Schizandra Berries- The Five Flavor Fruit

Schizandra berries, sometimes spelled as schisandra, are the dried ripe fruit of Schizandra chinensis, a vine native to Asia. Its Chinese name is wu-wei-zi, which means “five taste fruits.” Schizandra has an unusual taste which encompasses sour, sweet, bitter, warm, and salty, hence the name “five taste.” The herb is considered balanced by virtue of this distribution of flavors.

Schizandra berries have a long history of traditional use in the form of a tea as a major tonic herb for the whole body, especially targeting the liver to assist in detoxification, as well as the brain by helping to improve memory and eyesight. Renowned as a beauty tonic and a youth preserving herb, its high tin content may help to renew hair growth and it has been used for centuries to make the skin soft, moist and radiant.