How to cook Chinese medicine for best effect

Traditional Chinese medicine is composed of many medicinal materials. When we take traditional Chinese medicine, we need to boil it. First, we need to wash the medicinal materials, and then put them in the pot and slow cook them. Under normal circumstances, it takes about 1 hour to completely release the flavor of the medicinal materials into the water. You need to boil the medicine according to the doctor's advice, and pay attention to the heat to avoid drying out the medicinal materials.

1. Use boiled water to cook medicine

Nowadays, people often boil medicine directly with tap water. In fact, it is best to let the boiled water cool down before use. Because tap water in some places is mostly disinfected with chlorine, there are more or less residues; at the same time, tap water contains more calcium and magnesium ions, which can easily react with the compounds in medicinal materials and affect the efficacy.

2. Decoction first and then decoction to distinguish the medicinal properties

Shellfish, minerals, bones, etc. should be fried first. Shells include oyster powder, clam powder, etc., minerals include gypsum powder, dragon bones, etc., and bones include turtle shell, tortoise shell, etc. This type of medicine should be decocted for 10 minutes before adding other medicines.

Some prescriptions require that one or several herbs be decocted later, that is, other herbs should be decocted for 10 minutes before being put into the medicine pot. Because some medicinal materials are ineffective if boiled for a long time, such as Uncaria rhynchophylla; some medicinal materials have aromatic smells, and their efficacy will be reduced if boiled for a long time, such as honeysuckle, forsythia, mint, etc.

In addition, the toxicity of some medicines can be reduced by long-term decoction, such as Strychnos nux vomica. It is best to soak the medicinal materials in warm water for 40 minutes before decocting the medicine to allow the medicine to be soaked thoroughly so that more effective ingredients in the medicine can be decocted out.

3. Pay attention when opening and closing the cover

If some volatile medicinal materials are boiled openly, the active ingredients will be released into the air along with the water vapor, and the efficacy will be greatly reduced. Most of these volatile herbs are pungent, dispersing, and aromatic herbs that can dispel exterior pathogens or eliminate dampness, such as mint, perilla leaves, and patchouli. The decoction time should not be too long. For example, some tonic medicines, such as ginseng, deer antler, American ginseng, etc., need to be simmered slowly over low heat in a container for a long time to fully boil out the effective ingredients. The lid should be closed to prevent the medicinal ingredients from being lost with the water vapor during slow simmering.

Some light-weight and large-volume medicinal materials, such as Centella asiatica and Senna leaves, will easily overflow when the container is covered with a lid if the container is not large enough. In addition, some medicinal materials that are difficult to dissolve need to be stirred frequently during decocting. It is best not to cook such medicines with the lid on. Of course, it is best to stir in one direction so that the medicinal materials can be heated evenly and the effective ingredients can be completely dissolved. Generally, turn it over once every 10 minutes.

4. There are some rules for using fire and pot

Some medicines need to be simmered for a long time over low heat, while others need to be simmered over high heat and for a short time. Tonic medicines should be simmered over low heat for a long time, while laxatives and medicines for colds and flu should be simmered over high heat and for a short time.

It is best to use a casserole for decocting medicine, because the casserole is heated evenly, and when the medicine is boiled, its rolling is like waves, with impact force. Then use chopsticks to stir it constantly, like a washing machine washing away dirt from clothes. In this way, all the effective ingredients in the medicine can be decocted out. When decocting medicine in a pressure cooker, there will be no impact and stirring effect, and the composition of the medicine will be affected.

5. It is best to boil 180 ml of the decoction

The amount of decoction is very critical. Fry it three times, about 180 ml each time. If there is more medicine juice, there will be less effective ingredients in the residue; conversely, if there is less medicine juice, the residue will absorb the effective ingredients of the medicine back, which will be wasted. Of course, what we are talking about here is the normal prescription, not the special prescription.

6. Boil the false boiling medicine for a while longer

In the general impression of people, if the medicine boils, it means it is cooked. However, medicines such as Adenophora Root, Panax Notoginseng, Achyranthes Bidentata, Licorice, Platycodon Grandiflorum, etc. will start to boil before the temperature reaches 100℃. If the medicine is taken off the fire at this time, the active ingredients in the medicine will not be fully dissolved and the efficacy will be affected.