Dandelion and Licorice Tea

Why people make this tea

Dandelion is one of those plants that most people in the West walk past without a second thought — it is, after all, the same bright-yellow weed that pushes up through lawn grass everywhere. But in Chinese medicine, and increasingly in pharmacological research, the dried leaf has attracted interest as a mild natural antimicrobial with particular relevance to the stomach. Modern studies have suggested that dandelion may inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori — the bacterium associated with gastric ulcers, chronic gastritis, and persistent bad breath — and may also help repair damage to the stomach lining. Paired with licorice root, which has its own body of research suggesting activity against H. pylori including antibiotic-resistant strains, this is a practical daily tea for those dealing with gastric discomfort or wanting to support a stomach that has been through a rough patch. Nourilo recommends drinking it between meals — not on an empty stomach — three times a week.