Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea is a delicately sweet delicious nourishing tea to revitalize blood, balances mood and spirit, beautifies the skin, delays aging, filled with antioxidants and just what your body needs to recover and heal.
Red dates, or jujubes, are known as China’s “cure-all fruit” and have 70 to 80 times more vitamin C than grapes and apples. Chinese Red Dates are plump dried dates that are a deep red and have a pit on the inside and are naturally sweet and nourishing. They’ve also got plenty of vitamin A, B1, B2, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium and are known for enriching and replenishing the blood (great for post-surgery, postpartum, or after a woman's period).
Did you know that the month of May is International Pelvic Pain Month awareness month by the International Pelvic Pain Society? We could not think of a better way to bring attention to this issue then by making our readers aware of some natural herbal ways to prevent and treat pelvic pain. Healthy World Cuisine and Root + Spring are working together to feature a 3-recipe series with Goji Berry and Red Date Herbal Tea, Dried Ginger & Palm Coconut Tea and a Women’s Health Soup.
Goji berries are known as Gou Qi Zi (also known as wolfberries, boxthorn, and matrimony vine) and have been part of the Chinese diet for over 2000 years and a common Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) supplement to prevent many ailments. The goji berries are red/deep orange in color and about the size of a raisin when dried.
Goji berries are high in anti-oxidants and nutrients, improve immunity, promotes healthy skin, protects the eyes, stabilizes blood sugar, detoxifies the liver, elevates mood and help promotes fertility. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tends to believe that it goji berries treat common functions and are nourishing for the liver and kidney and help moisten the lungs.
Goji berries are healthy. However, if you are currently taking warfarin (blood thinner), certain diabetes medications and certain blood pressure medicines you may want to speak with your health care provider before taking goji berries as they may interact.
Both Goji berries and red dates have their different functions for maintaining health, but in general they help strengthening one’s qi and make the blood circulation better. If a woman is looking to increase the health and circulation of blood, get glowing skin, and reap anti-aging properties, this is a great natural concoction to have regularly.
GIRLY SECTION.... (Men please skip down to the manly man section below)
In terms of optimal timing of when to drink during the month, in correlation with a women’s menses, any time is fine if you have a small amount of the Goji Berries and Red Dates herbal tea regularly. Otherwise, the time after your menses finishes is most suitable because it is when you need to replenish the blood you have lost (especially if your menstruation is heavy or longer in duration). Almost all Chinese women follow that during the last part of their menstruation circle it is good to have some Goji Berries and Red Dates tea with rock sugar, because it can alleviate the pain of menstruation and help remove the old blood flow. A primary philosophy of TCM is that when there is not enough qi and blood or if the qi or blood are stuck in an area, it will cause an imbalance between Yin and Yang. Because of this imbalance, internal organs won't function optimally and illness and pain develop. Making sure you have a clean, healthy cycle is important not only for a manageable menses but to maintain overall order within your immune system and function.
MANLY MAN SECTION....
Hey we would would never leave you guys out! Did you know that goji berries and red dates herbal tea is super high in anti-oxidants and helps with infertility and helps increase sperm count. So, there you have it! This tea is not just for us girls.
From a Western perspective, Goji berries can increase the blood flow in the body. When eaten in excess, they can speed of the blood flow goes up beyond normal and can cause adverse conditions. It may cause increased bleeding if taken during the menses and with hemophiliacs. Therefore, Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea should best be taken BEFORE or AFTER menses.
If you suffer from "chronic excruciating pelvic pain" (endometriosis, pudendal neuralgia, IC, etc. or undiagnosed) don't suffer in silence. Feel free to reach out to us in confidence at [email protected] and we can help direct you to resources in your community or contact the International Pelvic Society.
Goji Berries and Red Dates Tea is one delicious tea. We prefer to drink it hot as it is soothing and delicious and best for digestion but it can also be served cool. Chinese red dates are considered a warming food so take in moderation if have a heaty disposition. To learn what it means to have a heaty disposition, please read the 5 Energies of Food. If you like your tea extra sweet, you can add some rock sugar. After you make your tea, feel free to eat the red dates but be mindful for the pit. We find that the goji berries have pretty much lost their flavor after you brew the tea but the dates are super moist, sweet and delicious.
You can order Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea can be ordered on line from Root + Spring. This classic herbal mix good for, poor blood circulation, painful menstrual cycle, postpartum, insomnia, anxiety and cramps. Root + Spring is your go to online store for all your Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal needs. Root + Spring is a Chinese family-owned medicine shop located in Los Angeles, California, USA. They provide a selection of popular patent medicine and handcraft exceptional herbal soup and tea blends in small batches.
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Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea
Ingredients
- 1 cup Goji Berries and Red Date Herbal Tea or about 8 dried Chinese red dates and ½ cup dried goji berries - We used Root + Spring Goji Berries and Red Date "Blood Vitalizer" Herbal Tea
- 8-10 cups water
Instructions
- Give the goji berries and red dates a gentle rinse under cool, running water.
- In a pot, combine the goji berries, red dates and water.
- Cover and bring to a boil before lowering heat and simmering for an hour.
- If you prefer your tea sweeter, stir in rock sugar until dissolved.
- Goji berry and red dates herbal tea can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Christine H. says
Thank you for this wonderful post. Do you happen to know what property in the goji berries that increases bleeding during a woman's cycle. I am curious to know if it is anti-platelet or anti-coagulant property.
I am slowly integrating TCM into my life and my family. My mum would incorporate many of these ingredients in her soups and teas, which I devoured them all. It's been years, and I took it all for granted when my mum would randomly talk about healing properties of whatever the ingredients she was using at the time. It was possibly to encourage us kids to eat it!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Christine. We are delighted that you are slowly integrating TCM into your daily life. In regards to your question about what "property" in goji berries that causes increased bleeding during a women's cycle. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, goji berries are a tonifying herb and have the properties/elements of warming and blood moving. If one is already mid-cycle and flowing hard, the goji berries may increase the bleeding effect. This is why we advise to wait after menses to nourish and replenish. In regards to your question is it an anti-platelet or anti-coagulant property, this is relevant if a patient is on warfarin (blood thinner). Studies have shown that goji berries can significantly increase prothrombin time when administered alongside warfarin. The effect is a change in the clotting cascade which results in a longer clotting time - increased anticoagulation. You may also be interested in our Spleen Qi Diet and Meal Plan. We hope this helps. Stay well and take care
Amanda says
Should you remove the pit of the dates before adding them to the tea?
HWC Magazine says
Hi Amanda! There is no need to remove the red date pit before adding them to the pot to steep. Actually, it is best not to so you achieve a clearer tea. However, we do love eating the steeped dates after we make the tea and we just eat around the pit.
Megan says
Hi there, I plan to start making & drinking this tea to aid with Fertility.
I bought dried red dates. Is that ok? Or do they need to be non dried?
Thanks!
HWC Magazine says
Hi Megan, perfect! We always used dried red dates for the tea. Always rinse them first before steeping. Enjoy and please take care
Emi says
can I mix gojiberry & jujube with luo han guo & chrysantenum?
HWC Magazine says
Hi there Emi! Yes, you can add luo han guo and jujubes but they are both quite sweet. So you may want to adjust your ingredients accordingly. Stay well and take care
Sandy Goddard says
How often can you drink this?
HWC Magazine says
Hello Sandy! It depends on any underlying medical conditions that you may have. It is always best to consult with your physician before starting any new therapy. In a healthy person without diabetes or a bleeding disorder, you can drink one cup everyday or for a few days after your menses'. We usually drink this tea once a day for 3 days after menses. However, your doctor would know best about any of your conditions that may prevent from drinking this every day.
Diana says
Can you drink this tea during pregnancy?
HWC Magazine says
Hi Diana, we do not recommend that you drink or eat goji berries or (a lot of them) during pregnancy as it can cause problems. You should run this by your OB GYN. However, after the baby is born, drinking Goji Berry and Red Dates Herbal Tea is a great way to replenish and nourish your body, once your physician gives you the okay.
Denise says
Do you know the caloric content of this tea?
HWC Magazine says
Denise there are 58 calories per serving/8 ounces. All of our recipes have the calorie count at the bottom of the recipe card. Hope you enjoy our Goji berry and red date herbal tea recipe.
Jhaanu says
Hello dear ,
Can i drink this tea everyday ? If so how many cups can i drink in a day . Great article btw . Thank u so much .
HWC Magazine says
Hello Jhaanu, it depends on any underlying medical conditions that you have. It is always best to consult with your physician before starting any new therapy. In a healthy person without diabetes or a bleeding disorder, you can drink one cup everyday or for a few days after your mensus. However, your doctor would know best about any of your conditions that may prevent from drinking this every day.