TCM decoction is a traditional form of TCM treatment, but its obvious bitter taste often worries many patients, which not only affects the patient's medication experience, but also may lead to a decrease in patients' medication compliance. So, in the face of bitter Chinese herbal decoction, can we improve its taste by adding sugar? This article explores this and provides some practical advice for reducing bitterness.
The reason why Chinese herbal decoctions have a bitter taste is mainly because they contain active ingredients such as alkaloids and phenolic compounds. While these ingredients play a pharmacological role such as clearing heat and detoxifying, drying and dampness, and dissolving phlegm, they also bring a bitter taste that people do not like. It is worth noting that bitterness is not only an attribute of traditional Chinese medicine, but also one of the important factors in its efficacy.
Chinese medicine decoction should not be added with sugar at will
In TCM theory, sugar is not just a sweetener, it also has specific medicinal properties and effects in its own right. Taking Xiao Jianzhong soup in Zhang Zhongjing's "Treatise on Typhoid Fever and Miscellaneous Diseases" as an example, the caramel ingredients contained in this recipe mainly play a role in slowing down the deficiency and replenishing the deficiency, and nourishing the dryness. Adding sugar to herbal decoctions at will may adversely affect the efficacy. Different types of sugar have different tastes, such as white sugar and brown sugar, if added indiscriminately, it may conflict with the original properties of the drug, thereby weakening the therapeutic effect. In addition, the iron and calcium ions in sugar may chemically react with proteins and tannins in traditional Chinese medicine, which further affects the efficacy of the drug. Especially for diabetics, people with damp and hot constitutions, people with thick tongue coating, and children with a lot of phlegm after a cold, adding sugar needs to be more cautious.
Practical tips to lighten bitterness
Control the temperature of the chemical solution. Studies have shown that taste buds perceive taste differently at different temperatures. When the decoction of traditional Chinese medicine is cooled to 30~40 °C, the perception of bitterness can be relatively weakened. Take quickly. Rapid ingestion of the solution shortens the amount of time it stays in the mouth, thereby reducing the perception of bitterness. Avoid touching the tip of the tongue. The tip of the tongue is the most sensitive organ area to the bitter taste, so you can try to send the liquid to the base of the tongue when taking the medicine, and use a spoon or straw to help the liquid medicine go directly into the throat and avoid the tip of the tongue. Rinse your mouth with warm water. Gargling your mouth with warm water immediately after taking the medicine can help remove bitter taste and is also beneficial for oral hygiene. Personalized prescriptions. According to the patient's constitution and condition, the doctor can appropriately adjust the prescription without affecting the efficacy of the medicine to reduce the bitter taste, such as adding licorice, jujube and other medicinal materials. In conclusion, although the bitter taste of TCM decoction is difficult to love, it is an important part of ensuring the efficacy of the medicine. Before considering adding sugar, we should first understand the nature and function of Chinese medicine, and under the guidance of a Chinese medicine practitioner or Chinese herbalist, we should take Chinese medicine scientifically and reasonably according to our own constitution and condition, so as to avoid weakening the efficacy of the medicine.
Source: China Traditional Chinese Medicine News Author Zhang Rong of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Edit: XY
Review: Wu Tao
Final review: Wang Yuan
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