Cordyceps sinensis is a highly effective health supplement and tonic. It has effects such as regulating immunity, anti-tumor, anti-cancer, replenishing Qi, nourishing blood, and strengthening yang.
Cordyceps sinensis and Goji Berry Soup
How to eat Cordyceps sinensis best
Boil it in water to drink as tea, instead of steeping it in boiling water. This method is simple and effective. Usually, Cordyceps sinensis should be boiled for 6 to 10 minutes. Note that it should be done over a low flame. After the water boils, drink it immediately, adding more water as you drink. The water is most nutritious when its color is the deepest, and this water should not be wasted. Typically, the Cordyceps water goes through a process from light to strong and then back to light, with a long-lasting aftertaste. When the Cordyceps water turns pale or even white, stop drinking it and eat the Cordyceps. One pot of Cordyceps tea can be drunk for at least half an hour, with water added 4 to 6 times.
Stewed (steamed) with meat: When stewing (steaming) meat, place the Cordyceps inside the meat (e.g., in the belly of a duck or pigeon) and simmer over low heat until the meat is cooked.
Grind the Cordyceps sinensis with a grinder, put it into a capsule box to carry with you, and take it regularly every day.
Cordyceps sinensis is a tonic after all, and is not suitable for everyone.
Those with a constitution偏向于热最好别吃。现代人饮食多油腻，常常大鱼大肉，不少人体内痰热，积蓄的代谢产物排不出去。由于工作压力大、感觉疲劳，他们经常会吃点冬虫夏草进补。但疲劳未必是体虚的表现。除病后、产后等原因明确的体虚者，其他人要吃冬虫夏草，最好先到医院咨询医生。如果盲目进补，可能上火，过量服用还会导致心慌气短、烦躁、面部红斑及四肢浮肿等症。
Currently, there are many counterfeit Cordyceps sinensis on the market, and people often use Cordyceps militaris to fake them. Cordyceps are found in most parts of China, but Cordyceps sinensis is only produced in Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Gansu, making it particularly precious.
Four ways to distinguish genuine Cordyceps sinensis
Currently, the quality of Cordyceps sinensis on the market varies, and some vendors mix in fakes to pass them off as genuine. When purchasing, you should pay attention to using the following methods to distinguish them.
Look at the shape: "Shape" like a silkworm. Cordyceps sinensis is shaped like a silkworm, usually with only one "grass head," and rarely with a branched one. The base of the "grass head" is thicker and tapers towards the end, with a length of 0.1 to 4 cm. The genuine Cordyceps has a rough surface with distinct rings, totaling 20 to 30. The dried Cordyceps is brittle and breaks easily. When broken, the断面有一中空或淡灰色的小马蹄形印迹。The whole Cordyceps is usually long and thin or slightly curved. Fake Cordyceps, on the other hand, has symmetrical bumps on one side and parallel, evenly spaced stripes on the other, usually made by pouring into a mold.
Recognize the color: "Color" is yellowish-brown. The outer appearance of Cordyceps sinensis is yellowish-brown to yellowish-red, with the head being reddish-yellow. Most of the "grass head" part is black, long and thin, and the断面 is flat and slightly yellowish. The best quality genuine Cordyceps has a yellow, bright, plump, and well-developed insect body; a yellowish-white断面 that is not hollow; a small stroma; no mold; and no impurities.
Smell the aroma: "Smell" is strongly fishy. The genuine product has a natural mushroom-like aroma or a slight fishy smell, while fakes generally have no smell.
Soak the Cordyceps: "Body and stroma" are connected. When genuine Cordyceps are soaked in boiling water, the insect body swells and softens, the stroma darkens to dark brown, and the insect body and stroma remain tightly connected and do not fall off. The soaking solution has a slight odor. After fake Cordyceps are soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes, they will slowly reveal their original shape; the yellow outer casing will fall off, and the fake stroma will also detach from the insect body.
Winter bug, summer grass soup