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Baihe Lianzi Drink

百合莲子饮
Lily Bulb & Lotus Seed Beverage

 

 

Dietary Therapy for Night Sweats

盗汗食疗验方

Night sweating is a common clinical symptom, especially in people with chronic illnesses or constitutionally weak conditions.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), night sweats are usually attributed to Qi and Yin deficiency (气阴两虚), which prevents the body from properly regulating and securing bodily fluids.

 

When night sweats persist over time, both Qi and Yin may become further depleted, negatively affecting overall health.
Dietary therapy (食疗) can help prevent and treat night sweating by nourishing Qi and Yin and strengthening the body.

Below is one of six simple medicinal food remedies traditionally used for night sweating.

 

Baihe Lianzi Drink

百合莲子饮
(Lily Bulb & Lotus Seed Tonic)**

Baihe Lianzi Drink is a health beverage made primarily from lily bulbs and lotus seeds.
It moistens the lungs, relieves cough, calms the mind, promotes restful sleep, clears heat, and helps ease irritability and internal heat.
It is especially useful for symptoms such as:

• Dry heat
• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Palpitations
• Irritability due to heat or Yin deficiency

The drink can be made either by steeping or decocting the ingredients.
The lily bulbs and lotus seeds are washed, then steeped in hot water or gently simmered. Rock sugar or honey may be added to enhance flavor.

TCM Therapeutic Effects

1. Moistens the Lungs and Relieves Cough (润肺止咳)

The mucilaginous proteins in lily bulbs moisten lung dryness and help alleviate cough due to lung heat.

2. Calms the Spirit and Promotes Sleep (安神助眠)

Both lily bulbs and lotus seeds have sedative and calming properties, making them helpful for anxiety, excessive dreaming, and insomnia.

3. Clears Heat and Reduces Fire (清热降火)

Lotus seeds help relieve internal heat, thirst, restlessness, and irritability.

4. Strengthens the Spleen and Kidneys (健脾益肾)

Lotus seeds tonify the spleen, stabilize essence, calm the mind, and strengthen the kidneys.

5. Additional benefits

Nourishes Yin, alleviates dryness, and is particularly helpful for women experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Precautions

• People with Spleen-Stomach deficiency cold, indigestion, or constipation should use caution, as symptoms may worsen.
• Pregnant women and those with very cold constitutions should avoid long-term consumption.
• Lotus seeds should not be consumed together with turtle, crab, chestnut, or purple sweet potato.

Indications

Suitable for night sweats due to Yin deficiency (阴虚盗汗).

Ingredients

• Baihe 百合 (Lily bulb, Lilium brownii) – 20 g
• Lianzi 莲子 (Lotus seeds, Nelumbo nucifera) – 30 g
• Rock sugar 冰糖 – 30 g

Preparation

1. Wash the lily bulbs and lotus seeds thoroughly.
2. Place them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water.
3. Simmer over low heat until the lily bulbs and lotus seeds become soft.
4. Add rock sugar and stir until fully dissolved.

Serving Method

Take once daily.
Consume continuously for several days.

Lily Bulb (百合, Baihe)

“Baihe” has three major meanings:
1) a plant; 2) a genre in Japanese subculture; 3) a medicinal/culinary bulb.
Here, we focus on the meaning relevant to food and medicine.

As a plant (Lilium spp.)

• Perennial bulbous plants native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere
• The name “百合” refers to the many scales composing the bulb
• Symbolism: purity, innocence, lasting love, renewal
• Used ornamentally and medicinally

As a medicinal/edible bulb

Used in TCM to:

• Clear the Heart
• Calm the spirit
• Nourish Yin
• Improve sleep and reduce anxiety

Lotus Seeds (莲子)

The seeds of Nelumbo nucifera are widely used in Asian cuisine and TCM.

Main Nutrients & Health Benefits

Rich in:

• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Trace fats
• Vitamins & minerals

TCM properties:
Sweet, astringent; neutral nature; enters the Spleen, Kidney, and Heart meridians.

1) Strengthens the Spleen, stops diarrhea (补脾止泻)

Useful for chronic diarrhea due to Spleen deficiency.

2) Tonifies the Kidneys, stabilizes essence (益肾涩精)

For:

• Seminal emission
• Excessive leukorrhea

3) Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit (养心安神)

Helps with:

• Neurasthenia
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Insomnia

4) Antioxidant & cardiovascular protection

The embryo (莲子心) is rich in flavonoids and alkaloids with heat-clearing and calming effects.

How to Use Lotus Seeds

Fresh lotus seeds

• Peel and eat raw
• Cook in porridge, soups, desserts

Dried lotus seeds

• Soak 1 hour before cooking
• Simmer 20 minutes, then rest 10 minutes to soften

Lotus embryo (莲子心)

• Dried and used as a tea
• Clears heat and relieves summer heat & thirst

Common Lotus Seed Recipes

1) Snow fungus & lotus seed dessert (冰糖银耳莲子羹)

With white fungus, longan, jujube, goji berries, and rock sugar.
→ Moistens lungs, nourishes Yin, calms the mind.

2) Lily–Lotus Porridge (莲子百合粥)

→ Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit.

3) Lotus seed soups

Often paired with Fox nut (芡实), black beans, etc.

Rock Sugar (冰糖)

Rock sugar is crystallized refined cane sugar, clearer and milder than granulated sugar.
In TCM, it moistens the lungs and soothes cough.

 

Types

1. White rock sugar (白冰糖)

• Highly refined, transparent crystals
• Uniform size
• Ideal for desserts requiring clean color

2. Yellow rock sugar (黄冰糖 / 老冰糖 / 土冰糖)

• Less refined, retains more natural cane components
• Larger irregular crystals
• Preferred for tonics, soups, bird’s nest, and long-simmered dishes

 

Usage Tips

Purity & nutrition

• White: very pure, minimal nutrients
• Yellow: retains more natural compounds, richer flavor

When to use

• For clean color, precision: white rock sugar
• For tonics and long simmering: yellow rock sugar

Health considerations

Reduce intake for:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Chronic metabolic conditions

Storage

Keep dry and sealed; shelf life 18–24 months.

 

Recommended Products (China)

• Taikoo 太古 yellow rock sugar
• Hongmian 红棉 thin rock sugar slices
• Ganzhiyuan 甘汁园 small-grain rock sugar

(Available on JD, Taobao, Suning, etc.)