Throat Soothing Tea 羅漢果紅棗薑茶 is a very simple tea to make when you have a sore throat, itchy throat or even a cough. I recently have had way too much deep-fried foods and I woke up with a sore throat. I thought I was sick. Right away, I made this tea. After my first cup, my throat was fine. I even had some chips later on but don’t tell my mom!
Then, my son did get sick and started to cough. I made this tea for him and his coughing was evidently getting better within a day. And so, I decided I would share this simple recipe since “tis the season” for colds and flus.
Luo han guo has another name, 神仙果 (shén xiān guǒ）or “immortal fruit” describing its superior health benefits. In terms of Chinese herbology, it can reduce heatiness in the body, soothe lungs, soothe throat, neutralize fats, lower blood pressure, reduces phlegm and reduces blood sugar.
So, how do you choose luo han guo? Most Chinese herbal stores carry the brown ones which traditionally uses heat to dry the fruit. The larger ones are more expensive and desirable than the smaller ones. The shell is equally, if not more beneficial than the mesocarp, or the flesh. For the purpose of soothing the throat, it is recommended to only use the shell. The flesh is very sweet and can cause the formation of mucus and phlegm. You can use the flesh for applications where sweetness is not an issue.
You can also find golden luo han guo that is a golden colour. It uses a low temperature dehydration process thereby preserving more of the nutrients. The taste is very mild but is likely to have higher nutritional value. I have tried these golden ones but there is hardly any lo han guo taste to it. So, I prefer the traditional brown ones.
Remember to give it a gentle shake before buying. If something seems loose on the inside, it means that during the drying process, they may have over-heated the fruit and caused the flesh to detach from the shell. Therefore, best not to choose these ones.
Use my simple Throat Soothing Tea 羅漢果紅棗薑茶 recipe to help soothe sore throats and coughs. Although luo han guo is the star of this tea, red dates help with blood flow and blood production. Ginger can warm the digestive system. Anyone with digestive issues, should not use luo han guo by itself, it should be paired with ginger. Ginger can prevent the digestive system from getting too cold which can cause aches and growth of harmful bacteria. Add some goji berries to this tea to promote eye, liver and kidney health.
Note that luo han guo is generally not recommended for long term use due to its ability to reduce heat in the blood. However, in this recipe, since we add ginger and red dates, as well as removing the luo han guo flesh, most of the cooling effects are reduced. In Chinese herbology, disease and illness stems from the body’s imbalances. We use herbs to put the body back into balance so overusing lo han guo may create other issues in the body. Therefore, make some and drink it over a few days or even a few weeks. When your throat and lungs are better, you won’t need it for a while. Seek a healthcare professional for more specific advice and recommendations.
Another good tea for this cold weather is my Longan Red Date Ginger Tea 桂圓紅棗姜茶. Or if you're looking for something to help with digestion, try my Three Reds Digestive Tea 三紅茶.
Throat Soothing Tea 羅漢果紅棗薑茶
Ingredients
- 2 Dried luo han guo aka monk fruit or swingle fruit (2 small or 1 large)
- 60 g Dried red dates , pit removed
- 30 g Organic ginger , sliced
- 2 L Water
Instructions
- Wash and rinse luo han guo and red dates
- Break the luo han guo apart and remove the insides and discard
- Break the shell into smaller pieces
- Take the pit out of the red dates and discard.
I find using kitchen shears easiest - Peel and slice ginger
- Put the luo han guo, red dates and ginger into a pot with 2 L water
- Bring to a boil
- Reduce to medium heat and let cook for 30 minutes
- Reduce to low heat and cook for another 15 minutes
- Ready to drink
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