Many friends are confused about whether it is necessary to wash Chinese herbal medicines before decoction. In fact, Chinese herbal medicines generally do not need to be washed. If you feel that there is dirt and sand that is not clean and must be washed, you can only quickly rinse it with water, which is commonly known as "quick washing", instead of repeated washing. Why is this?
1. Some herbs should not be washed. Chinese herbs such as peppermint and Houttuynia cordata are easily lost when soaked and washed. In addition, many herbs contain sugars and glycosides, which can dissolve in water. Washing with water will result in the loss of some effective ingredients and reduce the efficacy of the medicine.
2. Washing with water can cause loss of powdered herbs. There are many powdered Chinese herbs, such as realgar, fried soil, talcum powder, etc. If washed with water, these drugs will be lost.
3. Washing with water can cause loss of some herbal auxiliary materials. Some herbs are added with honey, wine, bile, and other auxiliary materials during the processing, which are easily soluble in water. If washed with water, some auxiliary materials will be lost. For example, roasted licorice, bile Arisaema, wine-prepared rhubarb, etc.
In addition, Chinese herbal medicines usually need to go through a series of processes such as cleaning impurities and drying during the production process, so there is no need to wash them again. Moreover, Chinese herbal medicines have been cooked at high temperature for a long time, making them very hygienic. After slight precipitation and removal of the residue, they can be safely taken.
