, being easily irritable, night sweats, or hot flushes. For this type of constitution, strongly warming things like cinnamon powder are best avoided. Occasional small amounts might be tolerable, but it’s worth paying attention to how your body responds.

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Published March 28, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.