When people need to take Chinese medicine, they often ask a traditional Chinese medicine doctor or cook it themselves at home. However, we often cannot control the process of cooking, which often leads to the medicine not being fully effective. So, what aspects should be mastered in the process of cooking Chinese medicine to maximize its efficacy?
1. Controlling the heat is crucial
In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a distinction between "wu huo" (strong fire) and "wen huo" (gentle fire). This has scientific reasoning behind it. Generally, the medicine is first boiled with strong fire and then simmered with gentle fire to prevent the medicine from overflowing or drying out too quickly. For light-textured medicines that have the functions of dispersing and evaporating, such as flowers, stems, and leaves, they should be boiled with strong fire and then simmered with gentle fire for about 10 minutes after boiling. For heavy-textured medicines that have the function of sinking and nourishing, such as roots, rhizomes, minerals, etc., they should be boiled with strong fire and then simmered with gentle fire for about 50 minutes to fully dissolve the active ingredients in the liquid.
Some Chinese medicines can only reduce or eliminate their toxicity through slow simmering with gentle fire, such as Aconitum carmichaeli, which is highly toxic. On the other hand, for medicines used for external conditions, clearing heat, or having aromatic properties, they should be quickly boiled with strong fire; otherwise, the loss of active ingredients or changes in their properties may occur. Additionally, specific prescriptions may include instructions such as "pre-boil," "add later," "wrap and simmer," "liquefy," "re-boil," "soak and drink," or "infuse and drink." These special requirements have been mentioned earlier.
2. Choosing the right container is important
It is recommended to use sand pots, clay pots, or enamel pots, and avoid using iron pots, copper pots, and other metal pots. Soak the medicine in cold water first to make it soft, so that the active ingredients can easily penetrate into the water. Add water until it exceeds the level of the medicine by two finger-widths. The soaking time is about 20 minutes for medicines mainly composed of flowers, leaves, and stems; about 30 minutes for medicines mainly composed of roots, seeds, and fruits; and up to 60 minutes for medicines mainly composed of animal parts. For medicines used for external conditions, the soaking time should be short, while for medicines used for internal nourishment, the soaking time should be longer.
3. Pay attention to filtering the medicinal liquid
First, the cooked medicine pot should be taken off the heat and the medicinal liquid should be filtered after 3 minutes. Do not wait for the liquid to cool before filtering, as some active ingredients may turn into large particles that are prone to sedimentation and will be discarded. Filtering the medicine should be done using a gauze net to remove impurities from the medicinal liquid. This is particularly beneficial for medicines with hairy substances that can irritate the throat and cause coughing or nausea. Knowing the appropriate heat, container, and procedures for cooking Chinese medicine is an important guarantee for maximizing its efficacy.
【Warm reminder: Pay attention to pre-boiling and adding later】
The purpose of "pre-boiling" is usually to increase the solubility of certain medicines or reduce their toxicity. "Adding later" is done to reduce the loss of volatile oils and prevent the destruction of active ingredients.
Generally, for minerals such as shells and animal horns, which have a hard texture, they must be pre-boiled to help extract their active ingredients. For example, gypsum, cassia seed, tortoise shell, and turtle shell should be crushed and simmered for 30 minutes before adding other medicinal materials for cooking. Some toxic medicines, such as Aconitum carmichaeli, prepared aconite, and Corydalis yanhusuo, must be pre-boiled for 1 to 2 hours to reduce or eliminate their toxicity. In addition, some plant medicines, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Cannabis sativa, and Dendrobium nobile, should be pre-boiled for 10 to 30 minutes before they can exert their effects.
Medicines that are added later include those with fragrant odors and high content of volatile oils, such as peppermint, patchouli, cardamom, sandalwood, as well as medicines that should not be simmered for a long time, such as Uncaria rhynchophylla and apricot kernels. These medicines should be added to the pot 5 to 10 minutes before the decoction is ready.
