Red Date and Longan Tea: Traditional Uses, Recipe and Preparation
A pot of red date and longan tea brings gentle sweetness to a quiet breakfast or an afternoon pause. This familiar drink belongs to the Chinese confinement tradition, or zuo yue zi (坐月子), when families prepare warm meals and drinks for a new mother.
Here is a simple recipe using loose ingredients, with variations and separate directions for Golden Month tea packs. Enjoy it as a comforting drink; traditional use is not clinical proof of recovery or breastfeeding benefits.
Red date and longan tea
Simmer: 20–30 minutes Starting water: 1 liter, about 4¼ US cups. The finished amount varies with evaporation.
Ingredients
- 6–8 dried red dates (jujubes, 红枣)
- 10 g dried longan flesh
- 1 liter water
- Optional: 2–3 slices fresh ginger
- Optional: a small piece of Chinese black sugar (黑糖), to taste
Method
- Rinse the dates and longan. Remove the date pits and slice the flesh into two or three pieces.
- Put the dates, longan, water, and optional ginger in a pot. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, uncovered or partially covered, until the tea is amber and the fruit has softened.
- Taste before adding optional black sugar. Strain into a cup, or enjoy the softened fruit with the tea, checking carefully for any remaining pits. Let it cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.
Small changes, different flavors
Start with the recipe above and adjust one thing at a time. There is no single version followed by every family.
- With goji berries: Add 10 g rinsed goji berries during the final 5 minutes. Keep the dates and longan for a three-fruit version.
- More ginger: Use 3–5 slices from the start, replacing the optional 2–3 slices above. This gives a stronger ginger flavor.
- A sweeter finish: Stir in a small piece of black sugar at the end only if needed. Dates and longan already contribute sweetness.
Where can I buy red dates and longan in the US?
US Asian grocery stores and online Asian grocers are useful places to start. These retailers list ingredients for this recipe:
- Weee!: Its dry-goods selection includes dried jujubes and dried seedless longan. Enter your ZIP code to check the selection and delivery options for your address.
- H Mart: Look for jujubes sold as Chinese red dates. Check the online listing or ask your local store about dried-fruit availability before making a trip.
- 99 Ranch Market: Its catalog includes dried seedless longan. You can also ask your local store for dried red jujubes in the dried-fruit or soup-ingredient section.
What to look for on the label: Buy dried red dates labeled “jujube,” “hong zao,” or 红枣/紅棗. For longan, choose shelled, pitted dried flesh labeled “dried seedless longan,” “longan aril,” or 桂圆肉/桂圓肉. This recipe uses dried fruit; Medjool dates and canned longan in syrup will give a different result.
Brands, stock, and delivery options vary by location. Check the ingredient list for added sugar or other ingredients before choosing.
Loose ingredients or a pre-portioned pack?
Loose ingredients let you adjust the fruit and ginger yourself. A pre-portioned pack saves measuring, but its ingredients and cooking directions can differ from this quick recipe. Some blends include herbs such as codonopsis, fenugreek, or astragalus. Check the actual pack’s ingredient list before choosing it.
For Golden Month tea packs: Use one pack with 1.3 liters of water, adding 3 ginger slices if desired. Reserve the goji berries. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, then cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding the goji berries during the final 5 minutes. The expected finished amount is 600 mL–1 liter, depending on evaporation.
Making tea ahead
Refrigerate leftover tea and fruit promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Do not leave a pot on the counter or keep tea lukewarm in a thermos all day. Reheat only what you plan to drink. These precautions follow USDA guidance for cooked leftovers.
Common questions
Which dates should I buy?
Look for dried red dates labeled “jujube” or 红枣 at an Asian grocery store. Medjool dates come from a different plant. Fresh jujubes also give a different result; this recipe uses dried fruit.
What does the tradition say about red dates?
Traditional Chinese medicine describes red dates as sweet and warming, with uses associated with Qi and blood. These are traditional concepts, not evidence that the tea treats anemia or speeds healing. Follow prescribed treatment for an iron deficiency.
Does red date tea increase breast milk?
A warm cup of red date and longan tea can be a comforting part of your breastfeeding routine. If you enjoy the ritual, it offers a moment to sit down, savor a familiar flavor, and feel cared for, especially when someone else prepares it for you.
Comfort matters during feeding. Stress can affect the let-down reflex, which releases milk from the breast. A quiet, comfortable setting and practical support can make breastfeeding more enjoyable. If tea is something you find soothing, it can be part of that setting.
These benefits of a supportive routine do not establish that red date tea itself reduces stress or increases milk supply. Regular, effective feeding or pumping remains central to building supply. A lactation professional can help with any concerns; breastfeeding difficulties are not a failure to relax. Check added herbal ingredients with your clinician.
Can I drink it during pregnancy or after a C-section?
Ask your obstetric care team about the specific ingredients, particularly in a packaged herbal blend. After a C-section, follow your surgical team’s eating and drinking instructions. Family customs do not establish a medically recommended starting day.
How much should I drink?
There is no established postpartum dose for this recipe. If you take medication or manage diabetes or blood sugar, discuss the ingredients with your clinician or pharmacist. Dried fruit contributes sugar even without added sweetener. Herbs can also interact with medicines; NCCIH’s guidance explains why checking matters.
