Dried Lychee Tea with Ginger and Aged Tangerine Peel

Why people make this tea

When lychees come into season, there is always a lively debate about which variety is best — Nourilo is partial to the “Gui Wei” (cassia-fragrant) lychee for its clean, sweet freshness that does not overwhelm. But beyond enjoying the fresh fruit, traditional Chinese food therapy has long made use of the dried lychee — flesh and core together — as a warming, qi-moving remedy for those who suffer from stomach aches aggravated by cold, or menstrual cramps rooted in cold accumulation in the lower abdomen. Paired with the qi-regulating properties of aged tangerine peel and the warming punch of fresh ginger, this simple tea is a practical home remedy with centuries of folk use behind it.

A note of honesty: Nourilo has also heard online claims that a mixture of crushed lychee cores, rice-washing water, and pork kidney can “cure kidney failure.” A senior physician Nourilo consulted was quite clear: there is absolutely no basis for that. Lychee cores do have genuine traditional applications — warming the stomach, easing hernia-type pain, and alleviating cold-type menstrual discomfort — but they cannot treat organ failure. If you or someone you know has a serious kidney condition, please see a doctor immediately.