With this guide in hand, you'll know exactly what to order at Chinese herbal tea shops
In China, herbs have been used as a way to heal, boost and nourish the body for centuries. Known as leung cha (涼茶) in Cantonese, which translates to “cooling tea” in English, Chinese herbal teas are an essential part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and have been believed to help prevent illnesses by minimising the body’s excessive heat and dampness.
Today, Chinese herbal teas still remain popular in Hong Kong, as it’s believed that herbal teas act as a healthier, natural alternative to Western medicine. Whether you prefer to get your herbal tea fix from grab-and-go shops at the MTR station, or if you like old-school herbal tea shops that serve their magic potions in ceramic bowls, Chinese herbal teas can still feel daunting especially when you have no idea what each drink consists of or the benefits each one would bring. Here, we break down several popular Chinese herbal tea drinks for your next health fix.
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1. 24 Flavours (廿四味)
Function: Balances internal heat, aids digestion
If you’ve been getting pimples, sore throats and ulcers recently, it might be because you’ve been eating a lot of yeet hay (熱氣) foods—meaning anything that is fried, greasy or spicy.
To help balance out your body’s heat, try 24 Flavours, one of the more well-known Chinese herbal tea drinks that aids with clearing internal heat and improves digestion issues. The drink is made of as many as 28 medicinal ingredients such as mulberry leaf, chrysanthemum flower and peppermint.