Mr Yo San, a trained TCM physician affiliated with the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association says these little red berries are great for detoxifying the liver and improving the eyesight. Wolfberries are also good for enriching the blood, as well as promoting youthful-looking skin by nourishing yin energy.

Ginseng’s many reputed health benefits are varied and far-reaching. According to Mr Yo San is particularly good for restoring one’s qi or life energy. Ginseng is also an adaptogen, which restores emotional and mental balance and improves the body’s ability to adjust and adapt to every situation. Beyond that, it helps to improve mental clarity and increase energy and stamina.

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Chrysanthemums are not only pretty to look at, but they’re also full of health benefits. They help to soothe tired eyes and also aid in reducing “heatiness” in the liver.

To alleviate coughs with a lot of phlegm, boil chrysanthemums with tangerine peels to make a tea for alleviating coughs with a lot of phlegm. Chrysanthemum helps with coughing while tangerine peel reduces phlegm.

Chinese Yam or Shan Yao is good for soothing digestive problems and reducing the risk of colds. Mr Yo San says it’s especially beneficial for the spleen, an organ that’s important for health according to many TCM practitioners. Cut and dried Chinese yam can be stored for a long time in a cool, dry place. While fresh Chinese yam should be consumed as soon as it is bought.

Hawthorn is a type of berry that is helpful in aiding digestion. Mr Yo San also says it can reduce high cholesterol levels by helping to clear accumulated fat deposits in the arteries. Hawthorn candies, meanwhile, can help improve digestion and increase the appetite. Fun fact: In parts of Europe, Hawthorn berries are widely used as an approved treatment for early stages of heart failure.

This Chinese medicine is actually a root that is good at getting rid of body heat. According to Mr Yo San, Ban Lan Gen is also helpful in soothing sore throats. So, if there are any family members that have a sore throat, is coming down with a cold, or was exposed to someone with a cold, they should take this herb.

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Also known as “caterpillar fungus”, Mr Yo San says cordyceps is good for the kidneys and helps the consumer to absorb qi properly. Also ideal to take when you feel tired, cordyceps reduces fatigue, boosts energy, improves vitality and strengthens the respiratory and immune systems. It can be used to treat respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic bronchitis as well and can be brewed in soups, ground into powder, or taken in tablet form.

Sip on this tea when you are going through a stressful period at work. Eight Treasures Tea comes in four different blends – Lily, Longjing, Oolong, and Rose. Each blend contains various flowers, fruits, and herbs to calm frazzled nerves. Mr Yo San says the Eight Treasures Herbal Tea is also good for women to drink after they finish their menstrual cycle.

Job’s Tears of Yi Yi Ren is a type of pearl barley that relieves the spleen of excess heat. It can also be taken regularly to clear “heatiness” due to hot weather or eating too much spicy, grilled or barbecued food. The herb can help remove “dampness”, making it suitable for relieving joint pain due to “wind dampness”, a common problem in the elderly.

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Watermelon Frost Extract is a generations-old herbal formula that is often ground up into a powder and administered via a spray. It is made up of watermelon rind and a mineral called mirabilite. It relieves swelling and pain, moistens the throat, and addresses a variety of oral conditions. So, this is extremely useful to have around whenever someone has an ulcer at home.

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Text: Natalya Molok, Additional reporting: Farisia Thang

This post was first published on September 13, 2016, and updated on May 27, 2020.