Tonic Drinks & Waters
Fish Wort and Red Date Water
Traditionally used to support the respiratory tract and soothe persistent cough in children
Why people make this herbal water
Whooping cough tends to show up in the colder months, often starting as a mild cold before turning into those distinctive, relentless bouts of coughing that are hardest on little ones at night. Fish wort — known in Chinese as yu xing cao — has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine for respiratory complaints, and modern laboratory work has found it to have broad antimicrobial properties. Red dates bring their own gentle benefit: they contain a compound called cyclic adenosine monophosphate, which is thought to help stabilize cell membranes and reduce the intensity of allergic-type reactions. Together, they make a simple, two-ingredient preparation that parents in Cantonese households have trusted for generations.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suited for children experiencing persistent cough, particularly where there is yellow or thick phlegm, or a cough that worsens at night. Older children and adults can also drink it.
- Fish wort is cooling in nature, so children with a clearly cold constitution, loose stools, or pale complexion should use it in smaller amounts and not too frequently.
- Not recommended during an active high fever — please seek medical attention if a child has fever, laboured breathing, or worsening symptoms.
- Continue prescribed Western medicine if a doctor has recommended it; this preparation can be taken two hours apart.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fish wort (yu xing cao / Houttuynia cordata): The whole plant — stem, leaf, and root — is used medicinally. Traditional Chinese medicine considers it to clear heat, resolve toxicity, and reduce phlegm. Its volatile compounds are best preserved with a short cooking time; do not simmer for too long.
- Red dates (hong zao): Warming and nourishing to the spleen and stomach, red dates are thought to moderate the cooling nature of fish wort while adding a mild sweetness. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate in red dates is associated with reduced allergic-type airway reactivity.
Ingredients (2 bowls / 1 day’s serving)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh fish wort (yu xing cao) | 75 g (2 liang) | Whole plant — stem and leaves — from a herbal stall; rinse and cut into sections |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 8–10 pieces | Remove pits; slice if preferred for better flavour extraction |
Method
- Rinse the fresh fish wort thoroughly, then cut into short sections.
- Remove the pits from the red dates and slice them.
- Combine both ingredients with 4 bowls (about 1 litre) of water in a pot.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces to about 2 bowls.
- Serve warm throughout the day. Repeat for 3 to 4 consecutive days.
Bro Niu’s tips
Fresh fish wort is sold at Chinese herbal stalls with the full stem and leaves intact — the whole plant is medicinal. Because it contains volatile aromatic oils, keep the cooking time to 20 minutes and do not simmer for much longer, or those active compounds will evaporate. For a purely external use, you can steep a stronger batch and apply it as a wash for vaginal infections. Children can comfortably drink half a bowl per serving; for a baby around 10 to 11 months, start with roughly half a bowl. Families where several children are ill can scale the recipe up slightly and share across the day.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Gchan): My 14-month-old daughter had a cold and fever, then developed thick phlegm and yellow mucus for two weeks. She still has thick yellow mucus after antibiotics. Can she have this fish wort water? Bro Niu: For a toddler, use 1 liang (37 g) of fresh fish wort, 4 red dates, and 1 piece of dried tangerine peel. Cook with 3 bowls of water for 20 minutes to make 1.5 bowls, then divide across the day. If nasal mucus is heavy, add 5 magnolia buds (xin yi hua) and simmer together. Try 2 doses and see if there is improvement.
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Q (Me): My two children — aged 2 years 2 months and 9 months — have been ill for a full month with yellow, sticky mucus and night coughing. Can they drink this? Can we continue for a few days? Bro Niu: Yes, if the mucus is yellow and thick, this fish wort water is appropriate. For the night coughing with a lot of phlegm, you can also cook perilla seed (su zi) and radish seed (lai fu zi), each about 4 qian (15 g), in a small muslin bag together with lean pork and thin congee — serve both children for 3 days. If symptoms are not fully resolved, continue the prescribed Western medicine as well.
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Q (chanwengi): My 5-year-old son tends to have hard stools and a hoarse voice. His school has many children with colds. Can I give him this water regularly to prevent illness? Bro Niu: This water helps clear heat and support the airway, but fish wort is on the cooler side, so once or twice a week is fine. If there is constipation as well, add 4 dried figs (wu hua guo), sliced, to the same pot.
Published February 26, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
