Fried Sour Jujube Seed, Lily Bulb and Heart-Wood Poria Tea

Why people make this tea

Surveys suggest that a surprisingly large share of urban working adults report symptoms consistent with what Chinese medicine calls “nervous weakness” — difficulty falling asleep, waking easily, mental fatigue, poor concentration, and a general sense of being wired yet exhausted. Bro Niu often recommends this gentle three-ingredient brew as a first step: the ingredients are straightforward to find at most Chinese herb shops, the preparation is simple, and the combination has a long traditional history of use for calming the mind without sedating the body. It is especially well-regarded for menopausal women experiencing sleep disruption and nighttime anxiety.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Well-suited to: adults and older children with restless sleep, difficulty falling asleep, mild anxiety, nervous fatigue, palpitations, forgetfulness, or night sweating; menopausal women
• Cautions: avoid during colds or fever — the lily bulb in this formula is not suitable when the body is fighting an active infection. Pregnant women who wish to use a similar formula should replace fried sour jujube seed with cypress seed (bai zi ren). Children can take a reduced portion.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Fried sour jujube seed (chao suan zao ren): One of the most widely used herbs in Chinese medicine for supporting sleep. The fried (chao) form is traditionally considered more effective for calming the mind and promoting sleep than the raw form; the raw form is sometimes said to have the opposite effect. Ask the herb shop specifically for the fried variety.
• Lily bulb (bai he): Associated with calming the heart and lungs, moistening dryness, and gently easing restlessness. Often used where anxiety and a sense of unsettledness combine with difficulty sleeping.
• Heart-wood poria (you xin fu shen): A premium form of poria that includes the central pine-root core (the “heart”). Traditionally considered superior for calming the mind and supporting a quiet, deep sleep. Regular poria (fu shen without the heart) can be substituted if the heart-wood variety is unavailable.

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fried sour jujube seed (chao suan zao ren)	10 g	Must be the fried form, not raw
Dried lily bulb (bai he)	20 g	Rinse briefly
Heart-wood poria (you xin fu shen)	20 g	Wild-harvested is best; regular fu shen can substitute
Water	5 bowls (approx. 1 L)

Method

1. Rinse all three ingredients lightly.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with 5 bowls of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes until reduced to approximately 2 bowls.
4. Strain and serve. Drink one bowl in the early afternoon and one bowl 1–2 hours before bedtime.

Bro Niu’s tips

This brew is known to help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and to extend the overall duration of sleep, making it especially useful for menopausal women. The wild heart-wood poria shown in the photo has a stronger effect, but regular poria spirit (fu shen) works too. You may also add lotus seeds and dried southern dates for added flavour and nourishing effect. Drink consistently for 5 days as one course; if beneficial, rest a few days and then repeat. If you work daytime hours and cannot take the afternoon bowl, simmer down to 1 bowl and take it in the evening — the taste will simply be more concentrated.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Karyho): I had the tea last night and couldn’t sleep at all. Was it because I used raw jujube seeds by mistake? Bro Niu: It’s possible — the fried form is key. Beyond the herb, sleep difficulties often come from overthinking or work-related stress, which no tea alone can resolve. Try a few more servings of the correctly prepared brew. The afternoon and evening doses together work better than a single evening dose; if you can only manage evenings, reduce the water and make one concentrated bowl.

• Q (jojo): I have been on sleeping pills and medication for severe insomnia and emotional distress for nearly a year. I also sweat easily and am gradually losing weight. Is there anything that might help? Bro Niu: You might look for Korean omija (wu wei zi / five-flavour berry) juice — sold in small individual pouches at Korean grocery stores. It is traditionally associated with improving the quality of deep sleep, calming the nervous system, and reducing spontaneous sweating. Take one pouch daily after a meal. It is a food-grade product, not a pharmaceutical.

• Q (Pauline): I wake with cold sweats at night. A friend suggested glutinous rice root, abalone shell, and floating wheat — can you advise on the amounts? Bro Niu: Replace the abalone shell (which clears liver heat and improves vision but does not stop sweating) with 40 g black soybeans. Use glutinous rice root and floating wheat at 20 g each, and simmer in 6 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. This combination is better targeted at spontaneous night sweating.

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Published June 23, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.