Chrysanthemum tea

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Chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum tea ( Chinese  菊花 茶 , pinyin júhuā chá ) is an infusion made from brewed flowers made from the chrysanthemum flowers of the autumn or garden chrysanthemum , which is most popular in East Asia , especially in China . Although there are hundreds of types, only one is used as a tea. The best tea is said to come from the Hangzhou area .

Chrysanthemum tea was first drunk during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine , is used for health care, against colds and viral infections and as a relaxant.

To make the tea , chrysanthemum blossoms (usually dried) are dipped in hot water in a teapot , cup or glass. This should be cooled down to 90 to 95 degrees Celsius after cooking. Often rock candy or cane sugar is added, and occasionally wolfberries. The resulting drink is transparent and ranges from pale to light yellow in appearance and has a floral aroma . In Chinese tradition, as soon as a pot of chrysanthemum tea is drunk, hot water is typically added to the flowers in the pot. This results in a tea with a slightly milder effect. This infusion process is often repeated several times.

variants

Several varieties of chrysanthemums are used for tea, ranging from white to pale or bright yellow in color. These are:

  • Huángshān Gòngjú (黄山 贡菊), literally "Yellow Mountain Tribute Chrysanthemum"; also simply called Gòngjú (贡菊)
  • Hángbáijú (杭白菊), originally from Tongxiang , near Hangzhou, also simply called Hángjú, (杭菊)
  • Chújú (滁 菊), originally from the Chuzhou district of Anhui
  • Bójú (亳 菊), originally from the Bozhou district of Anhui

The flower is called Kek-huai in Thailand , which comes from Kiok-Hoe on Min Nan . In Tamil it is called Saamandhi.

Of these, the first two varieties - Huángshān Gòngjú and Hángbáijú - are the most popular. Some of the varieties have a striking yellow flower head, while others do not.

Medical application

Chrysanthemum tea

The chrysanthemum tea is said to have medicinal benefits, including helping against flu , acne and as a “cooling herb.” According to traditional Chinese medicine, the tea can help prevent sore throats and reduce fever . Known in Korea for helping people be more alert, it is often used as a tonic to keep drinkers more alert. In western herbal medicine , chrysanthemum tea is drunk or used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and arteriosclerosis .

In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to cleanse the liver and clear the eyes . It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin / dehydration. The tea is also used to treat blurred vision, blotches in front of the eyes, decreased vision, and dizziness. The liver is associated with the element wood, which controls the eyes, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is associated with anger, stress, and related emotions.

Trade availability

Although chrysanthemum tea is usually prepared at home, it is also available as a drink in many Asian restaurants (especially Chinese ones). It can also be purchased at various beverage outlets in East Asia, as well as in Asian grocery stores outside of Asia, in cans or in packaged form (as whole flowers or in tea bags ). Because of its medicinal value, it is also offered in health food stores or in places where traditional Chinese medicine works, but it is often mixed with other ingredients.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Dawn L. Campbell, The tea book. Gretna: Pelican Publishing p. 116, 1995. ISBN 978-1-56554-074-3 , accessed November 11, 2016
  2. ↑ a b c Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum Flower) ( Memento January 7, 2009 in the Internet Archive ), Sacred Lotus Arts, Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM Herbs, accessed November 11, 2016