Can drinking rose tea cause “internal heat”?
May 14, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. He Haochen
Introduction
Drinking rose petal tea typically does not cause “internal heat” (a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM). “Internal heat” refers broadly in TCM to a constellation of symptoms believed to result from an excess of pathogenic heat within the body. Common manifestations include facial flushing and red eyes, oral ulcers or tongue sores, purulent ear discharge, mouth ulcers, swollen and painful gums, sore throat, skin abscesses, furuncles, carbuncles, or ulcers, as well as localized redness, swelling, heat, and pain. Additional symptoms may include dark, scanty urine and constipation.
Many women, seeking skin whitening and improved complexion, believe in and purchase rose tea for its purported benefits. Indeed, rose tea offers certain health advantages—but like all foods, it also has potential drawbacks. So, does drinking rose tea cause “internal heat” (a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM)?
Does drinking rose tea cause “internal heat”?
Drinking rose tea generally does not cause “internal heat.” In TCM, “internal heat” refers to a constellation of symptoms believed to arise from excessive “heat pathogens” within the body. Common manifestations include facial flushing, bloodshot eyes, oral ulcers, ear discharge, tongue sores, gum swelling and pain, sore throat, skin abscesses, boils, carbuncles, or furuncles—often accompanied by localized redness, swelling, warmth, and pain—as well as short, dark-yellow urination and constipation. According to TCM theory, such symptoms stem from internal heat pathogens, which may be either excess heat (e.g., due to external pathogenic factors or dietary excess) or deficient heat (e.g., arising from depletion of yin fluids in the spleen and stomach, leading to relative yang hyperactivity).
Certain foods and herbs are considered more likely to induce “internal heat,” especially those that are spicy, stimulating, or warming in nature. Consumption of such items may exacerbate pre-existing internal heat or deplete the body’s yin fluids, thereby triggering symptoms of deficient heat. Rose petals are classified in TCM as mildly warming, with primary actions of soothing the liver, relieving stagnation, invigorating blood circulation, and dispelling blood stasis—not as strongly warming or heat-inducing substances.
Moreover, rose tea does not significantly deplete the body’s yin fluids. Therefore, regular consumption of rose tea typically does not provoke “internal heat” symptoms. We hope this explanation proves helpful!
