Can Honeysuckle and Chrysanthemum be steeped together in water for consumption?
Apr 21, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, honeysuckle and chrysanthemum can be steeped together in water for consumption. Honeysuckle is cold in nature and sweet in taste, possessing functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as dispersing wind-heat. Chrysanthemum is slightly cold in nature with a sweet and bitter taste, and it helps dispel wind, clear heat, soothe the liver, and improve vision. When used together, they enhance each other's effects in clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat, providing effective relief for symptoms such as wind-heat感冒 (wind-heat感冒 should be translated as "wind-heat感冒" is a TCM term for a type of cold/flu), sore throat, red and swollen eyes, and pain associated with these conditions.
Generally speaking, honeysuckle and chrysanthemum can be steeped together in water for consumption, but moderation is important. The specific analysis is as follows:
Honeysuckle and chrysanthemum are both commonly used traditional Chinese herbs. Honeysuckle is cold in nature and sweet in taste, with functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat. Chrysanthemum is slightly cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and has effects of dispersing wind and clearing heat, soothing the liver, and improving vision. When used together, they can enhance each other's effects in clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat, providing good relief for symptoms such as wind-heat common cold, sore throat, red and swollen eyes, and pain. Therefore, for individuals with a heat-prone constitution experiencing the above symptoms, drinking water steeped with both honeysuckle and chrysanthemum is appropriate.
However, both honeysuckle and chrysanthemum are cold in nature, and when steeped together, the cold nature becomes even stronger. Excessive consumption may damage the body's yang energy, especially the yang energy of the spleen and stomach, leading to a decline in digestive function and symptoms such as loss of appetite, indigestion, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. People who already have a weak spleen and stomach or a cold constitution should especially pay attention to controlling the amount consumed, as excessive intake may worsen existing cold-related symptoms.
When selecting honeysuckle and chrysanthemum, attention should be paid to the quality of the herbs. Inferior quality herbs should be avoided to ensure the effectiveness of the infusion.
