Wanglaoji is safe to drink, say experts

GUANGZHOU: Drinking Wanglaoji, a kind of herbal tea, is not harmful to the health, medical experts in Guangdong province said yesterday.

"Wanglaoji and its ingredients are absolutely safe for human consumption," Zhang Junxiu, deputy director of the food association of Guangdong province, said yesterday. Wanglaoji, one of the most popular drinks in the country, contains various kinds of herbs, including Xiakucao (Prunella vulgaris L).

Recently, a man in Zhejiang province, who had been drinking the herbal tea for years, developed a gastric ulcer, which his doctor blamed on Xiakucao, the key ingredient in the herbal tea.