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Huang Qi Tea

I recently got to know of a simple recipe while browsing in the bookstore. This is very simple but very beneficial to everyone especially if you are prone to tiredness or generally feel out of sorts and need a pick-me-up that's gentle and soothing.

It's a tea made using a Chinese herb called Huang Qi (which is a root). It is sold cheaply in chinese herbal shops as strips of dried root, sliced thinly. Just put some into a liter of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. That's it. Sip throughout the day.

Despite the simplicity of this drink (which you can drink throughout the day), this herb is full of health benefits (In English it is known as milk vetch root). It is a herb that helps with your Qi, Spleen, Blood and Stomach. I read that it is also good for the Heart.

It is used to tonify one's defensive Qi and as such, drinking huang qi tea helps to boost one's immune system. If you are prone to colds (it means your lungs are weak), Huang Qi is the herb for you. It is also the herb for tonifying your spleen. If you have a deficient spleen, you will be tired with poor appetite. Taking this tea will help strengthen your spleen.

Other than that, Huang Qi is also a good herb for the blood and for the skin, particularly if you have sores on the skin surface. That's why I found this recipe in a beauty book for women. Drinking this tea regularly helps to bring about smooth skin! Now that's really the ultimate motivation for most women to take anything.

To learn more about this fantastic herb, go to http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/herbal-supplements/astragalus.php

To see how Huang Qi looks like, take a look here.

And in the meantime, go out and get this herb.

P/S: Another herb which I really love is Liquorice Root or Kamcho. It is also a dried root, sliced and sold cheaply. It helps with coughs and sore throats. Keep some at home and if you have a sore throat coming on, take one or two slices and chew. Yes, chew. After you've taken the juice of the root, spit out the remnants.

Comments

pepsikolanut said…
I like your blog a lot! it's very useful. Here's link to some pretty detailed info about Huang Qi http://www.sacredlotus.com/herbs/herb.cfm/hid/174
3:02 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi

Thanks for your kind words and the useful link. Will check it out. In the meantime, do come back and share with me your useful finds too. Cheers! MayaKirana
5:50 PM
Anonymous said…
I am looking for Huang Qi this weekend. Do you need to drink it with sugar...is it bitter? Also, how much do you put into the liter of water and boil. I heard that this root might be good immune booster in advance of H1N1 flu season.
4:26 AM
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