Hawthorn Fruit Syrup

Why people make this syrup

Fresh hawthorn berries, when turned into a thick, jewel-bright syrup, become something genuinely versatile. Using an organic low-sugar syrup as the sweetener — rather than ordinary white sugar — means even people watching their blood sugar or weight can enjoy this in small amounts. Hawthorn has been used in Chinese kitchens for centuries: it has a warm, sour flavour and is associated with helping the body process heavy, fatty meals, relieving bloating, and — particularly useful for women — supporting a smoother menstrual cycle.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Children with poor appetite or food accumulation, adults who overeat meat, people with bloating after meals
• Women with irregular periods or menstrual pain may find small regular amounts helpful
• High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and overweight individuals — the organic low-sugar version in this recipe is designed with them in mind
• Postpartum women with abdominal pain (Bro Niu notes hawthorn can help with post-delivery stagnation)
• Caution during pregnancy: large quantities of hawthorn are traditionally said to stimulate uterine activity — use only small amounts and check with a practitioner. Do not use during menstruation if blood flow is already heavy
• Do not cook in iron cookware — use ceramic (sha guo), glass, or stainless steel only

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Hawthorn (shan zha): Warm and sour; classically used to break down food accumulation (especially fatty meats), disperse blood stagnation, ease menstrual pain, and support cardiovascular health. Importantly, its vitamin C is protected by its own acids and survives gentle cooking
• Organic dark syrup / honey: Provides sweetness without excessive refined sugar; the organic low-sugar version makes this suitable for those managing blood glucose

Ingredients (1 small jar)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh hawthorn berries	1 lb (~450 g)	Washed; dried version: ~170 g (6 liang)
Organic dark syrup (hei tang syrup)	3 tablespoons	Added during cooking
Honey	~200 g (about 5 oz / large 3/4 cup)	Added after cooling
Water	6 bowls (~1.2 L)	—

Method

1. Wash the fresh hawthorn berries. Use a ceramic or glass pot — not iron or regular metal.
2. Add the hawthorn and water to the pot. Simmer on low heat for about 1.5 hours until reduced to about 2 bowls of liquid.
3. Strain out the berry pulp and discard the solids.
4. Return the liquid to the pot. Add the dark syrup (black sugar), then simmer on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a syrup-like consistency.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm but not hot. Stir in the honey (adding honey while too hot destroys heat-sensitive compounds).
6. Pour into a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator.
7. Take 1 tablespoon morning and evening, washed down with warm water.

Bro Niu’s tips

You must use a ceramic pot (sha guo) or glass/enamel cookware — cooking hawthorn in an iron pan is not recommended. If using dried hawthorn instead of fresh, use about 6 liang (170 g); the method is the same. This syrup is also helpful for women with irregular periods or menstrual cramps. Store it in the fridge and take it daily by the spoonful.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Crystal): Can I make this with dried hawthorn? What amount should I use for a 2-year-old? Bro Niu: For dried hawthorn, use about 6 liang (170 g) with the same method and about 50 ml of syrup. That said, for a child that young, Bro Niu would actually recommend a spleen-supporting soup instead — Chinese yam (huai shan), chicken gizzard lining (ji nei jin), and red dates simmered with lean pork, two to three times a week, will do more to open a young child’s appetite gently.

• Q (ADA): What is good for a postpartum mother with lingering lochia? Bro Niu: For lochia that is slow to clear, hawthorn and coix seed (yi mi) cooked into a congee is helpful for clearing heat and blood stagnation. Alternatively, black wood ear, fresh lotus root, and water chestnuts simmered with lean pork also work well.

• Q (momo): My daughter is 17 and gets irritable and crampy before her period. She drank hawthorn and red date soup and the pain eased. Is there something to help with the pre-period moodiness too? Bro Niu: The moodiness is likely from Liver qi stagnation under stress. Try yi mu cao (motherwort) 1 liang, hawthorn 3 qian, ginger 3 slices, and a little brown sugar, simmered in 4 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. Start about a week before the expected period and take it twice a week.

---

---

Published March 13, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.