It's often said that stomach ailments require gradual care. Many wonder: can drinking tea help nurture the stomach? The answer is a definite yes. Consuming teas that nourish the stomach, warm the stomach, and strengthen the spleen can significantly alleviate gastric issues. Let's explore some stomach-nourishing and spleen-strengthening teas together.
1. Hawthorn Honey Tea
Hawthorn berries effectively stimulate appetite while aiding digestion and eliminating food stagnation, offering significant health benefits for the spleen and stomach. Due to their tartness, they are paired with honey—another spleen-strengthening ingredient—for flavor.
To prepare this tea: Take a handful of fresh hawthorn berries and a small amount of natural honey. Remove the seeds from the hawthorn berries, slice the pulp, then steep in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through a sieve to remove the pulp residue. Finally, add honey to the strained liquid and it's ready to drink. Enjoy two small cups daily for optimal results.
2. Astragalus, Red Date, and Goji Berry Tea
Red dates and goji berries offer excellent nourishing effects, protecting the spleen and stomach, while astragalus also effectively improves gastrointestinal function. Combining these three ingredients into a tea enhances their stomach-nourishing and spleen-strengthening benefits.
Take equal amounts of Astragalus and Goji berries (about 15g each), plus 10-13 red dates. Wash them thoroughly, place in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for about an hour. Strain out the solids, collect the liquid, add honey to taste, and it's ready to drink.
3. Buckwheat and Astragalus Tea
As mentioned, astragalus significantly improves gastrointestinal health, while buckwheat promotes detoxification, sweating, and accelerates digestive function. Combining these two ingredients creates a tea with remarkable stomach-nourishing and spleen-strengthening effects. It is especially suitable for those with weakened constitutions.
Take an appropriate amount of buckwheat and slightly more astragalus. Place both directly into boiling water, cover the cup, and steep for 10-20 minutes. Strain out the solids and drink the liquid.
4. Four Gentlemen Tea
Few may have heard of Four Gentlemen Tea, brewed from four Chinese herbs: Codonopsis, Poria, Atractylodes, and Licorice. It excels at aiding digestion and improving spleen-stomach function. It's especially suitable for those with constipation or spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.
The preparation is very simple: Take about 10 grams each of Codonopsis, Poria, Atractylodes, and Licorice. Wash them thoroughly, add them to a pot together, pour in an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for a short while. This tea is best enjoyed hot for optimal effectiveness.
5. Wood Fragrance, Black Plum, and Ophiopogon Drink
Wood Fragrance (Saussurea costus) is a Chinese herb, while black plum and ophiopogon are common in daily life. Wood Fragrance regulates gastric secretion and improves gastrointestinal function. Black plum and ophiopogon stimulate appetite and promote fluid production. Brewing them together creates a tea that nourishes the stomach and strengthens the spleen, particularly beneficial for those with atrophic gastritis.
Preparation is as simple as brewing regular tea. Take appropriate amounts of wood fragrant, black plum, and ophiopogon, add water, and simmer for about 15 minutes before consuming. However, it's best to avoid eating the fruit pulp and residue, as those with poor digestion may struggle to absorb them, potentially increasing the burden on the stomach and intestines. Just drink the liquid.