Black Goji Berry and Mulberry Tea

Why people make this tea

Mulberries have long been one of Bro Niu’s favourite ingredients — the fruit of the mulberry tree is celebrated in Chinese food therapy for its wide range of traditional associations: nourishing the liver and kidneys, supporting vision, promoting lustrous hair, lubricating the intestines, and even being linked to anti-ageing effects. The fresh fruit has a very short season, but the dried deep-purple version is available year-round and makes a wonderful brewing base. Paired with black goji berries — a newer but increasingly popular ingredient rich in the same dark anthocyanin pigments — this two-ingredient tea is both visually striking and deeply nourishing by traditional standards. It was designed especially for people who spend long hours staring at screens and find their eyes growing tired and strained.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Well suited to people who work long hours at a computer or under artificial lighting
• Traditionally associated with supporting those with liver-kidney yin deficiency patterns: tired eyes, dry eyes, dull hair, stiff joints
• Suitable for people with diabetes: omit honey or substitute maple syrup
• People with a weak spleen prone to loose stools or diarrhoea should avoid this tea
• Pregnant women should avoid this tea

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Black goji berries (hei gou qi zi): The “wild” or black variety of goji berry; deeply pigmented with anthocyanins; in traditional use associated with liver and kidney nourishment, improving vision, and protecting against oxidative stress — similar actions to the more familiar red goji berry but considered more potent
• Dried mulberries (sang shen): The fruit of the white mulberry tree; in Chinese medicine associated with nourishing the liver and kidney yin, calming internal wind, improving eyesight, darkening hair, lubricating the bowels, and delaying ageing; also linked to preventing vascular hardening and loosening stiff joints
• Honey (feng mi): Naturally sweet and moistening; in traditional use associated with tonifying the middle and lubricating dryness; can be replaced by maple syrup for those avoiding concentrated sugars

Ingredients (1–2 cups, re-steep throughout the day)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Black goji berries	1 tablespoon
Dried mulberries	2 tablespoons
Honey	1 tablespoon	add after steeping; use maple syrup for diabetics
Boiling water	1 cup to start	re-steep as needed

Method

1. Place black goji berries and dried mulberries into a teapot or heatproof cup.
2. First, pour a small amount of boiling water over the ingredients, swirl gently, and pour it off — this is a quick rinse to remove any dust.
3. Pour in a full cup of freshly boiled water.
4. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in honey.
6. Sip throughout the day, re-steeping with fresh hot water as needed until the colour fades.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea has a pleasantly sweet, slightly fruity flavour. Bro Niu published this recipe in his book “Drink Your Way to a Better Constitution.” For those managing diabetes who have a liver-kidney yin deficiency pattern, this tea is especially suitable — just skip the honey or use maple syrup instead. The tea can be re-steeped multiple times throughout the day until the fruit loses its colour and flavour. If your eyes are also itchy or produce sticky discharge on waking, Bro Niu suggests adding a small pinch of chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua) to help clear liver heat.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Mon): I often wake up with watery, slightly sticky eyes, and sometimes experience eye itchiness at night. Can I drink this tea? Bro Niu: Yes, and you can add a small pinch of chrysanthemum flowers to the blend — that will help clear liver heat alongside the other benefits.

---

Published February 14, 2017 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.