For winter nourishment and health preservation, ginseng reigns supreme. Ginseng is slightly warm in nature, with a sweet and slightly bitter taste, and is associated with the spleen, lung, and heart meridians. It is known for its major benefits in tonifying vital energy, restoring the pulse, securing the collapse, enhancing intelligence and calming the mind, and delaying aging. However, different types of ginseng vary in nature, function, and indications; only the right choice provides true health benefits.
Wild ginseng is effective for both yin and yang tonification and is considered the most potent. Red ginseng is warming in nature, while white ginseng or sugar-coated ginseng is neutral, and American ginseng is cooling. Korean ginseng, Jilin red ginseng, and Japanese red ginseng are generally suitable for the elderly who are advanced in age and have a deficient constitution with insufficient yang. They are indicated for symptoms such as a pale complexion, cold limbs, soreness in the lower back and knees, and shortness of breath upon exertion. They are also suitable for those recovering from surgery or women with excessive uterine bleeding or postpartum blood loss. Sugar-coated and white ginseng are suitable for individuals with qi deficiency and fatigue, shortness of breath and reluctance to speak, sweating upon exertion, or those with poor digestive and absorptive function of the spleen and stomach. American ginseng is suitable for people with a dry throat and mouth, yin injury from febrile diseases, or depletion of both qi and yin from summer heat, and is often taken during the summer. All ginseng rootlets have similar effects but are less potent.
Many people mistakenly believe that ginseng can only be consumed by stewing it, but this is not the case. Here are six methods for your reference.
Chewing and Holding in the Mouth:
Each time, take 1-2 slices of ginseng, place them in your mouth, and slowly chew and hold them until they dissolve.
Decoction for Drinking:
Slice the ginseng, wash it, and place it in a clay pot. Add water (enough to cover the slices by 2 cm) and soak for 0.5-1 hour. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-1.5 hours, then strain and drink the liquid.
Steaming in a Water Bath:
Place 5-8 slices of ginseng in a small bowl with an appropriate amount of water. Put the bowl in a larger pot with cold water and steam over medium heat for 0.5-1 hours. You can add a little honey and consume both the liquid and the residue.
Infusion as Tea:
Take 5-8 slices of ginseng and place them in a cup. Pour in boiling water, cover, and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink as a tea. The slices can be re-steeped multiple times. When the flavor becomes weak, you can consume the liquid along with the residue.
Soaking in Wine for Consumption:
Take a whole ginseng root (10-20 grams) and soak it in 500 ml of white liquor. Seal the container and shake it once daily. It is ready for consumption after two weeks. Take about 10 ml each time.
Grinding into Powder for Ingestion:
Grind the ginseng into a fine powder and fill it into capsules to take, 1.5-2 grams each time, or mix the powder with warm water and drink.
It is worth noting that while taking ginseng, you should avoid eating radish, mung beans, or drinking tea, as these can reduce its tonic effects. If you catch a cold with fever, or experience side effects such as abdominal bloating and poor appetite from improper use, you should discontinue taking ginseng. You can also stew radish or mung beans to help alleviate these symptoms.