Needle Kuding Tea - Ku Ding Cha
Watch the video below in which we brew 3 needles inside a tea infuser. It's too easy, but it's true.
Kuding tea (also known as 'Ku Ding Cha') is a medicinal tea that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The word 'Ku' means bitter and the Chinese character for 'Ding' ('丁')means 'spike' as is the shape this tea. Needle kuding tea, is commonly known as 'bitter nail tea'. The leaves used to make this tea are from the evergreen Ilex Kuding cha plant which is grown in China. The long narrow leaves are twisted together to form distinctive long stick/spike-like shapes. Another distinctive feature, as its name implies, is its bitter taste. Though, some drinkers find that the bitterness is followed by a slightly sweet taste.
When making Kuding tea it's a good idea to use just 2 needles/spikes if it's your first experience of the tea because of its strong bitter taste. As you become accustomed to the tea, then you could increase it to 3-4 needles. Begin by warming your tea cup and teapot with hot water. Then steep the Kuding tea in the pot using hot water for two minutes. The spikes can be used several times - after the second brewing you will need to increase the steeping time.
In traditional Chinese medicine Kuding tea was famous for its many uses and it is popular still for ailments such as improving memory and focusing the mind; calming fidgetiness; alleviating the common cold, being useful for clearing the head and rhinitis; itching eyes; headaches; alleviating sinusitis; and treating bronchitis. It is also said to improve digestion; lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Kuding tea contains many anti-oxidants so is helpful for detoxing.
Do not drink Kuding tea during pregnancy or if you've recently given birth or are breast feeding; during menstruation; have low blood pressure. Also do not drink 1 month before and after surgery. In the past, we've often received questions regarding Kuding tea and fertility. Because of the complexity of this topic it's difficult to give a general answer. Please consult a local medical practitioner or Chinese medicine doctor.
Find out more health related information here: Kuding health benefits & side effects
Kuding Tea Price
You might've noticed that kuding can sometimes be a bit expensive. And because of this, you might wonder why this herb is so affordable at Teasenz. Because we're based in China, our herbal experts deal directly with quality suppliers from the source. This allows us to cut out multiple middle men for you. Moreover, you'll not enjoy the lowest Kuding tea price, but also enjoy this herb as fresh as possible.
Related search terms: Chinese kundin, kun din tea, wancheng kuding tea, kuding plus tea
Tea Province | Guangxi |
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Tea Region | Longmen (1067m) |
Harvest Year | 2023 |
Tea Season | Summer |
Steeping temperature | 100 °C - 212 °F |
Amount / 500ml (17oz) | 3 gram |
Steeping time | 1 min |
Amount (traditional) / 100ml (3.4oz) | 5 gram |
Steeping Time (traditional) | 20 sec |
Tea Cultivar/Varietal | n/a |
Tea in Chinese | 苦丁 |
Gluten-free | yes |
Tea Caffeine Content | low |