Gugija-Cha : Goji Berry Tea

                                                구기자차 / Gugija-Cha : Goji Berry Tea

Gugija Cha also known as Goji Berry Tea, is a traditional Korean tisane made from dried wolfberries (also known as goji berries), dates, and ginger. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals, and is believed to boost liver function and help fight fatigue, if consumed on a regular basis. Goji berry (Gugija) is the fruit of a matrimony vine.

                               

Gugija-cha is known to be a very good source of minerals and vitamins, fighting fatigue, diabetes, back pain and malnutrition. Korean medicine also uses it to help with good eyesight, beautiful complexion, and lung and kidney health, as well as men’s virility. Some say that if you wash your hair in gugija-cha, it can help prevent hair loss.

Gugija has been a very famous cure-all medicine in Korean medicine for many centuries. There is an old Korean folktale about a famous scholar was very sick during his youth. As he grew older, his friend introduced him to gugija and he started drinking gugija-cha everyday. His health improved immensely and he started aging backwards! His white hair disappeared, his eyesight came back, his wrinkles started to disappear, and his energy level was better than ever. From this old folktale, Koreans believe that gugija is a powerful herb, thus commonly used in Korean medicine and cuisine.

Gugija-cha Recipe :

Ingredients:

1/2 handful of dry roasted Gugija
Small pot of water
Honey or sugar

Directions:

1. Add a handful of gugija into your pot full of water.
2. Bring it to boil and put it on medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Must be a nice warm orangey-pink color.
3. Remove berries and add as much honey to your liking.
4. Enjoy it warm tea or and ice or store it in the fridge for a cool drink.