Asian Herbal Tea – An Herbalist’s Guide to 10 Traditional Brews From China, Korea, Japan, India and Southeast Asia

Walk into almost any home kitchen from Seoul to Chennai and you will find a pot of something warm and herbal on the go. It might be roasted barley in a Korean refrigerator jug, chrysanthemum blossoms opening in a glass pot in Guangzhou, or holy basil steeping in an Indian kitchen at dawn. These are not fancy wellness products in those places; they are everyday drinks, passed down the same way recipes are.

Asian herbal tea traditions are vast, and many of them are rooted in systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda that think about food and drink as part of keeping the body in balance. In this guide, we will walk through ten of the most loved Asian herbal teas, how each is traditionally prepared, what modern research actually says, and the safety points every tea drinker should know.

What Counts as an Asian Herbal Tea?

Strictly speaking, “tea” means the leaves of Camellia sinensis, the plant behind green, black, and oolong tea. Herbal teas, also called tisanes, are brewed from flowers, roots, seeds, fruits, and leaves of other plants, and most of the ones in this guide are naturally caffeine-free.

Many Asian cultures blur that line, though. In Chinese and Korean, the word for tea (cha) is used for almost any hot infusion, whether it is made from dates, ginger, grains, or flowers. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these drinks are often described by their energy, with some considered “cooling” for hot summer days and others “warming” for cold weather or sluggish digestion.

There are also two main ways to brew them. Delicate flowers and leaves are usually steeped like ordinary tea, while tougher roots, berries, and dried fruits are often simmered for longer, a method herbalists call a decoction.

10 Asian Herbal Teas Worth Knowing

1. Chrysanthemum Tea (Ju Hua Cha), China

Chrysanthemum tea is one of the most familiar herbal drinks in Chinese homes and restaurants, often served alongside dim sum or sipped on hot evenings. The small, pale yellow or white dried chrysanthemum flowers are steeped in hot water until they open, giving a light, floral, faintly honeyed cup. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, chrysanthemum is considered cooling and is used for summer heat, early colds, and tired, strained eyes.

The research is still thin. Memorial Sloan Kettering’s herb database notes that chrysanthemum is used traditionally for colds, fever, high blood pressure, and angina, but that human studies are lacking, and lab studies only suggest anti-inflammatory effects. It also flags real safety concerns, which we cover in the safety section below.

How to brew: Steep 5 to 8 dried flowers in a cup of water just off the boil for about 5 minutes. In Chinese tradition, the same flowers are often topped up with hot water several times.

2. Goji Berry Tea (Gou Qi Zi Cha), China

Long before goji became a Western superfood, its small red berries were simmered into soups and teas across northern China. Goji tea is mildly sweet and is traditionally paired with chrysanthemum as a classic tonic for the eyes. A handful of dried goji berries steeped in hot water for 10 minutes makes a simple, pleasant cup, and the softened berries can be eaten afterward.

A review of goji’s chemistry and safety in the journal Planta Medica found that the berries’ polysaccharides showed antioxidant activity and interesting effects in lab research related to age-related conditions such as atherosclerosis and diabetes. The same review stresses that clinical evidence is still needed, and notes two case reports of a possible interaction with the blood thinner warfarin.

3. Red Date Tea (Hong Zao Cha), China and Korea

Jujube, or red date, tea is a comforting, naturally sweet drink made by simmering dried jujube dates in water. In Chinese and Korean households, it is a go-to in cold weather and is often given to new mothers and older relatives as a nourishing drink. Korean daechu-cha is a thicker, richer version made by cooking the dates down into a paste.

Most of jujube’s reputation comes from tradition rather than clinical trials, so think of it as a warming, nourishing kitchen drink. For a classic combination, simmer 5 or 6 sliced dates with a few slices of fresh ginger for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Ginger Tea (Sheng Jiang Cha), Across Asia

Ginger is native to the warm parts of Asia, and fresh ginger tea is brewed from Korea to Indonesia for chills, colds, and upset stomachs. Our guide to Chinese medicinal ginger herbal tea covers traditional preparations in more depth.

Ginger is one of the better-studied herbs on this list. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, research suggests ginger may help with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and ginger supplements might ease menstrual cramps, although most studies used supplements rather than tea. Side effects can include heartburn, abdominal discomfort, and mouth or throat irritation.

How to brew: Simmer 5 or 6 thin slices of fresh ginger in 2 cups of water for 10 to 15 minutes, then add honey or a squeeze of lemon.

5. Korean Ginseng Tea (Insam-cha), Korea and China

Korean ginseng tea is made from the root of Panax ginseng, which NCCIH notes is native to Korea, northeastern China, and far-eastern Siberia. Red ginseng is the steamed and dried form, and Korean red ginseng tea is widely sold as slices, granules, and concentrates. The taste is earthy and bittersweet, and it is often sweetened with honey or jujube.

The evidence is mixed. NCCIH’s ginseng fact sheet reports that most clinical trials have been small and short, that ginseng may have a small benefit for general fatigue, and that most research shows it does not improve athletic performance. Insomnia is its most common side effect, and it may lower blood sugar, interfere with blood clotting, and interact with medications.

6. Roasted Barley Tea (Mugicha and Boricha), Japan and Korea

If there is one herbal tea that defines summer in Japan and Korea, it is roasted barley tea. Japanese mugicha and Korean boricha are made from roasted barley kernels and taste toasty and nutty, a little like coffee without the bitterness. Families brew it by the jug, chill it in the fridge, and drink it in place of water.

Barley tea is caffeine-free and very easy to make: simmer 2 tablespoons of roasted barley tea in a quart of water for 5 to 10 minutes, or use cold-brew bags overnight. There is one important catch: barley contains gluten. The Celiac Disease Foundation lists barley and malt among the ingredients people with celiac disease must avoid, so barley tea is not suitable for anyone on a strict gluten-free diet.

7. Holy Basil Tea (Tulsi), India

Holy basil, or tulsi, is sacred in Hinduism and is often grown around shrines and in family courtyards. The Merck Manual notes that it has been used for more than 3,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is considered an adaptogen, a herb thought to help the body handle stress. Organic tulsi tea has a warm, peppery, slightly clove-like flavor.

Merck is frank about the evidence: there are no high-quality human studies showing that holy basil treats any condition, and most promising findings come from animal research or small human trials. It also lists several cautions, including possible effects on thyroid hormone, blood clotting, and blood sugar, which we include in the safety box below. If you like Ayurvedic-style teas, our guide to fennel tea and cumin-coriander-fennel blends is a gentler place to start.

8. Lemongrass and Pandan Tea, Southeast Asia

In Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, lemongrass and pandan leaves are as common in drinks as they are in curries. Lemongrass gives a bright, citrusy flavor, while pandan adds a sweet, grassy, vanilla-like aroma, and the two are often simmered together and served hot or iced.

Both are traditional kitchen herbs rather than well-studied remedies, so enjoy them for flavor and refreshment. To make it, bruise 2 stalks of lemongrass and knot 2 or 3 pandan leaves, then simmer them in a quart of water for 10 minutes.

9. Butterfly Pea Flower Tea (Nam Dok Anchan), Thailand

Butterfly pea flower tea is the showstopper of Asian herbal teas. Dried butterfly pea flowers brew into a deep blue tea that turns purple or pink when you add a squeeze of lemon or lime, because the flowers’ natural anthocyanin pigments change color with acidity. In Thailand and Malaysia, the flowers also color rice and desserts.

The taste is mild and earthy, so it is often blended with lemongrass or sweetened with honey. Research on its health effects in people is very limited, so treat it as a beautiful, caffeine-free drink rather than a remedy.

10. Monk Fruit Tea (Luo Han Guo), Southern China

Luo han guo, or monk fruit, is a small round gourd grown in southern China, where the dried fruit is cracked open and simmered into a sweet tea that is traditionally sipped for sore throats and coughs. A single dried monk fruit can flavor a whole pot, and its sweetness comes from compounds called mogrosides rather than sugar.

Monk fruit is also now a familiar sweetener in Western products. In a 2017 FDA letter, the agency said it had no questions about a manufacturer’s conclusion that monk fruit extract is generally recognized as safe as a tabletop and general-purpose sweetener, and the notice it reviewed pointed to the fruit’s long history of food use in China. That is a statement about its safety as a sweetener, not proof that it treats coughs.

Two Classic Combinations to Try at Home

Many of the best Asian herbal teas are simple pairings. These two are easy starting points, brewed at ordinary kitchen amounts.

Goji and chrysanthemum tea: Steep 6 chrysanthemum flowers and 1 tablespoon of goji berries in 2 cups of water just off the boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
Red date and ginger tea: Simmer 6 sliced jujube dates and 5 slices of fresh ginger in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes, then strain and sweeten if you like.

A glass teapot with a removable infuser is worth having for flower teas, since watching chrysanthemum or butterfly pea flowers open is half the pleasure. For more ideas, see our roundup of the 7 most powerful medicinal tea blends.

Brewing and Buying Tips

Steep flowers, simmer roots and fruits. Chrysanthemum, tulsi, and butterfly pea do best steeped for 5 minutes or so, while ginseng, jujube, ginger, and monk fruit release more flavor when simmered.
Buy from reputable sellers. Look for whole, intact flowers and berries with a fresh aroma, and choose products with clear labeling about origin and ingredients.
Start with one herb at a time. That makes it easier to notice how your body responds before you start combining herbs.
Read blend labels carefully. Many commercial Asian herbal blends include licorice root as a sweetener, which matters for some people, as explained below.

A Note on Licorice in Asian Blends

Licorice root, gan cao in Chinese medicine, is one of the most common supporting herbs in Asian tea blends because it softens bitter flavors. The NCCIH licorice fact sheet explains that licorice is generally considered safe as a food ingredient, but its compound glycyrrhizin can cause serious effects such as irregular heartbeat when consumed in large amounts or over long periods. Even small amounts have been linked to severe problems in people with high blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, or high salt intake.

Safety Warning: Interactions, Pregnancy and Allergies

Chrysanthemum: Memorial Sloan Kettering advises avoiding it if you are allergic to ragweed or take drugs that suppress the immune system, after a kidney transplant patient developed toxic medication levels linked to a chrysanthemum-containing tea. It may also affect other drugs processed by the CYP3A4 liver enzyme and can increase sun sensitivity.
Goji: Case reports suggest goji may increase the effect of warfarin, so talk with your doctor before drinking it regularly if you take a blood thinner.
Korean ginseng: It may lower blood sugar, interfere with blood clotting, worsen autoimmune conditions, and cause insomnia. NCCIH notes that some studies suggest it may be unsafe during pregnancy, and some experts advise against it for infants, children, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Holy basil: The Merck Manual advises people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive, and people with type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, or upcoming surgery to avoid it, and anyone on blood thinners or blood sugar medication to check with a doctor first.
Licorice: Avoid blends containing licorice if you have high blood pressure or heart or kidney disease, and avoid large amounts during pregnancy. Interactions with corticosteroids have been reported.
Barley tea: Barley contains gluten and is not safe for people with celiac disease.

Herbal teas are generally gentle, but gentle is not the same as risk-free. If you take medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or nursing, bring a list of the teas you drink to your next appointment and let your doctor or pharmacist check for interactions.

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Herbal Teas and Infusions: Learn more about preparing plants using traditional steeping and simmering techniques.
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Final Thoughts

Asian herbal teas are a lovely way to bring centuries of food wisdom into your own kitchen. A chilled jug of barley tea on a hot afternoon, a pot of chrysanthemum after dinner, or a warming cup of red date and ginger in winter are simple pleasures that whole cultures have built daily rhythms around.

Enjoy them as the households of Asia do: as nourishing, flavorful drinks, chosen thoughtfully and brewed with care. Respect the few herbs that carry real cautions, and let the research catch up on the rest.

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