SUAN ZAO REN TANG: THE NATURAL REMEDY FOR INSOMNIA
 
Suan zao ren, or sour jujube seed, was first recognized in the "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" of the Han Dynasty more than 2,200 years ago and was listed as the top grade of Chinese herbal medicine ingredients.
 
It is a sweet and sour Chinese herb that is truly “food as medicine” - lending itself to cookery and as a documented natural sleep aid. Prominent Chinese physicians from ancient times to today identify suan zao ren as their first choice for addressing a whole range of sleep disorders.
 
Chinese medical texts teach us that suan zao ren has the effect of nourishing blood, calming nerves, regulating qi(energy) and benefiting the heart and liver. The Suan Zao Ren formula was recorded in the first herbal prescription for insomnia thousands of years ago and is still used today.     
 
In Western botany, suan zao ren has the latin name-Ziziphus Spinosae Semen and consists of the core kernels of wild jujube. Mature fruits are harvested in late autumn and early winter where the pulp and core shells are removed, the seeds are collected, and then dried. 
 
One of the hallmarks of Chinese medicine is its ability to treat the whole person. This fundamental approach to healthcare gives a unique perspective on addressing health complaints such as insomnia. 
 
A “nourish, don’t medicate” approach is at the heart of what TCM offers as a solution to insomnia. Prescribing the thousand-year-old number-one formula, Suan Zao Ren Tang, demonstrates this practice of care perfectly.