Collection: Traditional Korean Herbs

Traditional Korean herbs, or hanyakjae (한약재), are dried roots, barks, fruits and flowers used in Korean home brewing and cooking. Kosbee stocks more than 40 of them, most grown in Korea, and ships every order from our New Jersey warehouse. Each product page names the botanical species and the country of origin.

What is in this collection

Roots make up most of it: astragalus (황기), angelica (당귀), bellflower (도라지), white peony, rehmannia and kudzu. Then barks and woods: eucommia, slippery elm and kalopanax. Then fruits and flowers: goji berry, jujube, schisandra (오미자) and chrysanthemum. Ready-made blends such as Sipjeondaebo and Ssanghwa are here too, for when you would rather not measure ten herbs yourself.

Most items are Korean-grown. A few staples used alongside them come from elsewhere and are labeled that way: turmeric from India, sun-dried jujube from California, and the Canadian ginseng in our Samgyetang herb pack, which is blended and packed in the USA.

Most herbs come whole or sliced and naturally dried, packed in resealable pouches. The full ingredient list for each item is on its product page.

How do you choose a Korean herb to start with?

For a daily cup

Start with a mild root or a roasted item: burdock, Solomon's seal, Jerusalem artichoke or roasted cassia seed. These brew clean and caffeine-free, and most people make them by the pot rather than the cup.

For cooking

Samgyetang herbs, kalopanax wood and astragalus belong in the stockpot, not the teapot. They are there for depth in chicken and beef broths.

For a traditional blend

Sipjeondaebo (ten herbs) and Ssanghwa (twelve herbs) are the two classics. Both come pre-portioned, so one pouch goes into one pot of water.

Korean hanyakjae vs Chinese herbal ingredients: what is the difference?

Many of these herbs share a name across Korea and China but not a species. Korean angelica is Angelica gigas; the root common in North American Chinese herb shops is Angelica sinensis. Korean eleuthero, doraji and injinssuk are likewise the Korean-grown species.

Where the species is the same, growing region and drying method still change the cup. Every product page names the botanical species and the origin, so you can check before you buy.

How do you brew Korean herbal tea?

The Korean method is a simmer, not a steep. Rinse the herb, add roughly 10 g to 1.5–2 L of water, bring it to a boil, then hold it at the lowest heat for 30 to 60 minutes. Woody roots and barks take the full hour; leaves, flowers and berries need far less. Each product page gives the exact amount and time for that herb.

Before you brew

These are food ingredients, not supplements. If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription medication, ask your healthcare provider before making any herb a daily habit, and read the safety note on each product page.

Related collections: Korean Ginseng · Korean Tea Bags · Wholesome K-Food & Groceries

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.