Chrysanthemum tea
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| Chrysanthemum tea | |||||||||||
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Chinese: | 菊花茶 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning: | chrysanthemum tea | ||||||||||
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| Korean name | |||||||||||
| Hangul: | 국화차 | ||||||||||
| Hanja: | 菊花茶 | ||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||
| Vietnamese: | trà bông cúc | ||||||||||
Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers of the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, which are most popular in East Asia. To prepare the tea, chrysanthemum flowers (usually dried) are steeped in hot water (usually 90 to 95 degrees Celsius after cooling from a boil) in either a teapot, cup, or glass; often rock sugar is also added, and occasionally also wolfberries.photo The resulting drink is transparent and ranges from pale to bright yellow in color, with a floral aroma. In Chinese tradition, once a pot of chrysanthemum tea has been drunk, hot water is typically added again to the flowers in the pot (producing a tea that is slightly less strong); this process is often repeated several times.
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[edit] Varieties
Several varieties of chrysanthemum, ranging from white to pale or bright yellow in color, are used for tea. These include:
- Huángshān Gòngjú (黄山贡菊, literally "Yellow Mountain tribute chrysanthemum"; also called simply Gòngjú (贡菊)
- Hángbáijú (杭白菊), originating from Tongxiang, near Hangzhou; also called simply Hángjú, (杭菊)
- Chújú (滁菊), originating from the Chuzhou district of Anhui
- Bójú (亳菊), originating in the Bozhou district of Anhui
The flower is called gek huay in Thai.
Of these, the first two are most popular. Some varieties feature a prominent yellow flower headphoto while others do not.photo
[edit] Medicinal use
Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza and as a "cooling" herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In Korea, it is known well for its medicinal use for making people more alert and is often used to waken themselves. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.
In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to treat the eyes, and is said to clear the liver and the eyes.[citation needed] The liver is associated with the eyes and the liver is associated with anger, stress, and related emotions. It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin/fluid deficiency. It is also used to treat blurring, spots in front of the eyes, diminished vision, and dizziness.
[edit] Commercially available chrysanthemum tea
Although typically prepared at home, chrysanthemum tea is also available as a beverage in many Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese ones), and is also available from various drinks outlets in East Asia as well as Asian grocery stores outside Asia in canned or packed form. Due to its medicinal value, it may also be available at Traditional Chinese medicine outlets, often mixed with other ingredients.
