Summer is a time when it's very easy to feel hot and get pimples on your face. This is caused by toxins in the body that have not been expelled in a timely manner. So, how is drinking honeysuckle tea in the summer? Is it good to drink honeysuckle tea in the summer? Follow the editor to find out more in detail~
Is it good to drink honeysuckle tea in the summer?
Drinking honeysuckle tea in the summer is very beneficial because honeysuckle has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, which is perfectly suitable for the hot summer. Many people easily get a sore throat, develop sores at the corners of their mouths, or feel a prickling itch in their nose in the summer, and once "internal heat" flares up, it's unstoppable. Most people's first thought is to drink herbal tea to clear the heat. Honeysuckle tea is sweet and cold in nature with a fragrant aroma. Its sweetness and coldness clear heat without harming the stomach, and its fragrance can expel pathogenic factors. It can not only disperse wind-heat but is also good at clearing blood toxins. It is used for various febrile diseases, such as fever, rash, spots, toxic sores, carbuncles, and sore throat, with significant effects. The specific benefits are as follows:
1. Anti-pathogenic microorganism effect
In vitro experiments have shown that honeysuckle has an inhibitory effect on more than a dozen pathogenic bacteria, such as *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Streptococcus haemolyticus*, *Escherichia coli*, *Shigella*, *Vibrio cholerae*, and *Salmonella typhi*. When used in combination with Forsythia suspensa, the antibacterial spectrum can be complementary. When used with penicillin, it can enhance the antibacterial effect of penicillin against drug-resistant *Staphylococcus aureus*.
2. Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects
Experiments have shown that honeysuckle extract can eliminate inflammatory edema and has significant anti-exudative and anti-proliferative effects, as well as a marked antipyretic effect.
3. Enhancement of immune function
Honeysuckle decoction can promote the phagocytic function of white blood cells and significantly promote the phagocytic function of inflammatory cells. It promotes lymphocyte transformation, improves human immunity, and enhances physical fitness.
4. Central nervous system excitation effect
Multiple experiments have shown that oral administration of honeysuckle extract can cause excitement of the central nervous system in animals such as rats and mice.
5. Blood lipid-lowering effect
Experiments have shown that honeysuckle decoction can reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, lower the cholesterol content in plasma, and prevent atherosclerosis.
6. Anti-endotoxin effect
Honeysuckle injection can significantly reduce the endotoxin content in in vitro test solutions and alleviate the toxic reaction of experimental animals to bacterial endotoxin.
7. Prevention of gastric ulcers
Experiments have also shown that honeysuckle has a preventive effect on gastric ulcers, as it can increase gastrointestinal motility and promote the secretion of gastric juice and bile.
How to consume honeysuckle better
1. Boil it to drink
Actually, honeysuckle can not only be steeped with its buds. You can also cut its branches and leaves, clean them, and boil them to drink. Its anti-inflammatory and heat-clearing effects will be faster and more obvious. Especially during the height of summer, it is an excellent tea for relieving summer heat. You should give it a try.
2. Salad or stir-fry
In addition, the young stems, leaves, and flowers of honeysuckle are also edible. In spring and summer, pick the young leaves and blooming flowers of honeysuckle, wash them, blanch them quickly in boiling water, and then they can be eaten in a salad or stir-fried. You can also add some freshly blanched honeysuckle to other salads for garnish, which is both pleasing to the eye and refreshing and delicious.
3. Contraindications
① Honeysuckle is suitable for people with a balanced constitution or those with internal heat. Those with a weak and cold spleen and stomach should use it sparingly or avoid it.
② Drink it only when you feel you have "internal heat." It is not suitable for long-term consumption.
③ People with a deficient and cold constitution and during their menstrual period should not drink it, otherwise, adverse reactions may occur.
④ Steeping honeysuckle is similar to steeping tea. It can be brewed two or three times. It should not be consumed the next day.
⑤ Honeysuckle should not be consumed cold, as it can easily cause diarrhea.