Does boiling Chinese herbal medicine too concentrated damage its effectiveness?
Younger friends may not be very familiar with boiling Chinese herbal medicine. They may think that Chinese medicine tastes bad, so they boil it for a longer time to "concentrate" the medicinal water. However, this approach is incorrect. Let's learn how to boil Chinese herbal medicine correctly.
How to boil Chinese herbal medicine correctly How to boil Chinese herbal medicine correctly How should Chinese herbal medicine be boiled
Boiling Chinese herbal medicine too concentrated can damage its effectiveness
Firstly, when boiling medicine, the effective ingredients of the medicine permeate into the liquid. When boiling for a certain period of time and the liquid reaches a certain concentration, the effective ingredients stop being released. Continuing to boil will not increase the concentration of the medicine.
Secondly, some medicines will continuously evaporate and lose their effective ingredients during prolonged boiling. For example, for medicines that relieve external symptoms, the effective ingredients will evaporate with the steam. The longer the boiling time, the more ingredients are lost and the lower the effectiveness of the medicine.
Thirdly, boiling the medicine too concentrated will make it more bitter and more likely to cause adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting.
Therefore, in order to better exert the therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicine, it is recommended not to boil the medicine too concentrated. Generally, the amount of liquid boiled each time should not be less than 200 milliliters. For children with lower doses, the amount of liquid should not be less than 120 milliliters each time.
How to boil Chinese herbal medicine correctly
First: Choice of utensils
Chinese medicine tells us that it is best to use a sand pot when boiling Chinese herbal medicine. These sand pots are made of ceramics and can maximize the efficacy of the herbal ingredients. Stainless steel is also a good material choice as it does not rust and is more common in the market. However, it is important to note that iron or copper pots should not be used to boil the medicine as they can affect the effectiveness of the medicine.
Second: Cleaning
In fact, most of the medicinal materials purchased from professional pharmacies do not need to be cleaned, so there is no need to worry about cleanliness. If the medicinal materials need to be cleaned, simply put them in clean water and quickly wash them, without soaking. If the medicinal materials are small particles, such as Plantago seeds and Cassia seeds, extra care should be taken during cleaning to prevent them from being washed away.
Third: Amount of water
It is important to use clean water for boiling. Therefore, the amount of water needs to be carefully chosen. Many people say that when boiling herbal medicine, three bowls of water should be boiled down to one bowl of water. Is this statement correct? In fact, this method is not scientific because the size of the bowls in each household may vary. When boiling herbal medicine, the added water should be able to submerge the herbal ingredients by two to three centimeters above the water surface. You can also press down the ingredients with your hand, just enough to cover the back of your hand. It is important to note that some Chinese herbal ingredients have a high water absorption rate, especially flower and herb ingredients. After soaking in water for half an hour, the water level will decrease. At this time, more water should be added before starting to boil the medicine.
Fourth: Heat intensity
Experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioners tell us that the heat intensity during boiling can also affect the effectiveness of the medicine. It is recommended to use high heat at the beginning of boiling and then switch to low heat after boiling. However, if the medicine being boiled has the effect of treating external symptoms, high heat should be continued after the water boils, and boiling for about fifteen minutes is sufficient.
Fifth: Boiling time
The boiling time is a question that many people are concerned about when boiling herbal medicine. Generally, after boiling with high heat, switch to low heat. For general Chinese herbal medicine, the first boiling time should be controlled at around twenty to twenty-five minutes, and the second boiling time should be controlled at around fifteen to twenty minutes. If the boiled medicine is for relieving external symptoms, the first boiling time should be reduced to ten to fifteen minutes, and the second boiling time should be around ten minutes. If the purpose is to nourish the body, the boiling time should be increased moderately. The first boiling time should be controlled at thirty minutes to forty minutes, and the second boiling time should be around twenty-five to thirty minutes.
