Astragalus, Goji Berry & Jiaogulan Tea

Why people make this tea

When it comes to building everyday immune resilience through food, few combinations are more widely used in Chinese herbal food therapy than astragalus and goji berries. Research has found that both herbs can activate immune cells that might otherwise be underperforming, helping the body mount a better response to external threats. To these two classics, Bro Niu adds jiaogulan — a vine herb sometimes called the “Southern ginseng” — which contains saponin compounds linked to immune modulation and antioxidant activity. The result is a remarkably easy three-ingredient tea that can be brewed in under half an hour.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most adults as a general wellness tea; particularly helpful for those who feel easily fatigued or have low resistance
• More appropriate for those with a warm or deficient constitution; those with a cold or cold-type spleen-stomach should add a piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) when brewing
• Generally suitable for children over 5; very young children should not be given concentrated herbal teas
• Those with an overactive immune system (such as certain autoimmune conditions) may prefer to use only jiaogulan, omitting the astragalus and goji

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Astragalus (bei qi / huang qi): One of the most extensively studied immune-supporting herbs in Chinese medicine; associated with activating immune cell activity and supporting the body’s defence function
• Goji berries (gou qi zi): Rich in polysaccharides, zeaxanthin, and antioxidants; traditionally associated with nourishing the liver and kidneys, supporting eye health, and enhancing immune activity
• Jiaogulan (jiao gu lan, Gynostemma pentaphyllum): Contains gypenosides; associated with immune modulation, antioxidant activity, and clearing internal heat; also known to benefit the respiratory tract

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Astragalus root (bei qi)	3 qian (~11 g)	Rinse
Goji berries (gou qi zi)	3 qian (~11 g)	Rinse
Jiaogulan (jiao gu lan)	3 qian (~11 g)	Rinse

Method

1. Rinse all three ingredients.
2. Place in a pot with 4 bowls (~800 mL) of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, reducing to 2 bowls.
4. Strain and drink warm. The goji berries can also be eaten.

Bro Niu’s tips

Jiaogulan is also known as “jin sang zi” (golden throat herb) and is traditionally considered helpful for chronic bronchitis and throat inflammation. Although its nature is cooling, it has a strengthening and adaptogenic quality — making it appropriate even for those who feel generally depleted or fatigued. For general health maintenance, Bro Niu suggests drinking this tea about twice a week. If your constitution runs cold, add a piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) and a couple of red dates to the brew.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (C9PRO): Is this tea suitable for elderly people and children? How often should it be drunk for general wellness? Bro Niu: This tea suits those with a warm or deficient constitution. Those with a cold constitution can add some chen pi (dried tangerine peel) when brewing. It is suitable for most people as a general health drink — about twice a week. Children over 5 can drink it; very young children should not be given strong herbal teas.

• Q (scy): Can someone with a cold spleen-stomach constitution drink jiaogulan? Bro Niu: Those with cold or weak spleen-stomach should not drink jiaogulan regularly. If you do want to try it occasionally, add chen pi and red dates to the brew.

• Q (Amy): If someone’s immune system is already overactive, can they drink this? Bro Niu: If your immune system is already overactive, just brew jiaogulan on its own as a simple tea.

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Published July 14, 2020 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.