My father enjoys drinking alcohol, especially making herbal wine with traditional Chinese medicine ingredients. Recently, I bought some Polygonatum for him from a friend. I would like to know if Polygonatum can be used to make wine.
Can Polygonatum be used to make wine?
Yes, it can.
Polygonatum is a commonly used Chinese medicinal herb with high medicinal value. It has a sweet taste and a neutral nature. It is known for its effects in tonifying qi and nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, strengthening the spleen, and benefiting the kidneys. It is often used to treat symptoms such as weak spleen and stomach, fatigue, lung deficiency cough, weak lower back and knees, premature graying of hair, and more. The medicinal components of Polygonatum are easily extracted in alcohol and can be enhanced by the wine, making it suitable for making herbal wine.
The Benefits and Effects of Polygonatum Wine
Tonifying Qi and Strengthening the Spleen
Polygonatum has a sweet taste and a neutral nature. It enters the spleen meridian and has the effects of tonifying qi and nourishing yin, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Drinking Polygonatum wine can help with symptoms such as weak spleen and stomach, fatigue, insufficient stomach yin, dry mouth, and reduced appetite.
Nourishing Yin and Moistening the Lungs
Polygonatum enters the lung meridian and has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, and stopping cough. Drinking Polygonatum wine can provide relief for symptoms such as lung deficiency dry cough, coughing up blood due to exertion, and more.
Replenishing the Kidneys and Nourishing Essence
Polygonatum enters the kidney meridian and has the effects of nourishing kidney yin. Drinking Polygonatum wine can alleviate symptoms such as impotence, spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, weak lower back and knees, hearing loss, tinnitus, premature graying of hair, and more caused by kidney deficiency.
What is the best combination for making Polygonatum wine?
Polygonatum can be used to make wine alone or in combination with other Chinese medicinal herbs. Here are two methods for making Polygonatum wine.
Recipe One:
Ingredients: 150g Polygonatum, 75g Polygonum multiflorum, 75g Wolfberry, 75g Sour Jujube Kernel, 1500ml Baijiu (Chinese white liquor).
Instructions:
1. Grind Polygonatum and Polygonum multiflorum.
2. Put Polygonatum, Polygonum multiflorum, Wolfberry, and Sour Jujube Kernel into a wine jar.
3. Pour in Baijiu, seal the jar, and shake well.
4. Let it soak for 1-2 months before drinking.
5. Take 10-15ml each time, twice a day.
Effects: Tonify the spleen and stomach, nourish the liver and kidneys, calm the mind.
Recipe Two:
Ingredients: 60g Ophiopogon, 80g Polygonatum, 80g Atractylodes, 100g Pine Needles, 100g Wolfberry, 3000ml Baijiu.
Instructions:
1. Coarsely grind Polygonatum, Ophiopogon, and Atractylodes. Cut the Pine Needles into small pieces.
2. Put all the herbs into a container.
3. Pour in Baijiu, seal the container, and shake well.
4. Let it soak for 15 days, then filter out the residue.
5. Take 15-20ml each time, twice a day.
Effects: Nourish lung yin, tonify essence and marrow.
Can fresh Polygonatum be directly used to make wine?
Yes, it can.
Fresh Polygonatum itself does not have obvious toxic side effects. After washing and drying, it can be directly used to make wine. However, because fresh Polygonatum has a slight numbing taste and can cause some irritation to the throat, it is generally better to use processed Polygonatum to make wine, as it will have better efficacy.
Contraindications for drinking Polygonatum wine
Excessive phlegm-dampness
Symptoms such as obesity, edema in the limbs, excessive facial oiliness, swollen tongue, and sticky mouth indicate excessive phlegm-dampness. Drinking Polygonatum wine, which has nourishing effects, may further hinder the transformation and transportation functions of the spleen and stomach, exacerbating the symptoms of phlegm-dampness.
Cold and diarrhea
If there are symptoms of deficient middle warmer and diarrhea, it is not suitable to drink Polygonatum wine. Otherwise, the symptoms will not be relieved and may worsen.
Hypertension
People with hypertension should not drink alcohol in general, as alcohol can cause blood vessels to constrict and increase blood pressure. Drinking alcohol may cause discomfort such as headaches and dizziness in hypertensive patients.
