Tender Mulberry Bud and Chrysanthemum Tea

Why people make this tea

Anyone who spends long hours in front of screens, works outdoors, or tends to experience eye fatigue and headaches when stressed or poorly rested will find a cup of this tea a pleasant daily habit. Mulberry leaf and chrysanthemum are among the most widely recognised herbs in Chinese herbal tradition for their association with eye health and liver heat clearance. Nourilo notes an interesting detail: the ingredient labeled “tender mulberry buds” (嫩桑芽, nen sang ya) is not, as he first assumed, the young shoot of the mulberry tree — it is actually the young bud of a different plant, the maple-leaf maple (茶条槭, Acer ginnala), which carries similarly cooling and liver-clearing properties. True mulberry leaf (桑叶, sang ye), the more familiar ingredient, has its own related benefits: supporting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol, and calming inflammation.

Both varieties make a light, fragrant tea. Paired with chrysanthemum, which adds additional eye-cooling and wind-heat-clearing properties, this is a daily brew that is easy to prepare and gentle enough for regular drinking.