Honeysuckle, known as Jin Yin Hua (金银花), is a commonly used herb in our daily lives, recognized for its ability to clear heat and detoxify, making it suitable for brewing tea.
So, what are the benefits of regularly drinking honeysuckle tea? Here are some key points that friends should understand to avoid misuse that could harm the body.
First, what is Honeysuckle?
Honeysuckle, also known as Ren Dong (忍冬), is a type of traditional Chinese herb. It is named for its flowers, which start white and turn yellow, hence the name Honeysuckle. The flowers bloom in March, initially white, and turn yellow after a day or two.
It has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, characterized as sweet and cold with a fragrant aroma. It clears heat without harming the stomach and can dispel evil. It is also used for various febrile diseases, such as fever, sore throat, and other symptoms.
Honeysuckle can be made into honeysuckle syrup, honeysuckle powder, or honeysuckle soup, making it convenient for different groups to consume, and it can also be applied topically to affected areas.
Nutritional Components of Honeysuckle:
Honeysuckle is rich in nutrients, containing inorganic elements such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, strontium, molybdenum, barium, and others. It also contains various organic acids, including chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and palmitic acid.
Flavonoids include luteolin, quercetin, and honeysuckle glycosides, among others. Additionally, it contains volatile oils and triterpenoids, which are active nutritional components.
What Are the Benefits of Drinking Honeysuckle Tea?
1. Clearing Heat and Detoxifying
Honeysuckle, a plant from the Caprifoliaceae family, is harvested before blooming in early summer, dried, and brewed to achieve its heat-clearing and detoxifying effects.
As a traditional Chinese medicine, it is a medicinal flower that can enter the lung, stomach, and heart meridians. Drinking honeysuckle tea can alleviate symptoms of heat toxin sores and abscesses, achieving heat-clearing and detoxifying effects.
2. Enhancing Immunity
Honeysuckle can enhance the phagocytic effect of white blood cells, helping to strengthen the body’s resistance. It contains a substance called chlorogenic acid that promotes metabolic capacity, thereby improving immunity.
3. Regulating Blood Lipids
Honeysuckle can help prevent the formation of fats and cholesterol in the intestines. Without fats and cholesterol, blood vessels remain unobstructed and less prone to hardening.
Consequently, blood lipids will not rise, and the elasticity of blood vessels will improve, reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues. It is recommended for older individuals to regularly drink honeysuckle tea.
4. Cooling Blood and Stopping Dysentery
Honeysuckle is cold in nature and has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood, and stopping dysentery. Particularly, when honeysuckle is charred, it can be used to treat heat toxin dysentery and symptoms like diarrhea with pus and blood.
It can be used alone or brewed with Huang Lian (黄连), Huang Qin (黄芩), and Bai Tou Weng (白头翁) to enhance the effect of stopping dysentery.
5. Beauty and Skin Nourishment
Regularly brewing and drinking honeysuckle tea allows for the absorption of rich nutrients, nourishing the skin, lightening spots, and making the skin fair and smooth.
Additionally, the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial components in honeysuckle tea can eliminate deep-seated bacteria in the skin, preventing the formation of acne and pimples.
6. Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties
Honeysuckle is widely used in our lives. Studies have found that drinking honeysuckle tea can effectively inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and various influenza viruses.
Regular consumption can effectively promote health and provide health benefits, and it also has a supportive role in treating viral infectious diseases.
Combining Honeysuckle with 5 Ingredients for Enhanced Benefits!
1. Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel)
Combining honeysuckle with Chen Pi is beneficial. This combination has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as promoting gastric secretion.
For patients with indigestion or loss of appetite, appropriately combining honeysuckle with Chen Pi can aid digestion.
2. Goji Berries
Honeysuckle paired with goji berries is also a perfect match, not only for beauty but also for clearing heat and detoxifying. The recommended dosage is 40 grams of honeysuckle, 10 grams of goji berries, along with an appropriate amount of rock sugar, combined with two liters of water.
This combination can brew a well-balanced honeysuckle tea. Initially, boil on high heat, then simmer for about 20 minutes before adding rock sugar and goji berries, cooking for another 10 minutes. However, diabetics should use caution.
3. Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as promoting diuresis, effectively alleviating symptoms such as obesity and constipation caused by excessive internal dampness.
When combined with honeysuckle, the medicinal effects are maximized, making it very suitable for office workers, providing excellent anti-cancer and cancer-preventive effects.
4. Rose
Many women know that rose can achieve beauty effects, and rose tea can also regulate menstruation.
Since honeysuckle is cold in nature, and rose is warm, these two can balance the cold nature of honeysuckle, and together they can help soothe the liver, regulate qi, and combat emotional unrest.
5. Red Dates
Brewing honeysuckle with red dates has the effect of replenishing qi and blood. Many women may experience some degree of qi and blood deficiency.
Especially in the hot summer, many may experience loss of appetite, which can easily lead to qi and blood deficiency. Therefore, regularly drinking honeysuckle and red date tea is a good way to replenish qi and blood. With sufficient qi and blood, complexion improves, and skin becomes more rosy and radiant.
Key Points to Know When Drinking Honeysuckle Tea to Avoid Misuse
1. Drink While Hot
Many people enjoy iced tea for its pleasant taste. However, honeysuckle is inherently cold; if chilled, it will exacerbate its cold nature.
Drinking honeysuckle tea in this state can easily burden the stomach and intestines, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, honeysuckle must be brewed with boiling water and consumed hot to be effective.
2. Special Populations
Honeysuckle is cold in nature, and long-term continuous consumption can harm the spleen and stomach. Therefore, it is not recommended for individuals with spleen and stomach deficiency, as well as women during menstruation and pregnancy.
3. Avoid Overconsumption
Due to its cold nature, excessive consumption of honeysuckle can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. To enhance the benefits of honeysuckle, consuming it in large amounts at once is not beneficial.
It is advisable not to drink honeysuckle tea every day, limiting it to about 10 grams per day to avoid increasing the burden on the spleen and stomach.
4. Allergic Individuals Should Avoid It
Some individuals may be allergic to honeysuckle, and after drinking honeysuckle tea, they may experience rashes, petechiae, or skin itching as allergic reactions.