Osmanthus and Fig Tea

Why people make this tea

Osmanthus is one of Nourilo’s favourite flower teas — on every trip to Guilin he would buy the local golden osmanthus, fragrant and unforgettable steeped with oolong. Here he pairs it with dried figs for a tea traditionally enjoyed to nourish the complexion and moisten the lungs, gentle enough to sip over the long term.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Adults and children who want a fragrant, soothing daily tea
• Helpful for people with a weaker stomach, a scratchy throat or a hoarse voice
• Often appreciated by women around menopause, as figs contain plant compounds traditionally associated with easing menopausal sleeplessness, hot flushes and mood swings

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Golden osmanthus (jin gui hua): prized for its fragrance, traditionally associated with lifting the mood, easing phlegm and a cough, and freshening the breath
• Dried figs (wu hua guo): rich in polyphenols traditionally linked with protecting the skin from free-radical damage, and containing estrogen-like plant compounds often valued by women around menopause

Ingredients (1 pot)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Golden osmanthus flowers	1 tbsp	—
Dried figs	4	Halved

Method

1. Cut the figs in half and place with the osmanthus in a pot.
2. Rinse once with boiling water, then refill with boiling water.
3. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Drink, re-steeping until the flavour fades.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fine for the whole family, and helpful when the stomach is weak or the throat feels scratchy. For the best flavour, choose better-quality figs — slightly pricier ones make a far tastier tea.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Kathy): Should I use the small, whitish, hard “soup” figs, or the softer ready-to-eat dried ones? Nourilo: Soft or hard, both work for soup or tea — the key is that they have no sour taste and no chemical smell.

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Published June 28, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.