Herbal & Flower Teas
Astragalus, Codonopsis, and Bitter Buckwheat Tea
Traditionally used to replenish qi and blood, support immune function, and aid recovery during cancer treatment
In short: Astragalus, Codonopsis, and Bitter Buckwheat Tea is a herbal & flower tea that Traditionally used to replenish qi and blood, support immune function, and aid recovery during cancer treatment. It is most often made for energy & vitality, immune support. Total time about 70 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, codonopsis root, goji berries, red dates.
Why people make this tea
Cancer touches many families, and alongside conventional treatment, a growing number of people look to traditional food therapy for everyday support. Research estimates that roughly one-third of cancers may be preventable through lifestyle choices including diet. Traditional Chinese food therapy has long emphasised eating whole grains, vegetables from the gourd and root families, and foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This particular tea brings together some of the most respected immunity-supporting herbs in the Chinese pharmacy: astragalus for qi, codonopsis as a gentle tonic, ligustrum and goji for liver-kidney nourishment, and bitter buckwheat — also called golden buckwheat — whose anti-tumour compounds have attracted significant scientific interest. Together they form a tea that is neither cold nor drying, and that can be drunk comfortably during chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
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.
- Astragalus root
TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported.Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root.PubMed 41286474 · 3 more astragalus root studies - Goji berries
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 - Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates 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
- Astragalus: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus
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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