Published: July 22, 2026 | By SEASONS Wellness
For thousands of years, herbal tea has been the most accessible form of medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Unlike pharmaceutical drugs that target specific symptoms, TCM herbal teas work holistically — they nourish organs, balance energy, calm the mind, and prevent illness before it starts.
If you are new to the world of Chinese herbal medicine, the sheer number of herbs and formulas can feel overwhelming. That is why we have curated this list of ten essential herbal teas that are safe, widely available, and powerful enough to make a real difference in your daily health.
Each tea below includes its TCM properties, health benefits, brewing instructions, and guidance on who should drink it. Let us dive in.
In TCM, every herb has a nature (warm, cool, hot, or neutral), a flavor (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, or salty), and an affinity for specific organs. These three properties determine how the herb affects your body. Herbal teas are the gentlest way to introduce these healing properties into your system — they are milder than decoctions (which require prolonged simmering) but strong enough for daily therapeutic use.
Unlike Western herbalism, which often focuses on a single herb, TCM frequently combines herbs into formulas where each ingredient enhances the others and mitigates side effects. However, the single-herb teas below are safe for beginners to use independently.
Nature: Warm | Flavor: Pungent | Organs: Lung, Spleen, Stomach
Benefits: Ginger is the ultimate everyday remedy in TCM. It warms the Spleen and Stomach, disperses cold, reduces nausea, and supports healthy digestion. It is also a powerful remedy for the early stages of a cold, helping to release pathogens through sweating.
Brew: Slice 3-4 coins of fresh ginger root. Simmer in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add a touch of honey if desired.
Best for: Cold hands and feet, bloating after eating, morning nausea, early-stage cold with chills.
Avoid: If you have Heat signs (red face, sore throat, dry mouth) or excessive sweating.
Nature: Neutral | Flavor: Sweet | Organs: Liver, Kidney, Lung
Benefits: Goji berries are one of the most popular superfoods in the world, and for good reason. In TCM, they nourish Liver Blood and Kidney Essence (Yin), brighten the eyes, and moisten the Lungs. Regular consumption supports healthy aging, improves vision, and boosts energy.
Brew: Add 1 tablespoon of dried goji berries to a cup of hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Eat the softened berries after drinking for full benefit.
Best for: Dry eyes, blurry vision, lower back weakness, premature aging, dry cough.
Avoid: If you have active diarrhea or Spleen deficiency with severe dampness.
Nature: Cool | Flavor: Sweet, slightly bitter | Organs: Lung, Liver
Benefits: Chrysanthemum is the go-to tea for clearing heat and cooling the Liver. It is famous for relieving red, itchy, or dry eyes — a common complaint for anyone who works at a computer all day. It also helps with headaches caused by Liver fire rising upward.
Brew: Place 8-10 dried chrysanthemum flowers in a cup. Pour hot (not boiling) water over them. Steep for 5 minutes. Combines beautifully with goji berries.
Best for: Eye strain, headaches, irritability, fever with thirst.
Avoid: If you have a Yang deficiency (very cold body type, pale face).
Nature: Warm | Flavor: Sweet | Organs: Spleen, Stomach, Heart
Benefits: Jujube dates (red dates) are the quintessential Spleen tonic in TCM. They tonify Spleen Qi, nourish Blood, and calm the mind. They are particularly beneficial for insomnia related to worry and anxiety, and for women during menstruation.
Brew: Slit 5-6 dried jujube dates open. Simmer in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. The resulting tea is naturally sweet and deeply comforting.
Best for: Fatigue, insomnia, poor appetite, anxiety, recovery from illness.
Avoid: If you have damp-heat conditions or abdominal bloating from dampness.
Nature: Warm | Flavor: Sweet, slightly bitter | Organs: Liver, Spleen
Benefits: Rose is a beautiful remedy for moving stagnant Liver Qi. In TCM, emotional frustration, anger, and stress cause Qi to stagnate, leading to irritability, breast tenderness, and irregular menstruation. Rose tea gently moves this stuck energy and restores emotional balance.
Brew: Place 1 tablespoon of dried rose buds in a cup. Pour hot water over them and steep for 5 minutes. Drink warm.
Best for: PMS symptoms, irritability, mood swings, digestive issues related to stress.
Avoid: During pregnancy, or if you have heavy menstrual flow.
Nature: Warm | Flavor: Sweet | Organs: Heart, Spleen
Benefits: Dried longan fruit is a powerful tonic for Heart Blood and Spleen Qi. It calms the spirit (Shen), making it excellent for anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia. It is particularly beneficial for people who overthink and worry excessively, which depletes both Heart and Spleen energy.
Brew: Use 10-15 dried longan fruits. Simmer in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Combines excellently with jujube dates.
Best for: Insomnia, anxiety, poor memory, fatigue, pale complexion.
Avoid: If you have Heat patterns, acne, or damp-heat conditions.
Nature: Cool | Flavor: Pungent, aromatic | Organs: Lung, Liver
Benefits: While peppermint is familiar worldwide, in TCM it serves a specific purpose: it vents rashes, soothes the throat, and — most importantly — moves Liver Qi to relieve emotional stagnation. It is excellent for stress headaches and chest tightness from frustration.
Brew: Use 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves. Pour hot water over them and steep for 5-7 minutes. Do not simmer — this destroys the volatile oils.
Best for: Stress headaches, chest tightness, sore throat, early cold with fever.
Avoid: If you are nursing (peppermint can reduce milk supply), or have Qi deficiency.
Nature: Slightly warm | Flavor: Sour, sweet | Organs: Spleen, Stomach, Liver
Benefits: Hawthorn is the premier herb for digestion of rich, fatty foods. It reduces food stagnation, lowers cholesterol, and improves circulation. If you have overindulged in a heavy meal, hawthorn tea is your best friend. It is also used to support cardiovascular health.
Brew: Use 1 tablespoon of dried hawthorn slices. Simmer in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add rock sugar or honey to balance the sourness.
Best for: Indigestion from overeating, bloating, high cholesterol, poor circulation.
Avoid: If you have stomach ulcers or excessive stomach acid.
Nature: Neutral | Flavor: Sweet | Organs: All twelve meridians (especially Spleen, Heart, Lung)
Benefits: Licorice is known as the "great harmonizer" in TCM. It tonifies Spleen Qi, moistens the Lungs, clears heat, and detoxifies. It is included in countless TCM formulas because it harmonizes the actions of other herbs and reduces their toxicity. On its own, it makes a soothing, naturally sweet tea.
Brew: Use 2-3 slices of dried licorice root. Simmer in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes.
Best for: Fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, detoxification, adrenal support.
Avoid: If you have high blood pressure, water retention, or are on diuretic medications. Do not use long-term in high doses.
Nature: Warm | Flavor: All five flavors (sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, salty) | Organs: Heart, Kidney, Lung, Liver, Spleen
Benefits: Schisandra is unique because it contains all five flavors recognized in TCM, allowing it to enter all five Yin organs. It calms the Shen (spirit), contains leakage of Lung Qi (reducing sweating and cough), generates fluids, and tonifies Kidney energy. It is also a renowned adaptogen that helps the body resist stress.
Brew: Use 1 tablespoon of dried schisandra berries. Steep in hot water for 10 minutes. The complex sour-sweet flavor is uniquely refreshing.
Best for: Chronic stress, night sweats, chronic diarrhea, poor sleep, mental fatigue, low libido.
Avoid: If you have internal Heat with high fever, or early-stage cold/flu.
Selecting the right herbal tea depends on your current constitution and symptoms. Here is a quick guide:
While these teas are generally safe for regular use, keep the following in mind:
Herbal teas are also intimately connected to emotional health. Each emotion in TCM affects specific organs — for instance, anger impacts the Liver (where rose and peppermint teas help), while fear depletes the Kidneys (where goji berries shine). Explore this fascinating connection in our article on How Emotions Affect Your Organs in TCM.
And for the best results, align your tea choices with the seasons. Late summer is the perfect time for Earth-element herbs like jujube dates and hawthorn. Discover more in our Late Summer Earth Element Nutrition Guide.
Herbal teas are just the beginning. SEASONS Wellness helps you discover the perfect foods, teas, and lifestyle practices for your unique constitution — all based on authentic Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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