Honeysuckle Dandelion Tea

Why people make this tea

Mastitis — inflammation of the breast — is one of the most common challenges new mothers face. The breast becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, and in serious cases can develop into an abscess. At the very first signs of inflammation, before it progresses, traditional Cantonese food therapy calls for a tea made from two cooling, anti-inflammatory herbs: honeysuckle (jin yin hua) and dandelion (pu gong ying). Both have a long history in Chinese herbal medicine for addressing heat-type inflammations. Nourilo emphasises that food therapy here is supportive, not curative — physical techniques (expressing milk fully, warm compresses, gentle massage) are essential partners.