Mulberry, Longan and Goji Berry Tea

Why people make this tea

Mulberries are among the most celebrated fruits in Chinese food therapy — ripe, darkly coloured, and naturally sweet-tart, they are associated with supporting the liver and kidneys, nourishing blood, and even with maintaining healthy hair colour in middle and older age. Paired with the gentle sweetness of longan flesh and the mild, nourishing quality of goji berries, this simple tea is something Nourilo keeps coming back to, not just as a wellness drink, but because it genuinely tastes good. Fresh mulberries are seasonal in spring; dried ones work perfectly the rest of the year.

Method

1. Rinse the fresh or dried mulberries, longan flesh, and goji berries in clean water.
2. Place all ingredients in a clay pot or ceramic pot. Cover generously with water.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Drink the broth warm, and eat the mulberries, longan, and goji berries — consuming the ingredients as well as the liquid gives you the full benefit.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fresh mulberries come into season in spring — when they are available they are usually affordable and sold in small boxes at Chinese produce markets. Out of season, dried mulberries are a fine substitute; use about 19 g (19 g) of dried berries.

One small note on brewing: if you want to preserve the anthocyanins (the purple-blue pigments with antioxidant properties), steep the ingredients in hot water around 85°C rather than boiling them. The flavour is slightly better when properly simmered, but if you want maximum antioxidant benefit from the mulberries, a shorter, lower-temperature steep is the way to go. You can always eat the softened fruit afterward for additional nutrition.

Adding 38 g (38 g) of dried lily bulb (bai he) to this tea is a lovely variation that adds a calming quality and may help with vivid dreams.