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TCM Ernährungstherapie

Chinese Herbal Tea Recipes:
TCM Blends for Every Body Type

By Fan Qu Bing · June 10, 2026

Walk into any Chinese household and you'll find it: a jar of goji berries next to the stove, a bundle of chrysanthemum in the pantry, a knob of ginger always within reach. These aren't just ingredients. They're the raw materials of a two-thousand-year-old daily ritual — the Chinese herbal tea. But here's what most Western guides get wrong: there is no single "best" Chinese herbal tea. The right tea depends entirely on you — your body type, your season, your pattern. This guide gives you five Chinese herbal tea recipes, each matched to a different constitution, so you can brew the one your body is actually asking for.

Warum chinesischer Kräutertee anders ist als normaler Tee

The first thing to understand: in Chinese culture, "tea" (cha) is a much broader category than the green, black, and oolong that fill Western tea shops. Chinese herbal tea — known as yao cha (medicinal tea) or bao jian cha (health tea) — often contains no tea leaves at all. Instead, it’s a brew of flowers, seeds, roots, bark, fruits, and dried berries, each selected not for flavor but for its specific effect on the body’s systems. The Chayin Baojian (Tea Drinking for Health), a classical compendium, catalogs nearly a thousand such formulas, organized by function: some clear heat, some nourish yin, some boost qi, some dry dampness. Each one is a tool, and using the right tool for the right job is everything.

This is fundamentally different from how most of us think about tea. When you drink green tea for the antioxidants or chamomile for relaxation, you’re choosing a single effect for everyone. But in TCM, a Chinese herbal tea recipe isn’t one-size-fits-all. The same ginger tea that warms a yang-deficient person can overheat a yin-deficient one. The same chrysanthemum tea that soothes a hot-tempered Liver pattern can weaken a cold, tired Spleen. Matching matters. And the place to start is understanding your body type — something we explore in depth in our guide to determining your TCM body type.

“In TCM, tea is food therapy, not beverage. The question isn’t ‘what’s a good tea?’ — it’s ‘what’s a good tea for you, right now?’”

Die Körpertyp-Zuordnungstabelle

Before you brew anything, take thirty seconds to locate yourself on this chart. Which description feels most familiar? That’s your starting point. Then read the full recipe for your match — each one comes with precise measurements, brewing instructions, and the TCM reasoning behind every ingredient.

Your Pattern Key Signs Your Tea
Qi-Mangel Immer müde, leise Stimme, häufig erkältet, schwacher Appetit Astragalus & Jujube Qi Tea (#1)
Yang-Mangel Immer kalt, kalte Hände & Füße, wenig Energie, blasse Haut Ginger & Cinnamon Warming Tea (#2)
Yin-Mangel / Trockenheitshitze Dry mouth, hot palms, night sweats, restless, can’t settle Lily Bulb & Goji Nourishing Tea (#3)
Feuchtigkeit / Schleim Schwerer Körper, aufgebläht, träge, Kopfnebel, dicker Zungenbelag Hawthorn & Tangerine Peel Tea (#4)
Leber-Hitze / Stress Reizbar, rote Augen, bitterer Geschmack, Spannungskopfschmerzen, jähzornig Chrysanthemum & Cassia Seed Tea (#5)

5 chinesische Kräutertee-Rezepte nach Körpertyp

1. Astragalus & Jujube Qi Tea — Für chronisch Müde

This is the tea for the person who’s been tired for so long they’ve forgotten what normal feels like. In TCM, this pattern is Qi-Mangel (qi xu): the body’s vital energy is simply too low to sustain daily life without constant fatigue, a weak voice, spontaneous sweating, and a tendency to catch every cold that circulates. The tongue is typically pale and swollen with tooth marks on the sides — a classic sign. If you’ve ever described yourself as “running on empty,” this is your tea.

Astragalus root (huang qi) is the central herb here. Slightly warm and sweet, it enters the Spleen and Lung meridians and is one of TCM’s premier qi tonics — it raises the body’s defensive qi (wei qi), builds blood, and gently lifts energy without the jittery stimulation of caffeine. Jujube dates (da zao) round out the formula by nourishing blood and calming the spirit. Together, they do what coffee can’t: they don’t borrow energy — they build it.

This is a fundamental Chinese herbal tea recipe for anyone who wants to understand how food can be medicine. The philosophy behind it — that fatigue isn’t a character flaw but a pattern of depletion that can be addressed through daily diet — is the foundation of TCM food therapy. Read more in why food is medicine. If coldness joins your fatigue, you may have a yang deficiency pattern that requires the next tea instead.

🍵 Astragalus & Jujube Qi Tea

Ingredients
  • 10g astragalus root (huang qi — thin sliced discs, available at Chinese herbal shops)
  • 5–6 dried jujube dates (da zao), torn open to expose the flesh
  • 3 cups of water
  • Optional: 3 slices of fresh ginger (adds warmth and aids digestion)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon goji berries (adds gentle yin nourishment)
Method
  1. Rinse the astragalus slices briefly in cold water.
  2. Place astragalus, jujube dates, and ginger (if using) in a pot with 3 cups of cold water.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20–25 minutes. The liquid should reduce by about a third and turn a pale amber color.
  4. If using goji berries, add them in the last 3 minutes of simmering.
  5. Strain into a mug. This tea can be resteeped once by adding another cup of boiling water and steeping 10 minutes.
When to Drink It

Morning or early afternoon, ideally between meals. Drink daily for 2–3 weeks, then take a 5-day break. This tea is especially helpful during seasonal transitions (late summer to autumn) when the body is most vulnerable to external pathogens.

✅ Especially good for: People recovering from illness, those with chronic fatigue, students and office workers during intense periods, and anyone who frequently catches colds. Also supportive during convalescence.
⚠️ Avoid if: You have an active cold or flu with fever, a red tongue with yellow coating, or signs of internal heat (constipation, sore throat, mouth ulcers). Astragalus tonifies and can trap pathogens; save it for recovery, not acute illness.

2. Ginger & Cinnamon Warming Tea — Für immer Frierende

Some people wear socks to bed in July. Their hands and feet are perpetually cold. They crave hot drinks, dread winter, and feel like their body’s thermostat is permanently set too low. In TCM, this is Yang-Mangel (yang xu) — the body’s warming, activating yang energy is depleted, often from constitutional factors, overwork, or excessive consumption of cold and raw foods. The recommended foods tell the story: ginger, lamb, walnuts, cinnamon — all warming, all building. This tea delivers concentrated warmth in a cup.

Fresh ginger (sheng jiang) is the star — slightly warm and pungent, it enters the Lung, Spleen, and Stomach meridians, dispersing cold and warming the middle. Cinnamon bark (rou gui) is hot and sweet, entering the Heart, Kidney, Liver, and Spleen meridians; it warms the core, scatters deep cold, and — crucially — “leads fire back to its source,” meaning it anchors yang energy in the lower body rather than letting it float upward uselessly. Jujube and brown sugar add sweetness and blood nourishment, making this as comforting as it is therapeutic.

This is one of the most accessible Chinese herbal tea recipes in the world — every ingredient can be found in a standard grocery store. For a deeper understanding of why coldness affects so many people, see our detailed guide on yang deficiency and how to warm your body. And if you want to explore ginger’s broader therapeutic profile beyond tea, our article on ginger’s TCM benefits covers everything from digestion to circulation.

🔥 Ginger & Cinnamon Warming Tea

Ingredients
  • 5–6 slices fresh ginger (about 15g, skin-on, thinly sliced)
  • 1 small stick of cinnamon bark (rou gui, about 3g — or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • 3–4 dried jujube dates, torn open
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 2.5 cups of water
Method
  1. Place ginger slices, cinnamon stick, and jujube dates in a pot with cold water.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15–20 minutes. The liquid should turn a warm amber-brown.
  3. Remove from heat, stir in the brown sugar until dissolved.
  4. Strain and drink warm. The warmth spreads through your chest and abdomen — you’ll feel it within minutes.
When to Drink It

Morning or early afternoon. Ideally on an empty or lightly filled stomach. Drink especially in autumn and winter, or whenever you feel chilled. For women, this tea is excellent during the first days of menstruation when cold and cramping are present.

✅ Especially good for: People with cold hands and feet year-round, those who dread winter, women with cold-type menstrual cramps, people recovering from exposure to cold or rain, and anyone who feels better after a hot shower or bath.
⚠️ Avoid if: You have night sweats, hot flashes, a red tongue, mouth ulcers, or any sign of internal heat. Avoid during fever or active infection. Pregnant women should use ginger cautiously and avoid large amounts of cinnamon.

3. Lily Bulb & Goji Nourishing Tea — Bei Trockenheit und Unruhe

This tea is for a particular kind of person: the one who always has a dry throat, who feels warm at night when everyone else is comfortable, whose palms are inexplicably hot, and who can’t quite settle. In TCM, this is Yin Deficiency (yin xu) with Empty Heat. The cooling, grounding, moistening yin of the body is depleted — often from overwork, chronic stress, insufficient sleep, or simply the natural decline of aging — and without enough yin to anchor it, yang energy floats upward, creating a sensation of heat without actual fever.

Lily bulb (bai he) is the hero here. Slightly cold and sweet, it enters the Heart and Lung meridians, moistening dryness, calming the spirit, and clearing that floating heat without sedating. The Shennong Bencao Jing (~200 CE) lists it as a top-grade herb that “benefits the heart and lungs and supplements the center.” Goji berries (gou qi) are neutral and sweet, entering the Liver, Kidney, and Lung meridians, where they nourish yin, benefit the eyes, and provide gentle building energy that doesn’t overheat. Together they create a formula that lubricates dryness and anchors restlessness — a tea that cools without chilling, nourishes without clogging.

For more on how your constitution affects which teas and foods work best, see our guide on identifying your TCM body type. If insomnia is your main concern rather than general restlessness, our dedicated article on herbal tea for sleep and relaxation covers five additional formulas specifically for sleep.

🌸 Lily Bulb & Goji Nourishing Tea

Ingredients
  • 15–20g dried lily bulb (bai he — white, slightly translucent dried slices)
  • 1 tablespoon goji berries (gou qi)
  • 1 teaspoon rock sugar or honey (optional, for sweetness)
  • 2.5 cups of water
  • Optional: 10g silver ear fungus (yin er, pre-soaked — deepens the moistening effect)
Method
  1. Rinse the dried lily bulb briefly. If using silver ear fungus, soak it for 30 minutes first and tear into small pieces.
  2. Combine lily bulb, silver ear fungus (if using), and water in a pot. Bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes. The lily bulb should become tender and translucent.
  4. Add goji berries and rock sugar in the last 3–5 minutes.
  5. Pour into a mug. Eat the softened lily bulb and silver ear fungus — they’re part of the nourishment. Drink warm.
When to Drink It

Evening, about 45–60 minutes before bed. Also excellent as an afternoon tea during dry autumn and winter months when indoor heating dehydrates the body. For women, this tea is especially helpful during perimenopause when night sweats and restlessness flare.

✅ Especially good for: People with dry skin, dry cough, night sweats, or restless sleep. Those recovering from long illness or overwork. Office workers in dry, air-conditioned environments. Anyone experiencing perimenopausal dryness and heat.
⚠️ Avoid if: You have a cold or flu with active symptoms (especially phlegm), loose stools, or diarrhea. The moistening nature of lily bulb can worsen these conditions. Also limit if you have a very cold constitution.

4. Hawthorn & Tangerine Peel Tea — Für Schwere und Trägheit

Do you wake up feeling like you’re moving through molasses? Is there a fog in your head that coffee can’t clear? Does your body feel heavy, your digestion feel slow, and your energy feel like it’s wrapped in wet blankets? In TCM, this is Dampness (shi) — an accumulation of unprocessed fluids that weighs down the body and clouds the mind. It often comes from a combination of weak digestion and a diet heavy in greasy, sweet, or cold foods. The tongue shows a thick, greasy coating — the classic dampness sign.

Hawthorn (shan zha) is the foundation here. Slightly warm, sour, and sweet, it enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Liver meridians, where it powerfully breaks down food stagnation — especially from meat and greasy foods — and moves blood. Tangerine peel (chen pi) is warm, pungent, and bitter, entering the Spleen and Lung meridians. It regulates qi, dries dampness, and transforms phlegm. Hawthorn breaks down the stagnation; tangerine peel moves it out. This tea is a metabolic wake-up call — one of the most effective Chinese herbal tea recipes for anyone dealing with post-holiday bloating or a general sense of heaviness.

If dampness is your primary pattern, you’ll also benefit from adjusting your diet more broadly. See our guide on anti-inflammatory foods in TCM for a dietary framework that reduces dampness naturally. And for a simple introduction to the five most versatile healing teas, read 5 healing teas for everyday problems.

🌿 Hawthorn & Tangerine Peel Digestive Tea

Ingredients
  • 5–6 slices dried hawthorn (shan zha — about 10g, dark red discs)
  • 1 piece dried tangerine peel (chen pi — about 3g, a small palm-sized piece)
  • 3 cups of water
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon brown sugar or rock sugar (balances the sourness)
  • Optional: 3 slices fresh ginger (supports the Spleen and counteracts any cold)
Method
  1. Briefly rinse the hawthorn slices and tangerine peel.
  2. Place all ingredients in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15–20 minutes. The liquid should turn a deep reddish-amber.
  4. Add sugar if using, stir, then strain into a mug.
  5. The rehydrated hawthorn can be eaten — tart and slightly sweet.
When to Drink It

After meals, especially lunch or a heavy dinner. This is not a morning empty-stomach tea — the sourness can irritate an empty stomach. Drink 30–60 minutes after eating for best digestive results. Excellent after holiday meals or whenever you feel overstuffed.

✅ Especially good for: People who feel bloated after eating, those who crave greasy food and feel heavy, anyone with a thick tongue coating, post-holiday digestive recovery, and those with high cholesterol (hawthorn is well-studied for lipid-lowering effects).
⚠️ Avoid if: You have gastric hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, or severe acid reflux. Pregnant women should avoid hawthorn as it can stimulate uterine contractions. Not suitable for people who are underweight and already have a weak appetite.

5. Chrysanthemum & Cassia Seed Tea — Für Hitzige und Gestresste

You know the type: the person whose eyes go red after a stressful day, whose temper flares unexpectedly, whose headaches start at the temples and wrap around the head. In TCM, this is Liver Heat Rising (gan huo shang yan). The Liver, which governs the smooth flow of qi and blood, becomes constrained by stress, frustration, and overwork. The constrained energy turns to heat, which rises upward — to the head, the eyes, the mind. The result: irritability, red eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, and a mind that won’t quiet down.

Chrysanthemum (ju hua) is slightly cold and sweet-bitter, entering the Liver and Lung meridians. It disperses wind-heat, clears the eyes, and specifically calms rising Liver yang — it’s the herb most associated with “cooling the head.” Cassia seed (jue ming zi) is also slightly cold and sweet-bitter-salty, entering the Liver, Kidney, and Large Intestine meridians. It clears Liver heat, benefits the eyes, and has a descending action that literally pulls the heat downward and out through the bowels. Goji berries balance the formula with gentle nourishment, preventing the cooling herbs from being too harsh. This tea, sometimes called “TCM screen-time tea,” is among the most popular Chinese herbal tea recipes for modern life.

For seasonal variations on cooling your body, see our article on summer cooling foods in TCM, which covers the broader dietary strategy for managing heat. And for understanding the full spectrum of body types so you can match the right tea, see what’s your body type in TCM.

🌻 Chrysanthemum & Cassia Seed Cooling Tea

Ingredients
  • 5–7 dried chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua — the small white or yellow ones, not the large decorative variety)
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cassia seeds (chao jue ming zi — the roasted form is gentler on digestion)
  • 1 teaspoon goji berries (gou qi)
  • 1.5 cups of hot water (just off the boil, roughly 90°C / 195°F)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon honey (added after steeping, while warm but not boiling)
Method
  1. Place the roasted cassia seeds in a teapot or mug. Pour hot water over them and steep for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the chrysanthemum flowers and goji berries. Cover and steep for an additional 4–5 minutes.
  3. The liquid should turn a pale golden-green. You can resteep the same ingredients once more.
  4. Strain and add honey if desired. Drink warm, not scalding.
When to Drink It

Early evening, around 6–7 PM — not right before bed, as cassia seed can stimulate bowel movements. Best consumed after a day of intense screen work, during periods of high stress, or in hot weather. For eye strain, drink mid-afternoon. Cycle: 5 days on, 2 days off.

✅ Especially good for: People who spend long hours at screens, those with red or dry eyes, anyone with stress-induced headaches or irritability, people who run hot and sweat easily, and those with a tendency toward constipation (cassia seed gently moistens the bowels).
⚠️ Avoid if: You have a cold constitution (feel cold, loose stools, pale face), are pregnant, or have chronic diarrhea. Cassia seed lowers blood pressure — if you already have low blood pressure, use with caution.

So baust du deine Kräutertee-Vorratskammer auf

One of the great pleasures of Chinese herbal tea recipes is that the ingredients are shelf-stable, affordable, and endlessly combinable. A well-stocked tea pantry of 5–6 core ingredients lets you brew different teas for different days, seasons, and symptoms. Here’s what to start with, based on the recipes above:

With these six ingredients alone, you can make teas for energy (jujube + goji), cold (ginger + jujube), stress (chrysanthemum + goji), digestion (hawthorn + tangerine peel), and general wellness (goji + chrysanthemum). Add astragalus for building deeper qi, cinnamon for core warmth, or lily bulb for nourishing yin as you expand your repertoire. For an introduction to ginger’s broader health benefits, read ginger: the warming wonder of TCM.

Store dried herbs in airtight containers away from direct sunlight. Goji berries and jujube dates should be kept in the refrigerator if you live in a humid climate — they can mold. Chrysanthemum flowers are delicate; keep them in a sealed jar away from heat. All of these ingredients are available at Chinese grocery stores, herbal shops, and online retailers specializing in TCM herbs. Buy from reputable sources that test for heavy metals and pesticides.

Saisonales Brauen: Wann welcher Tee zu trinken ist

TCM recognizes that the body’s needs change with the seasons. Here’s a quick seasonal guide to rotate your Chinese herbal tea recipes throughout the year, based on the classical principle of “yang in spring and summer, yin in autumn and winter”:

Häufige Fragen zu chinesischem Kräutertee

Welcher chinesische Kräutertee ist der beliebteste?

Goji berry and chrysanthemum tea (gou qi ju hua cha) is arguably the most popular daily Chinese herbal tea. It’s served in offices, homes, and restaurants across China. The combination of chrysanthemum’s cooling, eye-clearing properties with goji’s nourishing, vision-supporting effects makes it perfectly suited to modern life dominated by screens. It’s gentle enough for daily use, requires only hot water, and both ingredients are universally available. Other widely consumed teas include ginger-jujube (warming), hawthorn (digestive), and honeysuckle-mint (cooling) — each for different patterns and seasons.

Woher weiß ich, welcher TCM-Tee zu meinem Körpertyp passt?

Start by observing your daily patterns. If you often feel cold and tired, choose warming teas with ginger, cinnamon, and jujube (for Yang deficiency). If you feel hot, restless, and dry, choose cooling teas with chrysanthemum, mint, or lily bulb (for Yin deficiency). If you feel heavy, sluggish, and bloated, choose teas with hawthorn, tangerine peel, and lotus leaf (for dampness). The constitution table in this article will guide you. For a deeper assessment, see our TCM body type guide. Remember: the right tea should make you feel better within a few days. If it doesn’t, try a different one for your pattern.

Sind chinesische Kräutertees täglich trinkbar?

Most gentle Chinese herbal teas made with food-grade ingredients like goji berries, jujube dates, chrysanthemum, ginger, and hawthorn are safe for daily consumption. These are ingredients that appear in Chinese cooking as well as tea. However, TCM practice recommends cycling: drink for 2–3 weeks, then take 3–5 days off. This prevents your body from habituating and lets you notice how you feel without the tea. Stronger herbs should be used more selectively. If you’re pregnant, nursing, or taking medications, consult a qualified TCM practitioner before starting any herbal tea regimen.

Kann ich chinesischen Kräutertee ohne spezielle Ausrüstung machen?

Absolutely. Most Chinese herbal tea recipes require nothing more than a cup, hot water, and a strainer. Flower and leaf herbs like chrysanthemum, rose, and mint are simply steeped like Western tea. Roots, seeds, and bark herbs like astragalus, jujube, hawthorn, and tangerine peel benefit from a brief simmer on the stove — 15–20 minutes is usually enough. Even these can often be steeped in a covered mug for 10–15 minutes if you don’t have a pot handy. The only equipment upgrade worth considering is a small saucepan for simmering roots properly.

What’s the difference between Chinese herbal tea and regular tea?

Regular teas (green, black, oolong, white) all come from the Camellia sinensis plant and contain caffeine. Chinese herbal teas (yao cha or bao jian cha) are made from medicinal and food-grade herbs, flowers, roots, seeds, and fruits — often with no tea leaves at all. They are caffeine-free and chosen for specific health effects rather than for flavor or stimulation. In TCM, they are considered food therapy, not beverages. A cup of ginger-jujube tea is as much medicine as it is drink.

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