How to Eat Houttuynia Cordata (Fish Mint) for Best Results

Houttuynia cordata (also known as “fishy-smelling herb” or “fish mint”) is a relatively common edible plant in daily life and can be combined with numerous ingredients to create delicious dishes. However, its specific culinary applications are not widely understood. So, what is the best way to consume Houttuynia cordata?

What Is the Best Way to Consume Houttuynia Cordata?

As a natural antibiotic, Houttuynia cordata exerts anti-inflammatory and heat-clearing effects, making it particularly suitable for individuals with damp-heat accumulation in the spleen and stomach. To preserve its full nutritional profile, Houttuynia cordata may be consumed raw in cold salads, stir-fried with eggs, or steamed with chicken after thorough washing. Note that individuals with deficiency-cold constitution or impaired liver function should avoid consuming Houttuynia cordata.

There are many ways to prepare Houttuynia cordata, but steeping it in boiling water—effectively making a tea—is considered the optimal method for maximizing its therapeutic benefits. Additionally, it can be combined with other foods such as tofu or fish, yielding equally favorable results. Houttuynia cordata plays a vital role in human health: it clears heat and detoxifies, resolves abscesses and promotes pus discharge, promotes diuresis and eliminates dampness, and strengthens the spleen while aiding digestion.

Houttuynia cordata helps control inflammation—especially respiratory tract inflammation—and serves as an effective adjunctive therapy for patients with respiratory infections. It also exhibits antiviral activity, clears heat, treats urinary tract infections, and functions as a potent diuretic. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests certain anticancer properties, with potential adjunctive therapeutic effects against gastric cancer, lung cancer, choriocarcinoma, melanoma, and colorectal cancer. We hope this information proves helpful!