Doctors in China have warned against a new trend of mixing a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) liquid with iced water to what fans say looks and tastes like an iced Americano as a way to cool down during the country’s ongoing record heatwave.
The dangerous new trend has emerged in the last few weeks with growing numbers of mainland internet users sharing pictures of their versions of what they are calling an “iced Chineseno”.
The drink is made by mixing a small bottle of a Chinese herbal liquid named Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui with water and ice cubes.
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Jin Hui, a doctor from Zhongda Hospital affiliated with Southeast University in Nanjing of Jiangsu, eastern China, said it’s not safe to drink Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui as an everyday drink.
“Firstly, this drug’s label warns people not to drink it with cold food. So it’s not in line with the instructions to mix it with iced water,” Jin told Jiangsu TV.
“Secondly, people should not wilfully drink it just like they drink beverages. They also should not regard this medicine as a health enhancement product, as we don’t advise the public to have this drug when they want to prevent themselves from having heatstroke,” she said.
“It’s quite likely that internet users will have an excessive amount of this drug. It’s risky and they could experience side-effects.”
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According to medical information website youlai.cn, drinking too much of Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui can cause nausea and vomiting and experience palpitations as the drug contains alcohol.
This drink, hailed by fans for combining Chinese and Western culture, was created in response to China’s ongoing heatwave which has seen extreme temperatures hit many parts of the country since July.
An over-the-counter liquid herbal formula, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui is claimed by many TCM practitioners as an effective treatment for symptoms such as fever and chills, headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, especially during hot weather.
However, the brown liquid which is bitter tasting and pungent is mostly known as a treatment for heatstroke. Sold cheaply over the counter, it can be found in almost every Chinese household.
While most fans of the “iced Chineseno” make the brew by mixing Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui with iced water, some are taking the drink further and blending it with another TCM product called Xiao Chai Hu, a claimed treatment for colds, as well.
Others have been pouring Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui straight into a cup of ready-made iced Americano, in the belief it will have the dual effect of “cooling both the head and body”.
“To my surprise, it tastes so nice. So I have harvested double happiness: from drinking coffee and from relieving summer heat,” a user said on fashion-sharing platform Xiaohongshu.
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