Can I drink honeysuckle tea if I have a cold or feel chilly?

Generally, under specific circumstances, individuals with cold body constitution can moderately consume honeysuckle. Detailed explanation is as follows:

Although honeysuckle is relatively cold in nature, its cold properties can be neutralized by combining it with warming ingredients. For example, steeping it together with ginger and red dates can preserve honeysuckle's heat-clearing properties while utilizing ginger's warming effect and red dates' nourishing qualities, thus reducing negative impacts on the body's internal cold condition. When experiencing internal heatiness or slight throat discomfort, drinking a small amount of honeysuckle prepared this way can help alleviate discomfort and avoid exacerbating cold body symptoms that may occur from drinking honeysuckle alone, enabling the body to gain benefits while maintaining a balance between cold and heat.

When consuming honeysuckle, attention should be paid to avoiding excessive intake when steeping alone—3-5 grams per serving is sufficient—and it shouldn't be consumed continuously for prolonged periods. Warm-natured ingredients such as ginger and longan should ideally be used during preparation to neutralize its cold nature. During winter or when the body clearly exhibits cold intolerance, the frequency of consumption should be reduced or discontinued altogether. If symptoms such as diarrhea or worsening cold hands and feet occur after consumption, usage should be stopped immediately. Additionally, it is not advisable to consume large quantities of honeysuckle together with other cold-natured foods such as crab and watermelon. Maintaining warm and nourishing dietary habits in daily life, along with moderate exercise to improve cold body constitution, remains important.