"Anti-smog" teas have become more widely available in Chinese medicine shops, pharmacies¹ and online sites.

 

中国中药店、药房和网络上出售的“抗霾”茶越来越多。

 

There are different recipes, but they generally are made up of Chinese herbs such as dried flowers and roots.

 

The practice stems from the Chinese medicinal belief that drinking certain concoctions² can boost one's health and rid the body of impurities³.

 

A 2015 report by Beijing Morning Post noted⁴ that several pharmacies in the capital were selling "lung-cleansing teas to combat smog".

 

On popular online marketplace Taobao, "anti-smog" teas can be bought for 20 yuan per packet and one listing claims that its combination of seven ingredients including dried chrysanthemums⁵ and honeysuckle can "boost lungs and moisten throats", and "combat the smog".

 

But in a recent report by state broadcaster CCTV, Liu Qingquan, president of the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said such teas were "unreliable".

 

He noted, that the digestive and respiratory systems were separate, and that many teas contained ingredients which "may cause health problems if taken for a long time."

 

What would help instead, Mr Liu added, was maintaining a healthy diet and boosting one's immune system.

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