We all know that Cordyceps sinensis is a precious tonic herb. In China, it is considered one of the three major tonics, along with ginseng and deer antler. It can be used as both medicine and food. But is it a worm or a plant? Can children eat it?
Is Cordyceps sinensis a worm or a plant?
The debate over whether Cordyceps sinensis is a worm or a plant has been ongoing. Some say it is an animal because it has a worm-like body with a plant-like head, while others say it is a plant because its main body is a worm.
In fact, Cordyceps sinensis is a combination of insect and fungus. It is the larva of a green bat moth that resembles a yellow silkworm. After autumn, it burrows underground for hibernation, and during this time, the Cordyceps sinensis fungus invades its body, absorbing its nutrients and continuously growing mycelium. This eventually leads to the death of the larva. The larva's skin then gradually fills with mycelium and forms a fruiting body. At the beginning of the following year, a new life form called a "stipe" emerges from the head of the larva, resembling a baseball bat and having a purple, bronze, or brown color. This is why people mistakenly think it is a plant.
How does Cordyceps sinensis form?
The larva of Cordyceps sinensis is the larva of the Cordyceps bat moth, and the fungus is the Cordyceps sinensis fungus. Every summer, when the snow on the grasslands above 3800 meters above sea level melts, the small and delicate bat moths lay thousands of eggs on the leaves. These eggs then turn into larvae, which burrow into the moist and loose soil and absorb nutrients from plant roots and rhizomes, gradually growing their bodies to be white and plump. At this time, the spherical ascospores of the fungus enter the larva of the Cordyceps bat moth, absorbing its nutrients and germinating mycelium.
The infected larva gradually moves to a place two to three centimeters below the surface, and then dies with its head up and tail down. This is the "winter worm." Although the larva is dead, the fungus inside its body continues to grow until it fills the entire body. In late spring and early summer of the next year, a purple-red grass-like structure about two to five centimeters high grows from the head of the larva, with a pineapple-like capsule at the top. This is the "summer grass."
Can children eat Cordyceps sinensis?
Children are in a critical period of growth and development, and it is necessary to supplement their nutrition. However, supplementing nutrition does not mean taking tonics.
Cordyceps sinensis is a powerful tonic, and if children consume it too early, it can easily have adverse effects and even endanger their health. Therefore, parents should be careful and not give Cordyceps sinensis to their children. It is best to wait until the children are adults and then consider letting them consume it based on the situation. What are the dangers of children consuming Cordyceps sinensis?
1. It may cause precocious puberty: Cordyceps sinensis has the function of tonifying the kidneys, mainly because it contains components similar to male hormones. When children consume it, these components can exert the effects of male hormones, promoting early development of the sexual glands and causing precocious puberty.
2. It may lead to a heaty constitution: Children are generally active, and their bodies have a high yang energy. Cordyceps sinensis is a herb that tonifies the kidneys and invigorates yang. After consumption, it can produce a heating effect, which may lead to an excessive yang constitution in children. This is not beneficial and can even be harmful.
