White Chrysanthemum Tea – Gong Ju Hua Cha

Chrysanthemum tea is one of China’s most well known teas and for good reason. Its high mineral content of iron, magnesium and calcium and vitamins C, B, niacin and beta carotene has made it invaluable for its many health benefits.  It’s rich in antioxidants so great for detoxing; its vitamin B content is great for de-stressing as it calms the nerves and in traditional Chinese medicine it’s know for its cooling properties.

This is a tea to drink any time but is particularly delicious on those hot days when you long to cool down. Another good time to drink this tea is in the morning when you wake feeling that perhaps you are about to get a cold or your sinuses are a bit blocked; it is also traditionally used in Chinese Medicine for relieving headaches, strengthening the lungs and relieving eye strain and blurred vision and generally reducing inflammation. It’s also a good idea to drink chrysanthemum tea after meal time as it helps digestion when food is on the  oily side.

Many tea lovers like to drink this tea when they come home using their favorite transparent glass tea pot which is essential for the experience. A few dried chrysanthemum flowers can already make you an excellent cup of chrysanthemum tea. An important point is that the water needs to be hot but not boiling (90-95 degrees C); boiling water would destroy the beneficial properties of the tea. The hot water quickly has its effect and the petals unfold revealing beautiful golden yellow floating chrysanthemum flowers meanwhile their delicate yet earthy fragrance is released. Let the flowers steep for up to five minutes while you will enjoy sitting back watching them float on the surface of the transparent yellow chrysanthemum tea  – it really is a meditative experience after a long day’s work.  Then to drink the tea; its refreshing taste is delicate and earthy at the same time and reminiscent of chamomile tea – if you prefer a sweeter taste honey or rock sugar can be added to the water before adding the dried flowers.

If you are allergic to flowers it is recommended not to drink chrysanthemum tea to avoid allergic reactions; diabetic and insulin users should avoid all chrysanthemum products and those using hypertension medication, anti-bacterials, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatories should also avoid using chrysanthemum tea.