Homemade Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Gui Zhi Tang) Tea Recipe
As cooler weather settles in and winter approaches, our immune systems can use a little extra support to stay resilient—and to bounce back when a cold strikes. Along with rest and gentle self-care, adding a few simple, warming teas to your routine can help ease symptoms and support a speedier recovery.
In East Asian medicine, one of the most common herbal remedies for symptoms of the common cold when accompanied by chills, stiff neck or headaches, achy muscles, clear runny nose, foggy head, and fatigue is called Cinnamon Twig decoction. In this herbal remedy, five herbs including cinnamon twig, fresh ginger, white peony, red dates, and honey fried licorice are combined and boiled as a tea for a delicious and supportive formula. You can make your own homemade version of the recipe with several ingredients you likely already have available in your kitchen. It’s a delicious way to stay warm, nourished, and supported throughout the winter months.
Homemade Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Gui Zhi Tang) Tea Recipe
2-4c water
2-3 slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1/4-1 tsp black strap molasses OR honey
Directions
Bring small pot of water to a boil
Add ginger slices and cinnamon stick to boiling water, reduce to simmer and cover
Simmer covered for 15-20min to keep aromatics inside the pot
Add small amount of black strap molasses or honey to taste
Drink as tea – yum!
Cinnamon is a commonly used household spice and a highly utilized herb in traditional medicinal formulas throughout Asia for its warming, blood moving properties. According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center “About Herbs” herbal pharmacotherapy reference guide, in vitro studies have shown that cinnamon has antioxidant, ant-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antitumor and antiestrogenic properties, and may indicate its varied uses in many traditional medical formulas.
Ginger is also a highly useful food-grade herb found in many medical traditions throughout the world. Perhaps best known for its anti-nausea effects, ginger has other properties that help to relieve indigestion and calm the digestive tract, reduce inflammation, and may even help support the respiratory tract in protecting against viral infections.
Black strap molasses is a naturally occurring source of iron, helps support building blood and good quality sleep. It is an easily available household substitute for the tart, astringent properties of dried white peony bulb.
We hope you enjoy this tea and that you and yours stay warm and healthy this fall and winter season!
1.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2021, June 8). About Herbs: Cinnamon. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/cinnamon
2.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2021, June 30). About Herbs: Ginger. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ginger
