Herbal & Flower Teas
Tender Mulberry Bud and Chrysanthemum Tea
traditionally used to clear liver heat, support eye health, and help manage elevated blood pressure and cholesterol
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. Bro Niu 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.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for all ages — the whole family can drink it
- Particularly helpful for: eye fatigue, blurry vision, headaches related to stress or wind-heat patterns, mild elevated blood pressure or cholesterol
- This tea can be taken 3 to 4 times a week for regular benefit
- Also helpful during mild colds with heat signs (sore throat, slight fever, yellow nasal discharge)
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Tender mulberry buds (nen sang ya): The young buds or tender leaves of mulberry-related plants carry cooling, liver-clearing, and eye-brightening properties. Associated with reducing wind-heat, easing headaches, and supporting vision clarity.
- Chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua): One of the most beloved flowers in Chinese food therapy. Traditionally used to clear heat from the liver and lungs, support eye health, ease blurry vision and red eyes, and reduce headaches. Also associated with mild blood-pressure-lowering effects.
Ingredients (1 teapot / 2–3 cups)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tender mulberry buds (nen sang ya) | 1 tablespoon | Available at Chinese herbalists and some tea shops |
| Chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua) | 1 tablespoon | Use dried white or yellow chrysanthemum |
Method
- Place tender mulberry buds and chrysanthemum flowers into a teapot.
- Pour a small amount of boiling water over the herbs, swirl briefly, and discard this first rinse.
- Pour in fresh boiling water and steep for 5 minutes.
- Pour and drink. The same leaves can be re-steeped 2 to 3 times.
Bro Niu’s tips
This tea has a pleasant, clean aroma and is suitable for the whole family. It can be drunk 3 to 4 times a week for regular eye and liver support. It is also helpful during mild wind-heat colds, with symptoms such as fever, headache, or early-stage cough. Keep a jar of these two ingredients on your counter and it takes less than five minutes to prepare a pot.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (keikei456): Can this tea be drunk every day? How many times a week is appropriate? Bro Niu: If you have a specific need, you can drink this 3 to 4 times a week.
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Q (Fannie): My husband’s liver enzymes came back elevated after starting cholesterol medication. Is there anything to protect the liver? Bro Niu: Schisandra berry (五味子, wu wei zi) is well known for supporting healthy liver enzyme levels. You can buy bottled schisandra juice at Korean supermarkets — dilute one to two tablespoons daily. Drink after meals as it is quite sour.
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Q (anonymous child’s parent): My daughter is 4 years old and has had sticky eye discharge for four days after a mild cold. Can she drink this? Bro Niu: You can make a small amount of this tea for her. Use mulberry leaf (sang ye), chrysanthemum, and xin yi hua (magnolia flower bud) at 2 qian each, with 1 qian gan cao (licorice root), boil in 3 bowls of water to make 2 bowls, and give it to her for 2 doses.
Published September 27, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
