Herbal & Flower Teas

Hawthorn, Tangerine Peel and Red Date Tea

Traditionally used to support the spleen and stomach and ease food stagnation

In short: Hawthorn, Tangerine Peel and Red Date Tea is a herbal & flower tea that Traditionally used to support the spleen and stomach and ease food stagnation. It is most often made for digestive wellness. Total time about 30 min. Key ingredients: hawthorn, tangerine peel, red dates.

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Makes
3 cups
Hawthorn, Tangerine Peel and Red Date Tea

Why people make this tea

Back when Nourilo was teaching postnatal-care classes, lunches out were unavoidable. At a quick noodle shop one day, a man sat down, ordered wonton noodles, and — never minding how scalding hot it was — wolfed down soup and noodles in moments and was gone, while Nourilo wasn’t even half done. He saw it happen more than once. Bolting food like that not only risks burning the throat, it loads up the digestive system and leads to indigestion. The real fix is to chew slowly and well. But for people with lingering indigestion — bloating, even nausea, no appetite, eating little yet feeling full fast — a tea built around hawthorn, which helps digestion and breaks up food stagnation, can be a good support.

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.

  • Hawthorn · Randomized controlled trial, 41 participants · 2025
    Skin hydration scores improved more with hawthorn fruit than with placebo (p<0.05). Changes in other skin phenotypes and leukocyte telomere length were similar between groups. Genotype-specific effects were reported.Limitation: Small trial in which 36 completed follow-up; the genotype subgroup analyses are based on very few participants and are exploratory.PubMed 40573097 · 2 more hawthorn studies
  • Tangerine peel · Randomized controlled trial, 72 participants · 2025
    The tangerine peel drink group showed significant reductions in body weight and triglycerides after the intervention compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Safety markers showed no adverse effects. Gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles also differed.Limitation: Small pilot trial with only 55 of 72 participants completing. The fermented product is not the same as plain tangerine peel, and the control group is not described.PubMed 40225325
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    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

  • Hawthorn: Can cause dizziness, nausea or digestive upset, and may interact with heart medicines. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Hawthorn

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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