Processed Loranthus, Lotus Seed and Egg Sweet Tea

Why people make this tea

Loranthus (sang ji sheng) has been cherished in Cantonese herbal kitchens for centuries — widely considered a particular ally for women, it is traditionally associated with strengthening the liver and kidneys, reinforcing bones and tendons, supporting skin quality, and helping to stabilise the foetus. It is especially valued for women who have experienced repeated early pregnancy loss. Modern phytochemical research has identified flavonoid compounds in loranthus — including broadleafin glucoside — that have been associated with sedative, blood-pressure-lowering, and diuretic properties, and with supporting healthy coronary blood flow.

The version Bro Niu recommends here is processed loranthus (制桑寄生, zhi sang ji sheng) — steamed and sun-dried — which tastes notably smoother, sweeter, and less astringent than the raw variety, making it much more pleasant to drink regularly. Combined with fresh lotus seeds and hard-boiled eggs in a light rock-sugar broth, this is a genuinely delicious drink that the whole family can enjoy, not just expectant mothers.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Particularly beneficial for women who have experienced recurrent miscarriage; can be taken regularly
• Suitable for anyone as a general health-maintaining tea
• Also associated with supporting healthy blood pressure and heart rhythm in traditional use
• Pregnant women: use rock sugar, not brown sugar; avoid longan (gui yuan / yuan rou) during pregnancy as it may be too warming; if you are taking prescribed western medication, wait at least 2 hours before drinking this tea
• If using longan as a variation (not during pregnancy), note that it is warming and may not suit those prone to heat

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Processed loranthus (zhi sang ji sheng): Nourishes the liver and kidneys, strengthens sinews and bones, supports the foetus. The processed form is less astringent and more palatable than raw loranthus.
• Fresh lotus seeds (xian lian zi): Support the spleen and heart, calm the mind, and provide gentle nourishment. The green core (lian zi xin) has its own benefits — it clears heart heat and supports healthy blood pressure — and can be dried and brewed separately.
• Red dates (hong zao): Nourish the blood, support the spleen, and add natural sweetness and flavour.
• Eggs: Nutritious, easily digestible protein; traditionally added to sweet teas as a tonic element.
• Rock sugar: Gentle sweetener; more appropriate than brown sugar during pregnancy.

Ingredients (4–5 bowls / family pot)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Processed loranthus (zhi sang ji sheng)	~75 g (2 liang)	Place in a mesh soup bag; soak and rinse
Fresh lotus seeds	~75 g (2 liang)	Remove the bitter green core
Red dates	12 pieces	Remove pits; halve
Eggs	as needed	Hard-boil and peel first
Rock sugar	to taste

Method

1. Place processed loranthus in a mesh soup bag; soak and rinse.
2. Remove the bitter green cores from the fresh lotus seeds.
3. Pit the red dates and halve them.
4. Hard-boil the eggs in a separate pot, then peel and set aside.
5. Place loranthus (in its bag), lotus seeds, and red dates into a pot with 8 bowls of water (approximately 2 litres).
6. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.
7. Add rock sugar and the peeled hard-boiled eggs; continue cooking until the sugar dissolves.
8. Serve; eat the eggs, lotus seeds, and dates alongside the soup.

Bro Niu’s tips

Fresh lotus seeds are available in autumn at Chinese or Asian grocers — when in season they cook up soft, floury, and fragrant. The cores you remove from them can be spread on a plate to dry; once dried, a couple of teaspoons make a pleasant, mildly bitter tea for clearing heart heat and supporting healthy blood pressure. Dried lotus seeds from a herbalist also work, though the flavour of fresh is hard to beat.

Note on serving: the quantities in this recipe make a family-sized pot. If only one person is drinking, reduce ingredients to about one quarter (loranthus 5 qian, lotus seeds and lily bulb 5 qian each, 4 to 5 red dates) in about 4 bowls of water, to avoid over-consumption.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (au): My sister is 7 weeks pregnant and has had some light brownish spotting. Can she drink this tea? What other things help stabilise the foetus? Bro Niu: Any sign of spotting during pregnancy calls for extra rest. She can drink this loranthus tea for foetal support. A soup of eucommia bark (du zhong), black beans, and southern dates also has a stabilising effect.

• Q (Yee): I am 17 weeks pregnant and drank this tea, but then felt unsettled and could not sleep for two nights. What happened? Can I continue? Bro Niu: The recipe as written makes a family pot, not a one-person dose. If you drink the full amount yourself, it may be too nourishing. Try reducing it: loranthus 1 liang, lotus seeds and lily bulb 5 qian each, 4 to 5 dates, in 8 bowls of water to make 4 bowls. Drink it over 2 days.

• Q (anonymous): I made the tea today but used longan instead of red dates, and brown sugar instead of rock sugar. Is it still okay? Bro Niu: Loranthus with longan is still beneficial in general. However, if the purpose is foetal stabilisation, longan is warming and may stimulate uterine activity — pregnant women should avoid it and stick to red dates and rock sugar. For non-pregnant adults, the longan version is perfectly fine.

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Published September 16, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.