Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), scientifically known as Lonicera japonica, is a semi-evergreen climbing plant belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family. Honeysuckle has a sweet taste and a cold nature, and it possesses properties such as clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing wind-heat, soothing the throat, and alleviating summer heat and irritability. So, what precautions should be taken when brewing honeysuckle tea? Which groups of people should avoid drinking honeysuckle tea? Let’s explore together.
What are the benefits of honeysuckle?
※ Drinking honeysuckle tea can help prevent colds and has good effects in soothing the throat and detoxifying, making it effective for treating and preventing pharyngitis.
※ Honeysuckle can treat various oral diseases, such as acute and chronic gingivitis and recurrent oral ulcers. Repeated gargling with honeysuckle tea can also effectively eliminate bad breath.
※ The steam from honeysuckle can be beneficial for dizziness and dry eyes. Regular consumption of honeysuckle tea can also have significant effects on adolescent acne.
※ Honeysuckle has the properties of dispersing heat and detoxifying, making it suitable for treating wind-heat colds and heat-toxicity sores and boils!
Which groups of people should avoid drinking honeysuckle?
Honeysuckle tea is a type of cooling tea, and prolonged consumption may lead to some adverse reactions. People with spleen and stomach deficiency, those with wind-cold colds, patients with gastric ulcers, pregnant women, and those with rheumatoid arthritis are advised against drinking honeysuckle tea.
1.
People with Spleen and Stomach Deficiency
Patients with spleen and stomach deficiency often experience qi and blood deficiency, and poor digestion. Since honeysuckle is cold in nature, consuming it may increase the burden on those with spleen and stomach deficiency, causing discomfort and damage to these organs.
2.
People with Wind-Cold Colds
For patients with wind-cold colds caused by exposure to cold air, it is advisable to consume warm-natured foods or medicines. Since honeysuckle has a cold nature, excessive consumption may worsen their condition.
3.
Patients with Gastric Ulcers
Gastric ulcers are often caused by poor lifestyle habits, adverse drug effects, or infections, leading to ulcers in the gastric mucosa. Due to the cold nature of honeysuckle, it may aggravate irritation to the ulcerated area of the gastric mucosa, hindering its healing and potentially worsening the ulcer.
4.
Pregnant Women
Honeysuckle is cold in nature, and its consumption may cause discomfort to the fetus. Pregnant women are particularly sensitive, and consuming honeysuckle tea may lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and in severe cases, stimulate uterine contractions, potentially leading to premature labor.
5.
Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
This condition is often associated with rheumatoid factors or cartilage degeneration. Such patients should avoid cold-natured foods, and consuming honeysuckle tea may exacerbate swelling, pain, and limited mobility in affected joints.
How to select high-quality honeysuckle?
1. When selecting honeysuckle tea, choose those that are swollen and unopened flower buds.
2. Evaluate the overall appearance of the tea. Pay attention to the integrity of the honeysuckle tea, checking for excessive broken tea leaves or impurities that do not belong to honeysuckle tea.
3. The aroma of honeysuckle tea can be well described with the words “rich, fragrant, clear, and pure.”
4. The color of high-quality honeysuckle tea is bright yellow with a hint of green, and the taste is slightly bitter with a fragrant aftertaste.
Contributed by | TCM DepartmentEdited by | Liu JieReviewed by | Sun Wei
