Hawthorn, Chrysanthemum, Poria & Roasted Barley Tea

Why people make this tea

In summer, people who carry extra weight often struggle more than others — they sweat heavily, feel tired easily, and find the heat particularly draining. In Chinese food therapy, these are classic signs of qi deficiency combined with dampness. Nourilo’s approach is characteristically practical: rather than prescribing a complicated decoction, he packs four simple, widely available ingredients into a small tea bag that anyone can prepare in minutes and carry to work. Hawthorn is the star — long prized for its traditional association with fat digestion and cardiovascular support. Poria adds a gentle spleen-strengthening and water-metabolizing function. Roasted barley warms the stomach and reduces sweating. Chrysanthemum keeps the head clear and supports blood pressure. Together they make a pleasant, slightly earthy tea that is easy to drink daily and well-suited to the long, humid summer months.

Method

1. Place all four ingredients into a disposable tea bag (available at large supermarkets and Japanese-style grocery stores).
2. Put the tea bag into a teapot or large mug.
3. Pour in a small amount of freshly boiled water, swirl, and discard — this rinse cleans the ingredients.
4. Pour in freshly boiled water.
5. Cover and steep for about 7 minutes.
6. Drink warm. Re-steep as needed until the flavor becomes very faint.

Nourilo’s Tips

• The tea bag approach is Nourilo’s favorite practical tip here: prepare a week’s worth of individual bags in advance and grab one each morning to brew at home or at work.
• If buying barley from a health shop or supermarket, look for roasted barley tea grains (da mai cha). If only raw barley is available, toast it yourself in a dry pan over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden.
• Poria pieces should be crushed before sealing in the bag — whole pieces do not release their flavor as readily.
• Brew as many refills as you like until the flavor runs out. There is no need to refrigerate leftover tea bags; keep them in an airtight container.
• This tea has a pleasant, mild flavor — slightly sweet from the poria and barley, slightly tart from the hawthorn, gently floral from the chrysanthemum.