Can Chinese medicine be heated in a microwave?

As people pay more attention to health preservation, they also attach more and more importance to traditional Chinese medicine treatment methods. This is because the side effects of Chinese medicine ingredients on the body are not as strong as those of Western medicine. The Chinese medicines currently sold in hospitals are all packaged in bags. This can help patients save time in decocting the medicines, but it also faces a new problem: can the Chinese medicines that need to be taken be heated in a microwave?

Many people also wonder whether using a microwave to heat the medicine will affect the effectiveness of the medicine. The answer is no. Chinese medicine in machine-fried bags heated in a microwave oven can also be taken safely. This is because the principle of microwave ovens heating food is not based on heat transfer, but rather on the constantly changing magnetic field generated by microwave oscillations, which causes the water molecules in the liquid to oscillate and generate heat, thereby heating the liquid. During the entire process of heating food, no chemical reaction occurs, so the effective ingredients in the medicine solution are basically in a stable state and will not affect the efficacy of the medicine.

However, it should be noted that dietary taboos should be observed during the medication period: commonly known as dietary taboos, which are mainly to avoid interference factors when taking medicine in order to improve the efficacy of the medicine. They can be divided into two categories: dietary taboos corresponding to a certain medicine and dietary taboos when taking medicine under different disease conditions. For the former, ginseng should be avoided with radish, turtle shell should be avoided with amaranth, licorice should be avoided with silver carp, shanshan should be avoided with onion, and poria should be avoided with vinegar. The latter means that when taking medicine for chronic diseases, one should avoid eating raw or cold food; during the treatment of febrile diseases, one should avoid eating spicy and greasy food; for carbuncles, ulcers, and skin diseases, one should avoid eating fish, shrimp, goose meat, and spicy food.

Through understanding, we will find that Chinese medicine can be heated in a microwave, but at the same time, it should be noted that the heated Chinese medicine needs to be consumed within a limited time. If it is left overnight or for too long, the efficacy will be significantly reduced and it may even deteriorate. In addition, when taking Chinese medicine, you must consult a doctor in advance whether to take it before or after meals.