A pot of Kuding Tea, unfurled Kuding Leaves, a cup of Kuding Tea, Dried Kuding Tea/Nails
Hi there, dear friends 
I was introduced to this amazing tea called Kuding Cha by George from Singapore who had commented at my “Amazing, Inexpensive Jiaogulan/Immortality Tea” post earlier (Comment # 65) – I will copy his comments below so that you will learn about this wonderful bitter tea. His health has improved tremendously after drinking the Kuding Cha for a few months, but most importantly, his diabetic blood sugar level has dropped to a prediabetes level. My husband is also a diabetic and I am hoping that this tea will help lower his blood sugar level, and hopefully, wean him off his medication as well. As such, all credit of this post goes to George for leading me to Kuding Cha. 
What is Kuding Cha or Kuding Tea 
The word “Kuding” in Chinese actually means “bitter” and “nails or spikes”. Bitter in taste, the dried whole tea leaves are rolled up usually like a nail form, but they can be found in ball shapes or in loose leaves, too. The leaves are from the Broad Holly or Ilex species tree and can be found in Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, Zhejiang, Hunan and Jiangxi in China. Although it is called a tea, it is drank more as a medicinal tea, rather than as a tea for enjoyment because of its bitterness, which remains even after steeping it a few times.
A 40 gm pack of Kuding Tea Leaves
What are the health benefits of Kuding Tea
Kuding Cha is one of the most famous tea in history. According to the Chinese Compendium Materia Medica, the medicinal properties of Kuding Tea can dispel wind-heat, clear the head and the eyes, alleviate thirst, strengthen the digestive system, keep up the spirits (relieves fidgety), clear toxins, reduce inflammation, as well as lower blood pressure and blood lipids (cholesterol).
It is good as an anti-cancer, anti-diabetes tea as well, and has been dubbed the “beauty care tea,” “longevity tea,” and “slimming tea”. Most people started taking this tea for its healthy properties but found that they had also lost some weight quite fast along the way. Some sites sell this tea as an effective slimming tea.
Where to buy Kuding Cha
In Malaysia, there are not many places selling Kuding Tea leaves. After asking my regular Chinese Medicine Shop boss to get some for me (he also didn’t managed to get the leaves in the end), and asking around many shops selling tea and herbs, I finally found one shop in Midvalley Megamall last Sunday selling Kuding Leaves. The name of the shop is Yin Onn and is located opposite the Eu Yan Sang Chinese Medicine shop on the lower ground floor. However, the tea leaves are very expensive – RM9 for 40 gm only (see pic below). 
Anyway, I will continue to look around the other shops that may sell Kuding Cha here in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur. 
For those in Singapore, you can buy Kuding Cha from these shops (info provided by George) ===>
1) Bee’s Brand Birds Nest & Health Products @
- 64-66 Smith Street
- BLk 762 Jurong West Ave 5 St 75 #01-282 Gek Poh SC
- BLk 106 Yishun Ring Rd #01-149 Chong Pang City
- Blk 19 Ghim Moh Rd #01-251
2) Gainswell Trading
- Blk 531 Upper Cross St #01-14/16/55 Hong Lim Complex
- Victoria Wholesale Centre
Those in other countries can buy them from shops online if they do a search for Kuding Cha or Kuding Tea.
Taste and Dosage
So far, my family has been testing the Kuding Tea for 4 days only. For the first time, I only used 1 stick of tea for fear of its bitter taste as I wasn’t sure if my family can take it bitterness. Despite the warning of extreme bitterness, my family found the taste palatable and not bad, as it wasn’t as bitter and terribly tasting as some other Chinese herbal drinks I had made them drink! 
I have since amended the dosage and I am now giving my husband 3 sticks of Kuding Cha in 300 ml of water each, twice a day ===> in between his medication and right before bed time. For myself and 2 of my children, we take 1 stick each only, also in 300 ml of water each. The leaves are steeped for at least 1 to 2 hours before consumption, to reap as much of the tea’s goodness as possible.
Repeated brewing or steeping of the tea leaves continue to yield even more bitterness, although the taste is somehow diluted.
Feedback
When we started on Kuding Cha last Sunday, my husband was suffering from very sore gums, whilst my eldest daughter was having a sore throat for days already – all signs of body heatiness and inflamations. After giving them a few cups of Kuding Tea on Sunday – they recovered 90% by Monday, and by Tuesday, the pains were gone.
For me, I was also suffering from slight sore gums, but I didn’t dare to take too much Kuding Cha as I can’t take cooling teas or drinks too well – when my body is overly cooling, I would feel sleepy or lethargic. But due to my sore gums, I also took 1 stick (3 cm long) of Kuding Tea in the morning and by the afternoon, my sore gum would be gone, too.
As for the slimming properties of this tea, I will report here later in a month’s time to see if my husband, second daughter and youngest son have lost some weight.
Meanwhile, if you are trying out Kuding Cha, I would love to hear from you, too, on your experiences.
Some other sites with interesting information on Kuding Tea (click on the names) ===>
Sci-rutgers.edu – A Herbal Tea Called Kuding
Wise Geek – What is Kuding Tea?
Also, do read the comments below for more information.
Warning 
This tea is very cooling and women who are having their menses, pregnant or had just delivered a baby are not allowed to drink Kuding Cha. People with low blood pressure should avoid this tea. As with all alternative healing drinks, if you are on any medication, please have your doctor monitor your health closely while drinking this tea.
If you feel dizzy, lethargic or suffer from cramps often while drinking Kuding Tea, stop taking the tea immediately for those are signs that your body is out of balance and is too cooling or yin in nature. . However, you can take warm or spicy foods to warm back you body – lamb stew is good, especially with some ginger thrown in. Ginger tea is good and warm.
With best wishes for good health,
choesf
