Easy Nourishing Chinese Red Dates Tea

Nourishing and easy Chinese red dates tea recipe can be made on the stove or instant pot pressure cooker.

I was almost towards the end of eighth months of pregnancy when I initially wrote this post. My mom called me and asked me if I have any dried red dates (jujube) in my pantry. I normally use red dates for cooking Chinese traditional herbal soup, so the answer was YES. I was told that at around 34 weeks of pregnancy, is the perfect time to start drinking red dates tea daily.

What are Chinese red dates?

Chinese red dates, also known as jujubes or hong zao (红枣) in Chinese, are small, sweet, and chewy fruits often used in traditional Chinese medicine and cooking. Despite being called “dates,” they aren’t related to the dates that grow on date palms. Instead, they come from the jujube tree, which produces a fruit similar in size and texture to a small apple when fresh. When dried, they turn dark red and develop a slightly wrinkled skin.

Benefits of red dates tea

Red dates have been highly valued in Chinese cuisine and traditional medicine for centuries, often believed to help with energy, blood health, and vitality.
1. For daily consumption
Red dates are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect, good for overall skin complexion, improve digestion, improve relaxation, and help to ease ailment such as sore throat
2. For pregnant women
The Chinese also believes that Red Dates have “tonic” effect on the liver for a pregnant woman (not earlier than 34 weeks) and also to the baby. Some researches have shown that red dates help with easier labor and delivery
3. For confinement or post-pregnancy
It is also believed that post-pregnancy, the body loses “heat” or the Chinese often call “Qi”. My mom prefers to make this Black dates ginger goji berry and dang shen tea instead of just red dates tea for confinement as it is more “heaty” and helps to restore “Qi”. The tea is consumed daily, almost replacing the amount of water you drink daily

Easy Nourishing Chinese Red Dates Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 2 servings

4.9 from 15 reviews

REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

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• ▢ 50 gr dried red dates
• ▢ 800 ml water

Recommended equipment (use either one of these):

• ▢ Sauce pan
• ▢ Instant Pot

Instructions

 

• *I was still pregnant with our first child when I first shared this recipe. How time flies! Now 2 kids later and I've updated the recipe to an easier approach (less fussy!) and to include a short video too.

Prepare the red dates:

• Rinse the dates cleaned with water. You don't need to core the red dates and just leave the pits inside. Take each date and use a pointy scissors or a small paring knife to create few slits, around 5-7, around the edge on one end of the dates. This helps to release flavor to the tea

Cooking on the stove:

• Place the red dates in a saucepan. Pour in water. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for the next one hour
• Let it cool down and ready to drink. If you are drinking this for "fun", you can add sugar to lightly sweetened the tea

Cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker:

• Place the red dates in the inner pot of Instant Pot. Pour in water. Close the lid and turn the valve to "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Wait for 5 minutes and then release pressure. Your tea is ready

Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I’d love to see your photos/videos on Instagram

EASY NOURISHING CHINESE RED DATES TEA STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION GUIDE

1. Rinse the dates cleaned with water. You don’t need to core the red dates and just leave the pits inside

2. Take each date and use a pointy scissors or a small paring knife to create few slits, around 5-7, around the edge on one end of the dates. This helps to release flavor and nutrients to the tea

3. If cooking on the stove: Place the red dates in a saucepan. Pour in water

4. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for the next one hour

5. If using Instant Pot pressure cooker: Place the red dates in the inner pot of Instant Pot. Pour in water.

6. Close the lid and turn the valve to “sealing”

7. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Wait for 5 minutes and then release pressure

8. Strain the tea into tea pot or glass container

9. Serve warm with or without the cooked dates

CHINESE RED DATES FAQ

IS THERE ANY TEA LEAVES
This tea doesn’t use any tea leaves so you don’t need to worry about caffeine. It is just called tea because of the color of this beverage
RED DATES NUTRITION FACTS
Dried red dates (jujube) is high in antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolics. They are also packed with vitamins, especially the B and C vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron.
WHERE TO BUY DRIED RED DATES
They are usually available at some Chinese grocery stores, Chinese medicine halls, and also at Amazon
CHOOSING DRIED RED DATES
Choose the one that still looks plump (even though they are dried) and has a decent size. You may see some of the red dates have “whitish” coatings on the outside, you can simply rinse them off with clean water before using
CAN I EAT THE DATES AFTER MAKING THE TEA?
Yes, you may. Most of the nutrients have leached out into the tea, but consuming the cooked red dates are no harm. In fact, I like to do that too
CHINESE RED DATES VS MEDJOOL DATES
Use Chinese red dates for this tea if possible. If you have no access to them, then you can use Medjool dates. Medjool dates are much sweeter though, I suggest half the amount if you decide to use Medjool dates
HOW TO PREPARE AHEAD
You can make red dates tea in a bigger batch for consumption up to one week. They can be kept in the refrigerator. I suggest to reheat them and not drinking it cold especially if you are drinking during pregnancy or confinement.
SIDE EFFECTS
Red dates tea is suitable for daily consumption for anyone in a reasonable amount, such as one to two cups daily (with an exception for confinement when you drink this more often). Like many foods and things in life, too much of anything can’t be good. Know your own health and consult your physician if in doubt. What I wrote here is not to replace your doctor’s advice.
OTHER USE OF DRIED RED DATES
The Chinese commonly use them in cooking savory soup or sweet dessert too