Making gotu kola tea is straightforward: steep 2 to 3 grams of dried leaves (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) in hot water just below boiling for 5 to 7 minutes. The result is a mildly bitter, slightly sweet herbal tea that people drink for its potential benefits to circulation, memory, and skin health. Getting the details right, from water temperature to leaf preparation, makes the difference between a pleasant cup and a flat, grassy one.
Basic Brewing Method
Bring water to a boil, then let it cool for about 30 seconds until it reaches roughly 195 to 200°F (90 to 95°C). Water at a full rolling boil can scorch the leaves and pull out more bitterness than you want. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried gotu kola leaves into a mug, infuser, or teapot. If you have a kitchen scale, aim for about 1 gram per 100 mL of water.
Before steeping, do a quick rinse: pour a small amount of hot water over the leaves, swirl briefly, and discard the water. This removes dust and debris, especially if your leaves came from a bulk supplier. Then pour in your full amount of hot water, cover the mug with a lid or small plate, and steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Covering is important because it traps the volatile compounds that would otherwise evaporate. For a stronger, more concentrated brew, you can extend the steep to 10 or even 15 minutes, though the bitterness will increase.
One bonus of gotu kola: the leaves hold up well to multiple infusions. You can re-steep the same batch 2 to 3 times, adding an extra minute or two to each round. The flavor softens with each steeping, which some people actually prefer.
Using Fresh Leaves
If you’re growing gotu kola or can find it fresh at an Asian grocery store, use 2 to 3 fresh leaves per cup. Rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove soil and any residue. Gently tear or crush the leaves before adding them to your mug. This breaks open the cell walls and helps release more of the plant’s active compounds into the water. Fresh leaves produce a milder, grassier flavor compared to dried, and you may want to steep a few minutes longer to get the same intensity.
Slow Decoction for a Stronger Brew
If you want to extract more from the leaves, a water-bath decoction works well. Place your leaves in a small pot with water and heat gently, keeping the temperature at or below 190°F (90°C). Don’t let it reach a full boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the leaves sit in the water for another 30 minutes with the lid on. Strain and drink. This method produces a noticeably stronger tea with a deeper, earthier flavor and is closer to how gotu kola is traditionally prepared in parts of Southeast Asia.
Improving the Flavor
Gotu kola tea has a distinctive taste that people describe as mildly bitter and slightly sweet, with a grassy, almost vegetal quality. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s not exactly chamomile either. If you find it too earthy on its own, a squeeze of lemon brightens it considerably. Honey or a small piece of fresh ginger are other common additions.
You can also blend gotu kola with other herbs. Chamomile pairs well and reinforces the calming quality of the tea. Peppermint adds freshness and masks any bitterness. Lavender works for a more floral, relaxing cup. Raspberry leaf and lemon balm are other popular choices. Start with a roughly 50/50 blend and adjust from there.
Potential Benefits
Gotu kola has a long history in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, and modern research has started to explore some of those uses. The strongest evidence involves circulation. A systematic review found that gotu kola significantly improved signs of chronic venous insufficiency, the condition where blood pools in the legs, causing heaviness, swelling, and pain. Patients taking gotu kola showed measurable reductions in ankle swelling after just four weeks and improved oxygen exchange in leg tissues.
The cognitive benefits are more nuanced. A study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that gotu kola combined with exercise improved scores on memory and executive function tests, though gotu kola alone didn’t outperform exercise by itself on most measures. Separately, a study of post-stroke patients found that 750 to 1,000 mg of gotu kola extract daily for six weeks improved cognitive scores overall and was particularly effective at improving delayed memory recall compared to a control treatment. Both doses were equally effective.
It’s worth noting that these studies used concentrated extracts in capsule form, not tea. A cup of gotu kola tea contains less of the active compounds than a standardized capsule, so the effects from casual tea drinking are likely milder.
Safety and Who Should Be Careful
Gotu kola is generally well tolerated. In clinical trials, side effects were mild and temporary: occasional headache, dizziness, bloating, or nausea, at rates similar to placebo. However, rare cases of liver injury have been documented. A case series described three women who developed jaundice after 3 to 8 weeks of use, with liver enzyme levels spiking to 26 to 30 times normal. All cases resolved within one to two months of stopping the herb. The overall risk is considered low, but if you take other medications that stress the liver (acetaminophen, cholesterol-lowering drugs, certain antibiotics, methotrexate, or NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen), the combination could increase that risk.
Gotu kola can also interact with medications for anxiety, depression, and seizures. If you take blood pressure medication, birth control pills, or steroids, check with your pharmacist before making this a daily habit.
Choosing Quality Leaves
Sourcing matters more with gotu kola than with many other herbal teas. The plant is a known accumulator of heavy metals, readily absorbing lead, cadmium, zinc, and nickel from contaminated soil. Research on gotu kola grown in polluted areas of Malaysia found lead levels high enough to pose a health risk with daily consumption. Look for products that are certified organic and, ideally, tested by a third party for heavy metals and contaminants. Brands that display a USP, NSF, or equivalent certification on the label have undergone independent testing. If you’re buying loose leaves from a bulk bin or an unfamiliar online seller, there’s no easy way to know what’s in them.