Astragalus, Codonopsis, and Bitter Buckwheat Tea

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.

Method

1. Rinse and briefly soak all ingredients.
2. Place all ingredients into a pot with 1.5 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer for 1 hour until liquid reduces to 600 ml.
5. Divide into two portions and drink throughout the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

Buckwheat comes in two varieties: sweet buckwheat and bitter buckwheat (also called golden buckwheat). The bitter variety has a higher concentration of the plant compounds associated with anti-cancer properties, so it is preferred for this recipe. Look for it in Chinese herbal medicine shops or health stores — some now sell it conveniently as tea bags, which you can simply add to the pot along with the other ingredients. This tea is balanced and not over-stimulating, making it suitable as an ongoing support drink during chemotherapy or radiotherapy. For patients where nu zhen zi (ligustrum) is a concern, note that it does not contain plant hormones — the Chinese herbs that do contain phyto-oestrogens include zi he che, yan wo, du zhong, and dang gui.