Nourilo

Herbal & Flower Teas

Ginseng, Astragalus, Ligustrum, Goji, and Buckwheat Tea

traditionally used to strengthen the body during and after cancer treatment, and to support immune function

In short: Ginseng, Astragalus, Ligustrum, Goji, and Buckwheat Tea is a herbal & flower tea that traditionally used to strengthen the body during and after cancer treatment, and to support immune function. It is most often made for energy & vitality, immune support. Total time about 1 hr 10 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, goji berries.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
10 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 10 min
Makes
600 ml
Energy & VitalityImmune Support
Ginseng, Astragalus, Ligustrum, Goji, and Buckwheat Tea

Why people make this tea

Cancer and its treatments — surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies — take an enormous toll on the body. In Cantonese food-therapy tradition, maintaining strength and nourishing the body’s core systems is seen as essential support alongside conventional treatment. This simple tea is one approach: a blend of two classical tonic herbs (ginseng and astragalus) that are associated with strengthening the spleen and building vital energy, combined with two liver-and-kidney nourishing herbs (ligustrum berry and goji), and tied together with buckwheat, which is both a food and a traditional moderating ingredient said to temper the warming nature of ginseng.

Buckwheat is the ingredient that makes this recipe practical for long-term use. It balances out the more stimulating herbs, making the tea gentler overall — and it is readily available in supermarkets and health food stores worldwide.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Astragalus root · Meta-analysis, 8 studies, 750 participants · 2025
    TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported.Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root.PubMed 41286474 · 3 more astragalus root studies
  • Goji berries · Meta-analysis, 161 participants · 2012
    Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Ginseng: May interfere with blood clotting, might lower blood sugar and may worsen autoimmune conditions. Some experts advise against it for children and during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Asian Ginseng
  • Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium
  • Astragalus: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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