Reed Root and Perilla Leaf Tea

Why people make this tea

Anyone who has sent a small child to school or kindergarten knows what happens next: within a week or two, the sniffles arrive. Children play together, share food, wipe their noses on their hands and then hold other children’s hands — germs travel quickly in those environments. Bro Niu’s first piece of advice is always the same: teach children to wash their hands before eating, and again the moment they come home from school. But during peak cold season, this simple two-ingredient tea offers a gentle additional layer of support.

Reed rhizome and perilla leaf are both mild, culinary-grade herbs widely used in Cantonese household cooking. This tea is suitable for children and adults alike, and can be prepared for the whole family during the seasons when colds are most common.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for children (including infants aged 10 months and older, at a small amount — about half a bowl once a week) and adults.
• Suitable for pregnant women: perilla leaf is traditionally considered to have a gentle stabilising effect during pregnancy.
• Best used preventively or at the very onset of a cold with clear, thin nasal discharge and no fever. Add 2 slices of ginger for colds with chills.
• If a child already has a high fever, yellow-green nasal discharge, or symptoms are worsening, see a doctor rather than relying on food therapy alone.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Reed rhizome (lu gen): The underground stem of common reed, dried and sliced for medicinal cooking. In traditional Chinese food therapy, it is associated with clearing heat from the lungs and stomach, generating fluids, and easing thirst. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and is entirely food-safe.
• Perilla leaf (zi su ye): A fragrant culinary herb (the same family as shiso in Japanese cuisine) used across East Asia. In traditional Chinese food therapy, perilla leaf is associated with resolving wind-cold, warming the lungs, and supporting the body’s defensive qi. It is also traditionally used as an antidote for fish and crab poisoning.

Ingredients (2 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Reed rhizome (lu gen)	19 g (5 qian)
Perilla leaf (zi su ye)	8 g (2 qian)
Rock sugar	A small pinch

For 6-person preventive use during cold season, Bro Niu suggests doubling or tripling the base recipe and adjusting water accordingly.

Method

1. Rinse the reed rhizome and perilla leaf briefly.
2. Combine with 2.5 bowls (about 625 ml) of water in a small pot.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add a small amount of rock sugar, stir to dissolve.
5. Pour and serve warm. A course of 3 consecutive daily doses is the traditional recommendation.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea can also be used alongside prescribed cold medicine — the two do not conflict. For runny noses, Bro Niu often recommends adding 6–8 magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) to the pot, which are traditionally associated with reducing nasal discharge and relieving nasal congestion. For a child whose cold starts with a clear runny nose and mild symptoms, two slices of ginger added to the pot make the tea slightly warmer and more appropriate for a wind-cold pattern. Always serve the tea warm, not cold.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Celine): My 2.5-year-old has a runny nose with clear discharge. Can she drink this tea? Bro Niu: Yes, for a child with wind-cold external symptoms, this tea is appropriate. If there is a lot of nasal discharge, add 6 magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) to the pot when cooking.

• Q (Mandy Wong): My 3-year-old has been coughing for a full week and has seen the doctor 3 times. Lots of medication but still has phlegmy cough and runny nose. He has a sensitive respiratory system. Anything that might help? Bro Niu: Try cooking loquat leaf (pi pa ye) and dragon tongue leaf (long li ye) 5 qian each, 1 cored pear, 1 chopped tangerine cake (jü bing), 3 qian magnolia flower buds, and 1 dried tangerine peel in 5 bowls of water to yield 2 bowls. Give the child 1 dose a day for 3 days — this combination is aimed at stopping the cough and reducing nasal discharge together.

• Q (吴太): Is this tea safe for a pregnant woman? Bro Niu: Yes, pregnant women can drink this tea. Perilla leaf is traditionally considered to have a gentle stabilising and calming effect during pregnancy.

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Published August 12, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.