Poria, White Atractylodes and Hyacinth Bean Skin Tea

Why people make this tea

Traditional Chinese dietary thinking holds that the spleen and stomach govern digestion and the transformation of nutrients. When they are underperforming — whether from stress, overwork, irregular eating, or just the demands of modern life — the body may feel heavy, sluggish, or bloated. People in this state often struggle to absorb even good-quality food, a condition sometimes described as “too weak to receive tonics.” This simple four-herb tea is a classic preparatory step: a few days of this brew can help prime the digestive system before you move on to richer nourishing soups. Bro Niu often recommends it as a reset after illness, particularly after a cold or flu where residual heat may still be lingering.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most people, including children and the elderly; mild in nature
• Particularly helpful after a cold or flu recovery where the digestion feels off before starting richer tonic soups
• Those with gout should avoid common beans, but poria and atractylodes on their own (with a small amount of adzuki beans and tangerine peel as a substitute) are generally suitable — see Bro Niu’s note in Q&A

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Cloud poria (yun fu ling): A classic Cantonese tonic mushroom-derived ingredient; traditionally associated with calming the mind, supporting spleen function, and gently draining dampness
• White atractylodes (bai zhu): Considered a key herb for strengthening spleen function and drying internal dampness in the digestive system
• Hyacinth bean skin (bian dou yi): Milder than the whole bean; traditionally used to resolve summer dampness and support digestive harmony without being heavy
• Liquorice root (gan cao): Harmonises the other herbs, supports the stomach, and adds mild sweetness

Ingredients (3 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cloud poria (yun fu ling)	15 g	Rinse before use
White atractylodes (bai zhu)	15 g	Rinse before use
Hyacinth bean skin (bian dou yi)	11 g	Rinse before use
Liquorice root (gan cao)	7 g	Rinse before use
Water	6–7 bowls (~1.5 L)

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly.
2. Combine with 6–7 bowls of water in a pot.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 40–45 minutes until reduced to 3 bowls.
4. Strain or drink with the lighter solids; serve warm.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea has a mild flavour without a heavy medicinal taste, making it accessible for children and older adults. It is especially well suited after recovering from a cold or flu, when the digestive system needs settling before you move on to any nourishing tonic soups. Start with two or three servings of this tea, then gradually introduce more nourishing recipes. For a family of five, scale up to: poria and white atractylodes 37 g each, liquorice 11 g, hyacinth bean skin (or whole beans) 75 g, with 2 pieces of dried tangerine peel added.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Yi): The herb shop suggested adding dang shen (codonopsis) for better dampness-clearing results. Is that a good idea? Bro Niu: Yes, adding one piece of codonopsis can help support immunity. Feel free to include it.

• Q (Sammi): I have gout and have heard that beans are high in purines. Can I still drink dampness-clearing soups containing hyacinth beans or red beans? Bro Niu: Most beans are high in purines and are best limited for gout sufferers. However, adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) are the one exception — they are low in purines and are traditionally associated with reducing uric acid. You could make a substitute tea using poria, white atractylodes (11 g each), adzuki beans (37 g), and dried tangerine peel.

• Q (totoro): I tend toward dampness but also have a cold stomach, and my lower leg sometimes swells after an old injury. Can I use this tea? Bro Niu: This tea is not cold or cooling in nature, and it does have spleen-supporting and dampness-clearing properties. Try drinking it for a few days and see if it helps.

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Published December 3, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.