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5 Traditional Māori NZ Native Plants You Should Be Drinking Daily

A List of NZ Native Plants Used in Atutahi and Their Advantages

Local NZ native plants carry centuries of knowledge handed down through generations of Māori rongoā (healing) practice. As more Kiwis go back to natural whole-body wellness, they’ve shown new interest in the healing power of native plants — and for good reasons.

Atutahi honors this custom through its made line of native plant-based drinks highlighting long-respected ingredients such as kawakawa, kūmarahou, horopito, mānuka, and harakeke. These aren’t just tasty extras in a beverage — they form the basis of Māori health and provide many benefits backed by science.

If you want to strengthen your immune system, ease your digestion, or just get back in touch with local health practices, you should consider adding these five plants to your everyday life.

1. Kawakawa – The Core of Māori Plant Medicine

Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) stands out as the most recognizable of all rongoā plants. You can spot its heart-shaped leaves right away, and its warm peppery flavor shows how strong it is. People have used it to treat many things, from upset stomachs to toothaches. Kawakawa works as a natural pain reliever and helps reduce swelling.

New studies back up what Māori people have known for a long time — kawakawa has active compounds that help calm the gut, lower inflammation, and boost blood flow. This explains why kawakawa plays a big role in Atutahi’s Kawakawa Sparkling Infusion.

Benefits

  • Helps with digestion
  • Reduces swelling and pain
  • Helps to clean out the body and improve blood flow

2. Kūmarahou – The Natural Cleanser

Māori people called kūmarahou (Pomaderris kumeraho) the “gum-digger’s soap.” They used its foamy leaves and lung-helping properties. This plant cleared lungs and helped skin, making it great for colds, coughs, and chest stuffiness.

Atutahi puts kūmarahou in its mixes. It adds a light bitter taste that goes well with sweeter plants. It also helps clean the body and keep lungs healthy. People like it in season-based blends to boost the immune system.

Benefits

  • Helps lungs work better
  • Cleans the body
  • Might make skin clearer

3. Horopito – Nature’s Spicy Antifungal

Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) catches the eye with its bright red-speckled leaves and packs a warm, peppery punch. People chew it raw or brew it as tea valuing horopito to fight fungi and microbes.

The key ingredient, polygodial, stops harmful microbes from growing — giving horopito the power to protect gut and immune health. In Atutahi drinks, it brings depth and warmth while offering health benefits.

Benefits

  • Fights fungi and bacteria
  • Boosts immune defense
  • Kickstarts digestion

4. Kānuka – A Hidden Healing Gem

Often overshadowed by its cousin Mānuka, Kānuka (Kunzea ericoides) is a powerful native plant with its own impressive healing legacy in rongoā Māori. Traditionally, the leaves and bark were used in infusions, baths, or as steam treatments to ease pain, fight infection, and calm irritated skin.

Kānuka is naturally rich in anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making it an ideal support for skin repair, immune health, and respiratory relief. Atutahi brings this lesser-known taonga to light through drinks that subtly showcase Kānuka’s clean, herbaceous flavour — a soothing, strengthening sip from nature.

Benefits

  • Supports skin healing and reduces irritation
  • Aids in immune and respiratory wellness
  • Natural anti-inflammatory properties
Kanuka
Harakeke

5. Harakeke – The Gut-Friendly Flax Plant

You’ll often spot Harakeke (Phormium tenax), or New Zealand flax, in gardens. But for Māori, this plant holds sacred status with deep spiritual and medicinal value. They used leaf gel to treat burns and wounds, and boiled roots as a laxative.

Wellness drinks include harakeke to boost gut health. Its prebiotic qualities help maintain a healthy microbiome. Atutahi harnesses this healing power adding harakeke to certain blends. This subtle addition aids gut health and hydration.

Benefits

  • Improves gut and bowel health
  • Contains natural prebiotic qualities
  • Hydrates and calms

Why These NZ Native Plants Should Be Part of Your Daily Wellness Routine

Each of these native plants has earned its spot in rongoā Māori not just due to traditional stories, but because of the real noticeable health benefits they provide. Atutahi includes these plants in their native drinks not as a marketing trick — it’s about heritage.

When you drink these botanicals every day in a well-balanced mix like those in Atutahi drinks, you’re doing more than just sipping a beverage. You’re getting back in touch with the land, your roots, and the natural flow of seasonal health.

Drinking kawakawa or kūmarahou isn’t just about boosting your immune system or cleansing your body — it’s a daily act of self-care that respects both your physical health and your cultural background.

The Atutahi Approach: Old Wisdom Meets New Wellness

Atutahi stands out in the wellness drink market because of its dedication to genuine Māori ingredient sourcing, eco-friendly harvesting methods, and profound appreciation for the plant lore. Each drink offers more than health benefits — it showcases indigenous knowledge presented thoughtfully.

For newcomers to these ingredients, we suggest starting with Kawakawa Sparkling or Kūmarahou Lemon Sparkling — these simple tasty options allow you to introduce native botanicals into your daily routine.

Let Nature Serve as Your Everyday Medicine

Māori plant medicines stem from keen observation, land stewardship, and a gut feeling about health as equilibrium. These five plants — kawakawa, kūmarahou, horopito, mānuka, and harakeke — aren’t fads. They’re treasures, and when used , they can boost your body’s natural healing cycles.

When you drink Atutahi, you don’t just feed yourself — you take part in something huge: breathing new life into ancient knowledge and shaping the future of plant-based health in Aotearoa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these native plants safe to eat every day?

Yes, if you use the right amounts. Atutahi creates products with safe levels of native plants that you can take.

Can children drink Atutahi beverages?

Many Atutahi drinks have little sugar and no caffeine so they’re good for families. But it’s always smart to check with a doctor for young kids or during pregnancy.

What sets Atutahi apart from other health drinks?

Atutahi uses real Māori ingredients from sustainable sources and respects rongoā traditions. It offers a wellness experience tied to Aotearoa’s unique culture.

Do I need to refrigerate Atutahi drinks?

You don’t need to chill unopened bottles. They’ll keep at room temperature. After opening, put them in the fridge. Drink them within a few days to enjoy the best flavor and get the most benefits.

Where can I learn more about the benefits of these plants?

Check out the Atutahi ingredient stories on their website. You’ll find in-depth information about each plant’s history and how it can boost your health.