Toasted Sour Jujube Seed & Poria Tea

Why people make this tea

Bad breath is not a topic most people want to discuss openly, but it genuinely affects daily life. Dental hygiene comes first — regular cleanings and proper brushing matter most. But once dental causes are ruled out, persistent bad breath is often connected to sluggish digestion, stress, and poor sleep. In traditional Cantonese food therapy, a bitter or stale taste in the mouth and chronic bad breath are frequently linked to an overworked digestive system or a mind that simply cannot settle at night. This tea, combining toasted sour jujube seeds with poria mushroom, has long been used to address exactly this pattern — calming the nervous system, supporting digestion, and gradually reducing that unpleasant taste at the back of the throat.

Method

1. Rinse the toasted sour jujube seeds and poria mushroom pieces briefly under cold water.
2. Place both ingredients in a small saucepan with 1.2 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces to about 600 ml.
4. If using rock sugar, add it in the last few minutes and stir until dissolved.
5. Strain and serve warm. Drink throughout the day or as an evening tea.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea has a gentle tartness. Adding a small piece of rock sugar smooths out the flavour nicely. If you can lightly crush the poria pieces before simmering, it will release more of its goodness into the water. Toasting the sour jujube seeds before brewing (they are usually pre-toasted when purchased from herb shops) is important — it makes the seeds easier to work with and gives the tea a pleasant, slightly roasted depth. This is a great tea to keep on hand during stressful periods.