【6 Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing Traditional Chinese Medicine】
Don't Wash the Herbs Before Boiling
It is not advisable to rinse the herbs with water before boiling, as it may cause loss of the herbal ingredients and affect the effectiveness of the medicine.
Use Cold Boiled Water Instead of Tap Water
It is best to soak the herbs in cold boiled water instead of tap water. Chlorine in tap water can react with certain components in the herbs and affect the effectiveness of the medicine. The soaking time for Chinese herbs is generally around 30 minutes, but if the herbs contain a lot of leaves, flowers, or grass, the soaking time can be shortened to 20 minutes. The water should cover the herbs by 4-5 centimeters during soaking, and by 2-3 centimeters during the second boiling.
Use a Clay Pot or Porcelain Pot
Avoid using iron or aluminum pots for boiling Chinese herbs. During the heating process, the iron or aluminum components may combine with tannic acid and other organic acids in the herbs, potentially affecting the effectiveness and altering the properties of the medicine. Therefore, it is generally recommended to use a clay pot or porcelain pot for boiling herbs, as these materials are more ideal and have stable chemical properties. They have a flat bottom, even heat conduction, good heat preservation, and can effectively release the active ingredients of the herbs.
Control the Cooking Time
There are different cooking techniques for boiling Chinese herbs, known as "strong fire" and "gentle fire". The "strong fire" method refers to boiling the herbs quickly, while the "gentle fire" method refers to boiling them slowly. Generally, start with the strong fire and switch to the gentle fire after boiling. Different prescriptions require different cooking times. Sweating decoctions for treating exterior patterns should be cooked for a shorter time, while nourishing decoctions for treating deficiency patterns should be cooked for a longer time.
Avoid Touching the Herbs with Bare Hands
This is a detail that many people easily overlook. Most Chinese herbs are packaged in paper, and some are even packaged in small plastic bags for the treatment of liver cirrhosis. When putting the herbs into the boiling container, many people's hands may touch the herbs. Little do they know, this action can sometimes affect the efficacy of the herbs. If the hands have been applied with hand cream or have a fragrant soap smell, it can further contaminate the herbs. Therefore, it is best not to touch the herbs with bare hands and to directly pour them into the container.
Boiling Longer Doesn't Make the Medicine Stronger
In daily life, most people believe that the longer Chinese herbs are boiled, the stronger the effect will be. They think that the longer the boiling time, the more active ingredients will be released. However, this is not the case. Boiling Chinese herbs is a process of continuously releasing and dissolving the active ingredients of the herbs. Once the concentration of active ingredients in the herbs and the liquid reaches equilibrium, this process stops. Continuously boiling the herbs will not further dissolve the active ingredients, but instead cause the evaporation and reduction of the active ingredients in the liquid. It can even lead to the destruction of the active ingredients under prolonged high temperature, resulting in a decrease in effectiveness.
