Herbal tea inspired by traditional Chinese medicine is being prepared at a TCM hospital in Dingxi, Gansu province, in December. [Photo/Xinhua]

Several Chinese hospitals have found their edge in the country's growing health drinks market by prescribing herbal formulas that target minor symptoms, from calming nerves and aiding sleep to promoting healthy hair.

Struggling with insomnia, Guo Xiaofan, a 26-year-old resident of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, recently consulted the online platform of a traditional Chinese medicine hospital, where she was prescribed herbal tea.

Guo brewed the dried herbs at home and found it a great alternative to drinking milk tea. "The first sip tasted a bit strange but as I continued drinking, it tasted quite good," she says.

This herbal tea is based on a well-known Chinese medicine formula designed to treat symptoms of insomnia and neurasthenia. The tea includes sauteed jujube kernels, dried lily, poria fungus and albizia bark.

Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine recently launched five herbal medicine formulas for drinking. On the first day of the market release, 10,000 doses were sold.

Wan Xixi, deputy director of the hospital's medical administration department, says these formulas are crafted based on prescriptions from renowned TCM practitioners.

Each dose of herbs is individually packaged and can be brewed or boiled for easy consumption at home. "The bags of dried herbs are not available for purchase on the market. To obtain them, individuals must obtain a prescription as they are tailored to specific syndrome differentiation," Wan explains.

In recent years, an increasing number of health-conscious people have developed a strong interest in such medicinal herbal tea drinks.

According to a consumer behavior survey on the Chinese herbal tea drink industry conducted by data analysis provider iiMedia Research earlier this year, more consumers are paying attention to and trying herbal drinks, with purchase intentions steadily rising.

An employee surnamed Huang from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, recently purchased several herbal remedies through Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital's online platform.

"I bought five doses of each type. With medical insurance, the total bill came to less than 100 yuan ($13.9), which I think is very reasonable. After drinking them, I felt the effects were good," Huang says.

Many Chinese hospitals, especially TCM hospitals, are keen to promote their special herbal tea formulas, some of which change seasonally. For example, in summer, they focus on formulas of smoked plum tea for relief from summer heat. In winter, herbal tea formulas for clearing throat mucus are more popular.

In addition to hospitals, many pharmacies, including the established brand Beijing Tong Ren Tang, have seen a boost in herbal tea sales.

Pharmacies remind buyers that while some herbs like Chinese yam and coix seed are available in drink form and others, and can be consumed as food, herbal formulas are still considered medicine and should be taken under proper medical supervision.

According to data from iiMedia Research, the Chinese herbal drinks market reached 41.16 billion yuan ($5.64 billion) in 2023 and is expected to surpass 100 billion yuan in 2028.