What's Pei Pa Koa? The herbal syrup Ariana Grande, Zayn Malik and more are gushing over | CPT PPP Coverage

When Ariana Grande says she’s adding something to her ‘vocal box’, you know it will work wonders for your throat. We’re talking about Pei Pa Koa (also called Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa), a Chinese herbal syrup which the Wicked star couldn’t stop raving about. The product has gone viral on social media following shoutouts by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum. So, what exactly is Pei Pa Koa and is the hype even worth it? Let’s find out.

In a recent conversation with Hong Kong news outlet Newsdaily Asia ( via South China Morning Post), the Wicked cast members were gifted a box of the herbal remedy to which Erivo and Bailey (un)surprisingly revealed that they’ve been already using the syrup, claiming it can make you ‘sound like a flute’.

All about Pei Pa Koa, the viral celebrity-approved herbal remedy

“It’s like a cough syrup, but it’s the most soothing thing for singers,” said Cynthia Erivo aka the film’s titular wicked witch Elphaba. She added that it’s ‘too delicious’. Bridgerton fame Jonathan Bailey credited the product for getting him through performing a musical, eight shows a week. “You’ll sound like a flute,” he added. All the rage about the product made the curious Ariana Grande say she would add it to her vocal box.

In an earlier interview, former One Direction member Zayn Malik also revealed he keeps a bottle of the syrup in his bag as it’s good for vocal chords.

What is Pei Pa Koa? A look at its origins

For the unversed, Pei Pa Koa, commonly known as Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, is an age-old traditional medicine which has been a staple in Chinese households for decades. The sticky black cough syrup has been produced by Hong Kong-based company Nin Jiom Medicine Manufactory since 1946. However, one can trace it back to the early years of China’s Qing dynasty.

It is believed that the formula was curated by a Qing Dynasty physician after Yang Chin, a county commander, requested him to cure his mother’s persistent cough. And no brownie points for guessing that the results were incredible. Years later on her deathbed, Yang’s mother requested him to mass produce the syrup for those in need. Eventually, in 1946, the Yang family sold the business to a medical practitioner who founded the Nin Jiom Medicine Manufactory, whose headquarters are in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

What is Pei Pa Koa made of? Looking at its composition and benefits

It contains key herbs like loquat leaf, pomelo peel, and ginger – all with great medicinal properties. Combined with a thick honey base, the syrup gets a rich sweet flavour which is easy to consume. According to Michelle Zhang, a medicine practitioner in Hong Kong, the ingredients found in the syrup help clear phlegm, nourish the lungs and fix coughs. “Pei Pa Koa just so happens to be very focused on targeting yin deficiencies, as it’s very nourishing,” she said according to South China Morning Post.

The syrup is usually consumed with water. However, people have trickled it into innovative concoctions ranging from drinks, desserts, ice cream, cocktails and even bread spreads. In Melbourne’s Mongkok Tea House, there’s a Pei Pa Koa-infused drink called ‘Herbal Harmony’, while New York’s Jade & Clover bar pays homage to the syrup with its ‘Antidote’ cocktail.

Would you try it?

(Hero image credit: zayn/ arianagrande /Amazon/ Instagram, featured image credit: Amazon)