Mulberry, Ligustrum, and Goji Berry Tea

Why people make this tea

Premature grey hair, gradual hair thinning, and eyes that tire easily are, in Chinese food therapy, commonly viewed through the lens of liver and kidney health. The liver and kidneys are said to govern the quality of blood that nourishes hair follicles, and to store the essence that keeps the eyes clear and bright. When these stores run low — whether from ageing, overwork, stress, or blood loss — the hair may lose its colour and the eyes may feel dry or strained. Nourilo came across two different varieties of dried mulberry at separate herb shops while testing this formula: one deeply black and the other reddish-brown. Both can be used for tea. The black variety is generally considered to have a more concentrated effect, but either works. This tea is mild, naturally sweet-tart, and easy to make as a daily or several-times-weekly drink.

Method

1. Rinse all three berries briefly in cool water.
2. Place in a pot with 1.2 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for approximately 40 minutes.
5. Add rock sugar, stir to dissolve, and serve warm.
6. The cooked berries can be eaten along with the tea.

Alternative — medicinal wine (optional): The same three berries can be used to make a medicinal wine. Soak them first in a small amount of rice wine (bai jiu) and steam gently for 15 minutes to open up the herbs. Allow to cool, then place in a glass jar and cover with rice wine (herb-to-wine ratio approximately 1:5). Leave to infuse for 10 days. Drink 1–2 tablespoons morning and evening.

Nourilo’s Tips

• For daily use, this tea can also be prepared by steeping in a cup: ligustrum berries can be placed in a thermos or steeping cup with boiling water for 20–30 minutes. Add goji berries and mulberry the same way.
• The black, fully ripe variety of dried mulberry is considered the most potent. If what you buy is the reddish-brown variety, it still works — the traditional therapeutic direction is the same.
• This tea is one of three herbs that Nourilo also recommends infusing together in a medicinal wine — a traditional method for strengthening the liver-kidney tonifying action. See the method above.
• Consistency matters with this type of tea: drinking it two to three times a week over several weeks or months gives better results than occasional use.

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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.

• Mulberries · Randomized controlled trial, 24 participants · 2017
  Post-prandial self-monitored glucose was lower than placebo (18.2%), but A1C did not differ between mulberry leaf extract and placebo. Serum creatinine rose about 15% in the extract group.Limitation: Small pilot: only 17 of 24 enrolled participants completed the study, limiting statistical power.PubMed 28619294 · 3 more mulberries 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

• 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

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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