Reed Root, Barley, Honeysuckle & Pear Drink

Why people make this drink

Prevention is at the heart of classical Chinese medicine — the ancient texts speak of the wisest physician as one who treats illness before it arises. When children are about to receive a vaccination, or when a respiratory bug is circulating at school, this gentle herbal drink offers something practical to do at home. The combination of reed root, honeysuckle, and pear clears what Chinese medicine calls accumulated heat from the lungs and stomach — the kind of low-grade internal warmth that makes a body more susceptible to pathogens and more likely to react strongly to vaccination. It is mild enough for daily use and pleasant enough that children will often drink it willingly, since the pear and the honeysuckle give it a lightly sweet, fragrant quality.

Method

1. Wash the pear, remove the core, and cut into quarters. No need to peel.
2. Rinse and briefly soak the barley, reed root, honeysuckle, and licorice. Drain.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 5 cups of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for 1 hour until reduced to about 2 cups.
6. Allow to cool slightly before serving. A child can drink this throughout the day in small servings.

Nourilo’s Tips

This drink has a relatively mild herbal flavour and can be taken for up to 3 consecutive days. If dried pear is more convenient, use about 37 g (38 g) of dried snow pear — just remember to remove the core as it can be bitter. Licorice (gan cao) and raw licorice (sheng gan cao) are the same thing — it is honey-fried licorice (zhi gan cao) that is different, appearing darker in colour. Reed root is sold at Chinese herbal shops; ask for lu gen (芦根). It is one of the most affordable and useful herbs to keep on hand.