When some people cook traditional Chinese medicine, they often forget to cover the pot in order to make it more convenient. In this regard, Chinese medicine practitioners remind patients not to forget to cover the pot when cooking Chinese medicine.
According to research, the majority of plant-based Chinese medicines, such as those from the Magnoliaceae, Rutaceae, and Asteraceae families, contain volatile oils. Volatile oils have medicinal properties such as wind-dispelling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving effects. However, volatile oils have low solubility in water, and most of them have a lower density than water. Therefore, they easily evaporate with the steam. If the pot is not covered when cooking Chinese medicine, the active ingredients in the medicine can easily "escape" with the steam, reducing the effectiveness of the medication.
