Once again, I read with interests an advice from one of my favorite columnists, Yim Ho 嚴浩 (a film director who also writes articles and books on healing recipes like this and this), suggesting that we should drink more water during summer to replenish the loses through transpiration. Yes, I did; I was enjoying the fragrance of two healthy foods, apple and hawthorn, in this soothing drink. And …
And … his suggestion did touch my nerves because I felt we were somehow get connected (my imagination – is not that bad). Yim in his article, written in Chinese, while sharing some tips for detecting signs of cerebral infarction 腦梗塞前兆, he also encouraged people to drink more water to reduce the risks of thickened blood due to dehydration. So happed, this tea is about hawthorn, a food as well as a herb regarded as beneficial to blood circulation. So happened!
Hawthorns aka thornapples (in Chinese 山楂, literally means ‘mountain haw’) when used appropriately is said to be able to help open (dilate) blood vessels thus increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure. Besides, with the ease of circulation problem, this may even help reduce the syndromes of having feet and hands feel cold.
Fantasizing that the film director will also be interested in reading this and sharing with his readers the benefits and the possible side effects of hawthorns, I almost had a moment of pride.
Actually a side effect of eating hawthorn (or possible benefit to some) is that it may also help to facilitate burning of body fat. Although I don’t eat it for curing obesity, I sometimes make this tea by replacing sugar with red dates for added nutritions and flavors.
I like craving drinks recently, healthy drinks in particular. This is not only healthy but also simple to prepare. Believe or not, even during such hot temperature, I store no canned or bottled soft drinks.
- Ingredients
- 40g dried hawthorns
- 4 to 5 apples
- 30g rock sugar, or to taste
- ~2 liters water
- yields about 4 to 5 cups
Method
Wash dried hawthorns a couple of times. Cover them with 2 cm water and soak for about 15 minutes. Discard water and briefly rinse them again under running water.
Peel apples, core them and cut into large chunks. I simply made slices vertically off the apples cores.
Put both hawthorns and apples in a pot with about 2 liters of water. Bring them to a boil. Over low to medium heat, keep boiling for about 30 to 45 minutes till flavors are infused into the tea. Add rock sugar and simmer a few more minutes until it is dissolved.
Serve hot, cooled, or chilled.
Enjoy!
Ivory Low 
