Dried Lychee, Hyacinth Bean & Red Date Drink

Why people make this drink

Fresh lychees are celebrated for their sweetness, but eating too many — especially on an empty stomach — can cause a sudden dip in blood sugar because the liver cannot convert the high fructose load fast enough. Dried lychee sidesteps this problem while preserving the tonic benefits: traditionally it is used for anaemia, children’s bedwetting, and — notably — spleen deficiency with loose stools. In Chinese food therapy, a weakened spleen leads to poor intestinal function and persistently soft or watery stools even without a clear infection. Pairing dried lychee with hyacinth beans (a classic spleen-tonifying legume) and red dates gives a simple, aromatic drink that is genuinely warming and pleasant to sip.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for those with spleen-deficiency loose stools (chronic soft or watery stools without infection), anaemia, postpartum women, elderly with weak digestion, and children with deficiency patterns
• Safe and gentle enough for the whole family
• Those with a yin-deficient, heat-flaring constitution, sore or swollen throat, or diabetes should avoid this drink

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Dried lychee (li zhi gan): Warm and sweet; nourishes heart blood, calms the mind, replenishes energy; traditionally used for anaemia, children’s nocturnal enuresis, and spleen-deficiency diarrhea
• Hyacinth bean (bian dou): A classic spleen-tonifying legume; strengthens the spleen, resolves dampness, and helps firm stools; using lightly dry-fried hyacinth beans (chao bian dou) enhances this effect
• Red dates (hong zao): Tonify qi and blood; harmonise the formula and add natural sweetness

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dried lychee	7–8 pieces	Remove shells; can include the core
Hyacinth bean	~40 g	Soak and rinse; dry-fried variety is more effective
Red dates	6 pieces	Pit and rinse
Water	5 bowls (~1.25 L)

Method

1. Remove the shells from the dried lychee (the core can be included).
2. Soak the hyacinth beans briefly and rinse.
3. Pit the red dates and rinse.
4. Place all three ingredients into a pot with 5 bowls of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes until reduced to 2 bowls.
6. Drink as a herbal drink; the cooked ingredients can also be eaten.

Bro Niu’s tips

This drink has a naturally clean, sweet fragrance, suitable for all ages. However, those with a yin-deficient or heat-prone constitution, sore or inflamed throat, or diabetes should avoid it. If you want to strengthen the spleen-tonifying effect, look for lightly dry-fried hyacinth beans (chao bian dou) rather than raw — the gentle roasting enhances their digestive properties.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Bobby): Can I use fresh lychees instead of dried? And do I include the core when cooking? Bro Niu: Dried lychee has a stronger tonic effect than fresh, and using dried also avoids the risk of sudden blood sugar drops that can occur from consuming large amounts of fresh lychee. When simmering dried lychee, remove the shell but the core can remain in the pot.

• Q (Bobby): Is dry-fried hyacinth bean (chao bian dou) better or the plain variety? Bro Niu: Using dry-fried hyacinth beans improves the spleen-tonifying and dampness-resolving effect.

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Published May 1, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.