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Licorice
By Zhang Qian |
June 26, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GANCAO (licorice) is a frequently used herb to relieve coughing and poor digestion. It is also often used in prescriptions to neutralize a strong medicine with toxins.
Gancao literally means sweet grass in Chinese, as the herb tastes a bit sweet. But according to the legend, licorice was originally called gancao (dry grass) by the woman who discovered it but knew nothing about its medicinal function.
With many patients waiting for treatment from a doctor who was absent, his wife tried to help. She recalled that her husband always gave patients dried grass packed in paper so went to the kitchen, and found a pile of sweet-tasting straw that she chopped into pieces and gave to the patients.
A few days later, some patients came with presents to thank the doctor for leaving the medicine which cured them of conditions such as poor digestion, too much phlegm, sore throat and swelling due to poison.
Licorice is generally used in TCM in two ways - raw and prepared. Raw licorice is a "neutral" herb and more effective in helping dispel pathogenic heat, detoxify, relieve a sore throat and various ulcers.
Prepared licorice is more often used to benefit the digestive system, relieve diarrhea, fatigue with fever and coughing.
Prescriptions & Usage:
? Licorice and jujube soup
Ingredients: 8 jujubes and licorice (6g)
Preparation: Cook the jujubes and licorice with 600ml water. Cook until only about 300ml of decoction is left. Filter and drink twice a day.
Benefits: help reinforce energy, nourish lungs and relieve coughing. It is recommended for those with chronic bronchitis, coughing or sore throat.
? Peony and licorice soup
Ingredients: peony (12g) and licorice (12g)
Preparation: Cook with about 600ml water until 200ml left. Filter and drink.
Benefits: help relieve convulsion and pain in the digestive system including stomach and intestines.
Gancao literally means sweet grass in Chinese, as the herb tastes a bit sweet. But according to the legend, licorice was originally called gancao (dry grass) by the woman who discovered it but knew nothing about its medicinal function.
With many patients waiting for treatment from a doctor who was absent, his wife tried to help. She recalled that her husband always gave patients dried grass packed in paper so went to the kitchen, and found a pile of sweet-tasting straw that she chopped into pieces and gave to the patients.
A few days later, some patients came with presents to thank the doctor for leaving the medicine which cured them of conditions such as poor digestion, too much phlegm, sore throat and swelling due to poison.
Licorice is generally used in TCM in two ways - raw and prepared. Raw licorice is a "neutral" herb and more effective in helping dispel pathogenic heat, detoxify, relieve a sore throat and various ulcers.
Prepared licorice is more often used to benefit the digestive system, relieve diarrhea, fatigue with fever and coughing.
Prescriptions & Usage:
? Licorice and jujube soup
Ingredients: 8 jujubes and licorice (6g)
Preparation: Cook the jujubes and licorice with 600ml water. Cook until only about 300ml of decoction is left. Filter and drink twice a day.
Benefits: help reinforce energy, nourish lungs and relieve coughing. It is recommended for those with chronic bronchitis, coughing or sore throat.
? Peony and licorice soup
Ingredients: peony (12g) and licorice (12g)
Preparation: Cook with about 600ml water until 200ml left. Filter and drink.
Benefits: help relieve convulsion and pain in the digestive system including stomach and intestines.
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