How many bowls of water should be put in boiling Chinese medicine

Before boiling the Chinese medicine, it is best to rinse the medicine with cold water and soak it, and the water flow should be able to immerse the Chinese medicine, preferably more than about three centimeters is the best. According to practical experience, before decocting Chinese medicinal materials, the soaking temperature should be between 40℃ and 50℃. This will allow the water to penetrate deeply into the tissues of the medicinal materials slowly. The structure of the medicinal materials will become loose and bulge, which can be better dissolved, and the ingredients in the medicinal materials can be better decocted.

1. Time

The time for soaking Chinese medicinal materials is not fixed, and it is best to decide according to the different Chinese medicinal materials. If the material is relatively loose, such as flowers, leaves and grasses, then soaking for half an hour is enough; if it is a plant rhizome and bark with a relatively long growth period, it is best to soak for an hour.

2. Container

When decocting Chinese medicinal materials, it is best to choose a stone pot. Never choose a frying pan or an aluminum pot. This is because in the process of decocting Chinese medicine, some ingredients in the medicine are very easy to cause certain chemical changes with metal materials, which may change the properties of the medicine or reduce the efficacy of the medicine, which is not conducive to achieving the purpose of treating the disease.

3. Water flow

When boiling Chinese medicine, the amount of water added must be appropriate. Generally, the amount of water added for the first decoction should be between 300ml and 500ml; the amount of water added for the second decoction should be between 250ml and 300ml. If it is a tonic medicine, the amount of water should be increased appropriately when adding water. The first time should be between 700ml~1000ml, and the second time should be between 400ml~600ml. But in general, no matter what kind of medicine is decocted, the water should be boiled to about 150ml each time.

The amount of water to be added when boiling Chinese medicine should be determined according to the medicinal strength, so that the Chinese medicine can give full play to its maximum value. In addition, during the process of decocting Chinese medicine, the water body also has certain requirements. You should choose some water without impurities, such as spring water. River water and drinking water are both good choices. The length of time during the whole process of decocting Chinese medicine. The amount of water in decocted Chinese medicine affects its efficacy, so you must pay close attention to it.

4. Maturity

When decocting medicines, controlling the degree of doneness is very critical and important. You should use a low heat at the beginning, and then turn it to a low heat after boiling. In addition, it should be noted that the outer cover should not be opened frequently during the decoction process, so as to effectively prevent the loss of flavor and reduction of medicinal efficacy. Generally speaking, it only takes about 15 minutes for the medicine to be decocted after it is boiled; while nourishing and health-preserving medicines need to be decocted for about half an hour after it is boiled, which can effectively promote the extraction of effective ingredients and further enhance the medicinal effect.

When decocting medicines, you must not allow them to become mushy, because some Chinese medicinal materials contain volatile oils. If they are mushy, the volatile oils will evaporate and the original heating and cooling effects will be lost. It may even cause toxic side effects. Not only will it not have the effect of saving lives, it may even do harm to people. Therefore, mushy medicines must not be taken.