It's Tea Time: Korean Honey Citron Tea (Yuja Tea)

Last Christmas, my husband received a gift from one of his office colleagues that looks like a big jar of orange marmalade. However, when I took a closer look at the product packaging, it says Honey Citron Tea. I was confused in the beginning because it really looks like a marmalade more than a tea to me. After reading the instruction on the label, it turns out that you can make a tea out of it by stirring 1 to 2 tablespoons of the syrupy mixture into a cup of cold or hot water and drink it like a tea.

Honey citron tea (also known as yuja tea) is a traditional Korean herbal tea made from citron or yuja (in Korean) or yuzu (in Japanese). Citron is a type of citrus fruit that looks like a smaller grapefruit with uneven skin. It tastes like a mix of lemon, orange and grapefruit all in one. Unlike other citrus fruits, citron has a dry pulp so it doesn’t produce much juice but it has 3 times more vitamin C than lemon making it an excellent immune system booster.

Among the health benefits of honey citron tea are:

• Relieve cough and sore throat
• Treat symptoms of common cold
• Treat digestive problems like constipation and bloating
• Boost immune system
• Improve blood circulation

The moment my husband and I drank the Honey Citron Tea, it is immediately love at first sip J It has a citrusy aroma and a tangy, bittersweet taste which will make you want to drink this tea every day. Since it’s not really a “real” tea, it doesn’t contain any caffeine so you can drink it at night without worrying of not being able to sleep. After you have finished drinking your tea, make sure to eat the remaining chewy citron rinds as they are packed with vitamin C.

Aside from making a tea out of it, you can also spread it on toasted bread since it’s basically a marmalade in the first place. If you want a more refreshing drink, you can also try making Honey Citron Sparkling Iced Tea or Honey Citron Soju Cocktail (for the more adventurous ones).

Honey Citron Tea is available locally at S&R or any Korean grocery stores. They can also be bought from Shopee for Php 399.

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