Instead of drinking ice-cold beverage or eat ice-cream in hot summer, Chinese traditional medicine considers that drinking hot infusion is one of best practices used to against intense summer heat.
Traditional Chinese medicine, with thousand years of study and practice, records the heating (Yang阳) and cooling (Yin 阴) properties of natural plants, herbs and foods. Various herbs, teas and fruits with cooling properties, which are not necessarily related to temperature, but to lower amount of oxidation, are used in our daily life in order to provide a long holistic effect of cooling and to clean toxins cumulated through heavy summer season.
Here are 3 most used summer hot beverages in China, as well as throughout other parts of East Asia:
1. Green tea, which has lowest amount of oxidation, is considered the tea with the most cooling properties and anti-UV effect.
2. Lotus leaf tea, the bitter but lightly fragranted lotus leaf offers great cooling properties in driving out the inflamation caused by summer heat; adding several roses and some honey will make it a diva drink for girls.
3. Green bean soup: green bean is the most used ingrediant in summer food in China and has high cooling properties and detoxins thanks to its lightly oxidized feature. Chinese elderly often welcome their kids after school or work with a bowl of green bean soup sweetened by crystal sugar.
Why not try those drinks this summer to see whether they provide long healing and cooling effect?
Just a reminder, there are only two weeks to go in our theme-based virtual summer camp! Try it to refresh your knowledge about Chinese language.
(Photo source: Internet)