Herbal & Flower Teas
Cassia Seed, Lotus Leaf and Chrysanthemum Tea
traditionally associated with reducing excess fats, supporting healthy blood pressure, and preventing fatty liver
Why people make this tea
Bro Niu served this tea at a food-therapy talk he gave at an office — and the three-ingredient blend was an immediate hit with everyone in the room. It is easy to understand why: the formula is elegant in its simplicity, the preparation takes minutes, and the combined effect of cassia seed, lotus leaf, and chrysanthemum flower has a long, well-regarded place in Cantonese food-therapy tradition for supporting people who are concerned about the so-called “three highs” — high blood pressure, high blood fats (including cholesterol), and high blood sugar.
The “three highs” are perhaps the defining health challenge of the modern urban lifestyle, and while food alone cannot replace medication or medical monitoring where those are needed, incorporating a daily wellness tea like this one is a pleasant and practical step. With regular use, this tea is associated with helping the body shed excess dietary fats, reducing the workload on the liver, and gently supporting healthy vascular tone.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for adults managing or wishing to prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver, or weight concerns
- Can be consumed by those who are breastfeeding
- Pregnant women should avoid all herbal teas
- People with loose stools or a tendency to diarrhoea should use cassia seed cautiously — it has a mild laxative effect
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Cassia seed, toasted (jue ming zi): A well-known herb in Chinese medicine for the eyes and liver; lightly toasting (pan-dry-roasting) the seeds is the traditional preparation for this purpose — it reduces their cooling nature slightly and enhances the flavour; associated with supporting healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and liver function; also has a mild bowel-loosening effect
- Chrysanthemum (ju hua): One of the most used herbs in Chinese food tea culture; associated with clearing liver heat, soothing the eyes, and gently reducing blood pressure; pairs naturally with cassia seed as both are considered liver-channel herbs
- Lotus leaf (he ye): Dried and crumbled lotus leaf has a centuries-long history of use in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for reducing body fat and supporting healthy lipid metabolism; associated with clearing summer heat and supporting digestive function
Ingredients (1 pot, 2–3 cups)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cassia seeds (jue ming zi), toasted | 1 tablespoon | Toast in a dry pan for 5 minutes before brewing |
| Chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua) | 1 tablespoon | |
| Dried lotus leaf, crushed (he ye sui) | 1 tablespoon | |
| Boiling water | enough to fill a teapot |
Method
- Place the cassia seeds in a dry pan (no oil) over medium heat. Stir and toast for about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Do not burn them.
- Add the chrysanthemum flowers to the pan and continue toasting for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the toasted cassia and chrysanthemum, together with the crushed lotus leaf, into a teapot or heatproof vessel.
- Pour in freshly boiled water and steep for 7–8 minutes.
- Pour and drink while warm. The same leaves can be re-steeped 1–2 times until the flavour fades.
Bro Niu’s tips
This tea is very easy to prepare in batches. Bro Niu suggests buying a larger quantity of each ingredient, toasting them all together in a dry pan, letting them cool, and storing the blend in tea-bag sachets for convenient daily use. Pregnant women should not drink this or any herbal tea. For those with glaucoma, cassia seed brewed with chrysanthemum is a traditional remedy that may provide some support — but glaucoma is a serious eye condition and must be treated by an ophthalmologist; please see a doctor.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (anonymous): My husband has chronic glaucoma. Can I brew something with cassia seed to help him? Bro Niu: You can try lightly toasted cassia seeds (1–2 tablespoons) brewed with chrysanthemum (1 tablespoon) — this traditional tea is associated with supporting eye health in those with glaucoma. However, glaucoma is a serious medical condition and must be managed by an eye doctor; please do not rely on this tea alone.
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Q (Gi): I just recovered from a cold and have a few dry coughs left. I am also very tired after my period ended, with some light dizziness. What should I make? Bro Niu: For a dry cough after a cold, brew American ginseng (花旗参), ophiopogon (mai dong), and liquorice (gan cao) — each 1 tablespoon — as a tea. Steep and re-steep until pale. Take 3 servings. For post-period fatigue and dizziness with a weak spleen, liver, and kidney constitution, see if some gentle blood-nourishing food helps.
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Q (AA): My 5-year-old son has frequent night urination even though he stops drinking 2 hours before bed. Is there a food remedy? Bro Niu: Is it frequent urination, or actual bed-wetting? For actual bed-wetting, a referral to a urologist through your family doctor is recommended. For food support, a soup of white ginkgo nuts (bai guo) 10 pieces (core removed), euryale seeds (qian shi) 1 liang, Cherokee rosehip (jin ying zi) and rubus fruit (fu pen zi) each 3 qian, and southern jujubes 6 pieces, cooked with lean pork in 8 bowls of water for 2 hours is worth trying — divide over 2 days and repeat for 4 servings.
Published April 21, 2017 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
