Ginseng is a commonly used medicinal herb that helps to replenish qi. It contains various nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, and proteins. White ginseng, also known as Korean ginseng, has the same qi replenishing effects. So what are the differences between white ginseng and ginseng?
Source Differences
White ginseng: A type of traditional Chinese medicine made from processed ginseng. Among the various products made from processed ginseng, such as sun-dried ginseng, sugar-coated ginseng, and dried ginseng, they are generally referred to as white ginseng.
Ginseng: A perennial herb belonging to the Araliaceae family. It is native to Canada and the United States and is also known as American ginseng or Western ginseng.
Appearance Differences
Ginseng: The surface is light yellow or yellowish-white. The root is fleshy and spindle-shaped, sometimes branching. The main root is round or spindle-shaped, with a shiny appearance, fine skin texture, full and firm texture, and a clean cross-sectional cut that shows clear chrysanthemum patterns.
White ginseng: It is brittle, slender, and white on the cross-section with radial patterns and straight branches.
Taste Differences
Ginseng: Slightly fragrant and distinctive aroma, with a slightly bitter and sweet taste.
White ginseng: Fragrant aroma and a sweet yet bitter taste.
Efficacy Differences
Ginseng: Helps to replenish qi and nourish yin, clears heat, and generates fluids. It is used for qi deficiency and yin deficiency, internal heat, cough with phlegm and blood, exhaustion from deficiency heat, thirst, and dry throat.
White ginseng: Greatly replenishes the body's vitality, solidifies and prevents leakage, and calms the mind. It is mainly used for women's excessive menstruation, postpartum sudden collapse, and prolonged deficiency.
Which is Better, White Ginseng or Ginseng?
Both have their advantages.
White ginseng has the effect of greatly replenishing vitality, while ginseng replenishes qi and nourishes yin. The chemical composition of the two is similar, but their efficacy differs. Ginseng can both replenish qi and nourish yin, while white ginseng primarily replenishes qi and prevents leakage. The choice depends mainly on one's own physique. For those with a weak constitution, ginseng is recommended, while for those with internal heat, ginseng is recommended.
