Five-Flavor Two-Seed Soup (Schisandra Sleep Tea)

Why people make this tea

Those who fall asleep easily are truly fortunate — insomnia is a hard thing to live with, and if it sets in, Nourilo suggests addressing it early before it wears down your health. Food therapy can lend a hand here. This Five-Flavor Two-Seed Soup is traditionally regarded as nourishing the liver, settling the heart and calming the spirit, and is associated with supporting sleep and easing the weariness of frayed nerves and night sweats.

Method

1. Rinse the ingredients.
2. Simmer in 1.5 L of water for about 1 hour.
3. Stir in rock sugar until dissolved.
4. Divide into two servings to drink across the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

Schisandra has been studied in recent years for supporting frayed nerves, and some of its uses are said to resemble those of ginseng. Because the berry is quite sour, if you’d rather not use much rock sugar you can add a little luo han guo (monk fruit) instead. Biota seed works better if it is first dry-roasted in a pan.