Cherokee Rose Fruit and Eucommia Leaf Tea

Why people make this tea

A relative of Bro Niu’s had slightly high cholesterol but little time to brew soups, so Bro Niu suggested simply steeping eucommia leaf as a regular tea, which is associated with supporting healthy cholesterol. He picked up some himself — eucommia leaf has essentially the same active components as eucommia bark, so the effects are similar, and the leaf is easier to brew, with a good reputation for supporting kidney qi. Today’s pairing, Cherokee rose with eucommia leaf, is traditionally used for liver-and-kidney depletion: achy, weak sinew and bone, kidney-weak seminal leakage and frequent night urination.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Middle-aged and older adults with liver-and-kidney depletion: achy sinew and bone, frequent night urination.
• Avoid if you have excess heat, an unresolved cold or flu, or are pregnant.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Cherokee rose fruit (jin ying zi): Traditionally consolidates the kidney and reduces excessive urination, astringes the intestines, and supports kidney yang; helpful for liver-, spleen- and kidney-weak constitutions.
• Eucommia leaf (du zhong ye): Traditionally supports the liver and kidney and strengthens sinew and bone; associated with supporting healthy cholesterol; easy to brew as a tea.

Ingredients (1 pot)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cherokee rose fruit	1 tbsp
Eucommia leaf	1 tbsp

Method

1. Put the Cherokee rose fruit and eucommia leaf in a pot and rinse once with boiling water.
2. Pour in fresh boiling water and steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea has a slight medicinal taste and suits middle-aged and older adults with liver-and-kidney weakness. But avoid it if you have excess heat, an unresolved cold or flu, or are pregnant.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (De): While a child has influenza A, can they eat snow pear or crystal pear? They have a dry throat and mouth ulcers — does eating pear help? Bro Niu: After flu, a child’s immunity is low, which is why mouth ulcers and a dry throat appear. They can eat snow pear or crystal pear; simmered with figs and snow fungus as a sweet soup it’s even more moistening, and the whole family can drink it.

• Q (reader): If the child has flu with a cough, can they still drink the pear, fig and snow fungus sweet soup? Bro Niu: As long as there’s no fever, they can drink the pear, fig and snow fungus sweet soup.

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Published September 27, 2025 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.