Hot summer weather often leads to water retention, internal heat, bloating, indigestion, constipation, fatigue, increased abdominal fat, and unstable blood pressure, according to Master, Doctor Pham Thi Thanh Thuy from the Department of Nutrition at Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital. Beyond refreshing soups, several medicinal teas made from familiar ingredients are easy to prepare. These teas help clear heat, act as diuretics, aid digestion, and reduce feelings of heaviness during the hot season.

Here are five recommended tea recipes:

Fresh winter melon tea: diuretic, reduces water retention, aids weight loss

Winter melon has a sweet taste and cooling properties. It is often used to clear heat, detoxify, and act as a diuretic, making it suitable for individuals prone to mild swelling or feeling heavy in hot weather. This is especially beneficial for edema caused by kidney deficiency, pregnancy-related edema, or leg swelling due to weakness.

Ingredients: 50 g fresh winter melon, a pinch of salt.

Preparation: Peel and deseed the winter melon, cut it into small pieces, and add it to 300 ml of hot water. Boil for about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and serve as tea.

Corn silk tea: supports abdominal fat reduction

Corn silk has neutral properties and is often used as a diuretic, helping to reduce mild swelling and feelings of abdominal fullness.

Ingredients: 20 g corn silk, 20 g rock sugar.

Preparation: Boil about 250 ml of water, add the corn silk, and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into a cup and add rock sugar.

This tea can be consumed after meals. According to traditional medicine, corn silk tea acts as a diuretic, helps reduce water retention, improves feelings of bodily heaviness, and reduces abdominal fat.

Lotus leaf and hawthorn tea: aids digestion, reduces greasiness

Lotus leaf and hawthorn are a common combination in teas that support fat metabolism after oily meals.

Ingredients: One lotus leaf, 10 g raw hawthorn, 10 g raw coix seed (Job's tears), 6 g tangerine peel.

Preparation: Wash and chop the ingredients finely, then steep them in boiling water.

This tea is suitable for consumption after high-protein or oily meals, helping to reduce bloating and aid digestion.

Green tea and bitter melon: cools the body on hot days

Bitter melon has cooling properties and is often used to clear heat, while green tea quenches thirst and promotes alertness.

Ingredients: 10 slices of bitter melon, 10 bitter melon seeds, one green tea bag.

Preparation: Boil about 300 ml of water, add the bitter melon slices, and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the green tea bag and bitter melon seeds to steep.

This can be consumed after meals to help clear heat, act as a diuretic, and promote bowel movements in humid, hot weather. This drink also helps with body shaping and is suitable for individuals experiencing restlessness, infrequent urination, mild swelling, or constipation.

Bitter melon. *Photo: Dieu Thuan*

Seaweed and cassia seed tea: supports bowel movements, stabilizes blood pressure

Seaweed and thao quyet minh (cassia seed) are often used in traditional medicine to clear heat, aid digestion, and act as a laxative.

Ingredients: 10 g seaweed, 15 g thao quyet minh.

Preparation: Place all ingredients in a pot and decoct to extract the liquid for drinking.

According to the doctor, this tea is suitable for individuals with excessive liver fire, which can cause headaches, dizziness, and high blood pressure, as well as those with constipation or obesity.

Summer health advice

Doctor Thuy advises that these teas should only be consumed during hot periods or when the body shows "heat" symptoms, not as a year-round replacement for plain water. Each course of consumption should last a maximum of 7-14 days, followed by a break of 3-7 days before resuming. Combine tea consumption with a light, simple diet rich in green vegetables, limiting oily foods, sweets, and raw or cold foods.

Do not drink on an empty stomach; the ideal time is about 30-60 minutes after a meal. Individuals prone to cold abdominal pain, diarrhea, or cold hands and feet should drink warm tea, possibly with a few slices of ginger.

Individuals with spleen and stomach deficiency with cold (prone to cold abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cold hands and feet), pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with low blood pressure, or those managing underlying medical conditions should consult a doctor before use. If fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or dizziness occurs, discontinue use.

Le Phuong