Mulberry-Almond Drink (Sang Xing Yin)

Why people make this drink

Not all coughs are the same — and in traditional food therapy, the remedy depends entirely on the type. After a cold or flu, some people are left with a hot, dry cough: the throat feels scratchy, there is little or no phlegm, the voice may be slightly rough, and the discomfort often worsens in warm, dry air. This is what traditional Chinese medicine calls a “dryness-heat” cough — the kind that lingers because the lungs are dried out and irritated rather than congested. Sang Xing Yin (Mulberry-Almond Drink) is a well-known herbal formula for exactly this. Mulberry leaf gently clears wind-heat from the lung’s surface, while snow pear and glehnia add moisture from below. Fritillaria (zhe bei mu) dissolves any residual phlegm, and apricot kernel descends the lung qi to stop the coughing impulse. Together they are balancing rather than aggressive — clearing heat and dryness while helping the lungs restore their natural moisture.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the herb ingredients briefly. Remove the core and seeds from the snow pear and cut into large chunks.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with enough water to cover generously (about 1.5 L).
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
4. Strain and serve warm. The pear and softened herbs can also be eaten.

Nourilo’s Tips

• This drink clears wind-heat and disperses dryness; it suits wind-heat cough, headache, mild fever, and a sore throat
• It is specifically NOT suitable for wind-cold coughs — if your phlegm is clear and watery and you feel chilly rather than hot, this is the wrong approach
• The pear seeds have a mild toxic quality; always remove them before cooking
• For a dry cough with absolutely no phlegm, persistent and scratchy — try also adding a small amount of ophiopogon (mai dong, 11 g) for extra moisture