Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea

Why people make this tea

When stress and overwork pile up — too many things on the mind, too little real rest — the body can start showing signs of what Chinese food-therapy calls heart-yin deficiency: restless sleep, waking in the night drenched in sweat, heart palpitations, and a low-level anxiety that never quite switches off. Nourilo came across this tea while thinking about hair loss linked to chronic stress and sleep deprivation in a friend’s daughter. He noticed that the seeds of the biota cypress tree (bai zi ren) — cousins of the ornamental cedar common in Hong Kong parks — have a long tradition of calming the mind and nourishing the heart. Paired with toasted sour jujube seeds, a classic pairing in Chinese herbalism, the two together are thought to work synergistically to quieten nervous tension and help the body retain its fluids overnight.

Method

1. Place the biota seeds and toasted ziziphus seeds into a tea-filter bag (or small muslin pouch).
2. Put the bag into a teapot or heatproof cup. Rinse once with boiling water and discard that first rinse.
3. Add fresh boiling water and steep, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Pour and drink warm. The bag can be re-steeped with fresh boiling water once or twice more during the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is well suited as a daily wellness drink for anyone prone to restless sleep or mild night sweating. Zao ren has a naturally sour flavour, so Nourilo suggests avoiding vacuum flasks for steeping — a ceramic cup or teapot works better. A little honey can be stirred in to soften the taste. Do not drink this tea during an active cold or fever; resume once you have recovered.