White Fungus Mushroom Wellness Tea
Turning Ancient Medicine into a Sweet Treat
Alice Sun•
Dec 11, 2025
After learning to make ancient chinese medicine taste better and actually experiencing their benefits, I realized how much control we actually have over soothing our inflammation, dehydration, and fatigue.
Every fall my skin will always remind me how I tend to be dehydrated, which is also a reminder for me to pay extra attention to cooking with hydrating ingredients and cooking methods. I’ll start to steam foods more and if we’re having something roasted, I’ll definitely need to balance that with a soup, even something simple like miso soup.
One of the best ingredient combos in chinese medicine for hydration is white fungus mushroom, papaya, and red dates. The white fungus mushroom hydrates, with its ability to hold up to 100Xs its weight in water, while the papaya soothes inflammation and the red jujube adds a touch of sweetness with a ton of vitamin C.
Separately some of them are easier to enjoy than others but together, you can create a sweet fruit jelly tea that cools inflammation, replenishes hydration, and keeps you glowy through the winter. Every ingredient in this recipe is edible to get the most of the benefits!
The softened white fungus becomes a chewy, jelly-like texture, and the papaya infuses the broth with natural sweetness. You can enjoy it warm for a cozy nightcap or chilled the next day as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
Ancient medicine doesn’t have to taste medicinal, because there’s always a way to make it taste better!
Alice Sun (@alicecsun) shares a unique view into her life through the ways she uses food to nurture wellness, cross cultural divides, and bring people together, all through the medium of storytelling.
Ingredients (5)
Ingredients (5)
Instructions
Soak the white fungus mushroom (1) in hot water for at least an hour to allow it to rehydrate.
Remove the seeds from the papaya (½), peel the skin, then slice.
To prep the red jujubes (3), slice off the fruit, leaving behind the pit.
Add the white fungus mushroom, papaya, red jujubes, and water (3 cups) to a pot.
Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 mins.
Enjoy this fruit jelly tea dessert with a bit of honey (to taste).
