Every time my mom visits, she makes a pot of longan red date tea with a touch of ginger. The whole house fills with a comforting, warming sweetness. This tea, using dried longan and dried red dates, is deliciously sippable and one of the most beloved drinks in traditional Chinese postpartum care.
I first started making it myself after my second baby was born, and I now keep a batch in the fridge almost constantly during the colder months. It’s grounding and restorative, and refreshing at the same time.
Once you have the ingredients, it’s easy to make and you can prepare packets of dried ingredients in advance.
Longan Red Date Tea Benefits
In traditional zuo yue zi practice, warming, nourishing drinks are as important as food. The postpartum body is considered energetically depleted and vulnerable to “cold” — and this tea addresses that beautifully. Every ingredient has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to replenish blood, restore energy, and support recovery after birth.
From a modern nutritional science standpoint, each ingredient also brings something meaningful to the table. Below is a breakdown of what’s in this tea and why it matters for postpartum healing.
Functional Ingredients for Postpartum Recovery
To truly understand the longan red date tea benefits, it helps to look at the individual ingredients that make up this restorative tonic.
Dried Longan (龙眼, Lóng Yǎn)
Fresh longan is a tropical fruit similar in taste and texture to lychee — juicy, floral, and slightly sweet. Dried longan is something else entirely: intensely sweet, chewy, and almost like candy (I may or may not be snacking on it as I write).
In Chinese, lóng yǎn means “dragon’s eye” — a reference to the fruit’s appearance when peeled, with its dark seed visible through translucent white flesh, resembling an eye.
In TCM, dried longan is considered one of the most important foods for postpartum recovery. It is prescribed to “invigorate chi, calm spirits, and activate blood,” a trifecta that speaks directly to the exhaustion, emotional vulnerability, and blood loss that follow childbirth (Shang et al., 2020).
Clinically, longan contains polyphenols and antioxidants that support cellular repair and reduce oxidative stress — both relevant during the physically demanding postpartum period (Huang et al., 2012).
In this recipe: Dried longan is the backbone of the tea’s sweetness and depth. It is available at most Asian supermarkets in the dried goods aisle.
Red Dates / Jujube (红枣, Hóng Zǎo)
Red dates, also known as jujubes, are perhaps the most foundational ingredient in Chinese postpartum cooking. In TCM, they are prescribed to “nourish blood, strengthen the spleen, and calm the spirit,” making them one of the most commonly recommended foods for new mothers (Aimin TCM Clinic, 2026).
From a nutritional standpoint, red dates are a meaningful source of Vitamin C, which plays a critical role in iron absorption, particularly important postpartum, when iron stores are depleted by blood loss during delivery. About three pieces of red date contains 77% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C (Tan, 2025). They are also high in potassium and antioxidants, and support immune function and gut health.
In this recipe: Cutting slits into the dates (or halving them) allows their deep, caramel-like flavor and nutrients to fully steep into the tea.
Fresh Ginger (生姜, Shēng Jiāng)
Ginger is a foundational ingredient in zuo yue zi cooking, and for good reason. In TCM, fresh ginger warms the middle, promotes circulation, and helps dispel “cold” from the postpartum body. It is also prescribed to relieve uterine cramping and support the healthy discharge of lochia (Negi et al., 2021).
Clinically, ginger is a well-studied vasodilator — meaning it promotes blood flow — and has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties relevant to postpartum recovery. (Bode & Dong, 2011)
In this recipe: I use 5–6 slices of fresh ginger and don’t bother peeling it. The ginger adds a gentle warmth without overwhelming the floral sweetness of the longan and dates.
Goji Berries (枸杞, Gǒu Qǐ) (Optional)
Goji berries are an optional but lovely addition to this tea, adding a subtle tartness and a beautiful pop of color. In TCM, goji berries are used to nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, brighten the eyes, and replenish Jing (vital essence) — making them a natural addition to any postpartum recovery formula.
Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, and iron. (Vidović et al., 2022) They’re also a delicious snack.
In this recipe: Add a small handful during the last few minutes of simmering to preserve their color and delicate flavor.
Taiwanese Brown Sugar / Molasses (台灣黑糖)
Taiwanese brown sugar, also called black sugar (hēi táng, 黑糖), is a minimally refined cane sugar with a deep, almost smoky molasses flavor. It has long been used in Chinese women’s health as a warming, blood-nourishing tonic — traditionally given during menstruation and the postpartum period. I substitute molasses if I don’t have it, since I usually have molasses in my pantry thanks to my gingerbread cookie-loving kid.
From a nutritional standpoint, both Taiwanese brown sugar and blackstrap molasses contain trace amounts of iron and minerals compared to refined white sugar, though the amounts are modest. The more meaningful benefit may be their role in making warming, nourishing drinks more palatable and sustainable — a cup of tea you actually look forward to drinking is one you’ll drink consistently.
In this recipe: I use 1 tablespoon of molasses or Taiwanese brown sugar. Regular brown sugar works as a substitute, though the flavor will be lighter. Taiwanese brown sugar can be found at most Asian supermarkets or online.
Instructions
1. Prep the Dates
Cut slits into the sides of each red date, or slice them in half. This is the most important step — it opens the fruit and allows its full flavor and nutrients to steep into the tea. Don’t skip it.
2. Prep the Ginger
Slice the ginger into 5–6 pieces. There’s no need to peel it.
3. Combine and Boil
Add the red dates, dried longan, ginger slices, goji berries (optional) and sugar or molasses to a pot with 2 liters (just over 2 quarts) of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Simmer
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. As my mom says: simmer until the red dates lose their flavor — meaning they’ve given everything they have to the tea.
5. Strain and Serve
Turn off the heat, strain and pour the tea into a teapot or pitcher, and serve warm. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and can be reheated as needed. If you’re not postpartum, it’s also very refreshing served iced.
Longan Red Date Tea (龙眼红枣茶)
Equipment
- 1 medium to large pot
Ingredients
- 10 dried red dates (jujubes), about 70g slits cut into the sides or halved
- 1 large handful dried longan, about 40g
- 5-6 slices fresh ginger, about 30g no need to peel
- 1 small handful goji berries, about 10g optional
- 1 tbsp molasses or Taiwanese brown sugar regular brown sugar also works
- 2 liters water just over 2 quarts
Instructions
- Prep the dates: Cut slits into the sides of each red date or slice in half to allow the flavor to steep into the tea.
- Prep the ginger: Slice into 5–6 pieces. No need to peel.
- Combine: Add the red dates, dried longan, ginger, and sugar or molasses to a pot. Cover with 2 liters of cold water.
- Boil: Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the red dates have given their full flavor to the tea. You may let the tea continue to steep for 5-10 minutes after turning the heat off.
- Strain and serve: Strain and pour the tea into a teapot or pitcher, discard the solids, and serve warm.
Notes
Preparing in Advance
Assembling “tea kits” during your third trimester is a wonderful way to prepare for your recovery. Simply measure out the dry ingredients for one batch—the slit red dates, dried longan, goji berries, and Taiwanese brown sugar (if using dry sugar)—and store them together in a Ziplock bag. You can make as many of these kits as you’d like and store them in your pantry. When you or a helper are ready to make a batch, just empty the contents of one bag into your pot, add 5–6 slices of fresh ginger and 2 liters of cold water, and follow the boiling instructions as written.
FAQ
References
Aimin Acupuncture & Weight Loss Centre. (2026, March 11). Red dates (Da Zao) in TCM: Blood nourishing benefits explained. https://aimin.com.sg/insights/posts/red-dates-da-zao-in-tcm-blood-nourishing-benefits-explained
Bode, A. M., & Dong, Z. (2011). The amazing and mighty ginger. In I. F. F. Benzie & S. Wachtel-Galor (Eds.), Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects (2nd ed.). CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
Chang, U.-F. (2025, August 25). Longan | A hero ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Elan House of Wellness. https://elan.house/blogs/understanding-tcm/longan-hero-ingredients
Huang, G.-J., Wang, B.-S., Lin, W.-C., Huang, S.-S., Lee, C.-Y., Yen, M.-T., & Huang, M.-H. (2012). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) pericarp. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, Article 709483. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/709483
Negi, R., Sharma, S. K., Gaur, R., Bahadur, A., & Jelly, P. (2021). Efficacy of ginger in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cureus, 13(3), Article e13743. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.13743
Shang, B., Zhang, H., Lu, Y., Zhou, X., Wang, Y., Ma, M., & Ma, K. (2020). Insights from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine to elucidate association of lily disease and yin deficiency and internal heat of depression. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020, Article 8899079. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8899079
Tan, S. (2025, October 27). Chinese jujube fruit: Is it healthy? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/are-there-health-benefits-of-jujube-fruit
