Jade Forest® Tea & Herbal Encyclopaedia
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Galangal
'Siamese ginger'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
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​Galangal, also know as Thai ginger or Siamese ginger, is indeed a member of the ginger. It has a sharp citrusy, almost piney flavour. The skin of galangal is smoother and paler than ginger and its flesh is much harder. It can’t be grated like ginger can. It is used to help treat infections, reduce inflammation, boost male fertility, and even fight different types of cancer. In Ayurvedic medicine and other Asian cultures, it's used to calm upset stomachs, resolve diarrhea, reduce vomiting and even stop hiccups. In Traditional Chinese medicine it is used to expel cold and move Qi.
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Galangal contains a greenish-yellow volatile oil composed of cineo; eugenol; sesquiterpenes; isomers of cadinene. The rhizomes are abundant with flavonoids and phenolic acids.
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Ginger
'Universal medicine'
Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics. Not only has it been scientifically proven to aid in digestion, ginger has also shown anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-oxidant properties.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fresh ginger root is considered warm and pungent and recognized for dispersing cold within the stomach, which contributes to the treatment of nausea and vomiting. Traditional ayurvedic texts recommend ginger for therapeutic use for joint discomfort; for motion or airsickness; and for clearing the microcirculatory channels to facilitate better absorption of nutrients and better elimination of wastes.
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Ginger is described as a stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, carminative, anti- emetic, analgesic, sialagogue, appetizer, anti-flatulent, anti-tussive, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, anti-oxidant, anti-spasmodic, anti-atherosclerotic, cardiotonic, circulatory stimulant, and emmenagogue.
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Ginseng
'All-healing man-root'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Ginseng means “essence of man” in Chinese. There are two most common types- Asian and American ginseng. The root of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), is native to Manchuria and Korea. One of the first written texts covering the use of ginseng as a medicinal herb was the Shen-Nung Pharmacopoeia, written in China in 196 AD.
In traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng is used to increase strength, increase blood volume, promote life and appetite, and it has been prescribed for weakness, deficient qi patterns, anaemia and impotence. Panax ginseng is often referred to as a general well-being medication, because it affects many different systems of the body.
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The substances thought to be most important are called ginsenosides or panaxosides.
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Ginkgo Biloba
'Living fossil among plants'
Ginkgo biloba, or maidenhair, is a tree native to China that has been grown for thousands of years for a variety of uses. The leaves taste bitter and sweet. Because it’s the only surviving member of an ancient order of plants, it's sometimes referred to as a living fossil. Both seeds and leaves are used in Traditional Chinese medicine and it was introduced to Europe in the late 1600s.
In TCM ginkgo leaves are plants that are Neutral in nature, which means that ginkgo leaves typically don't affect the balance in your body. It is used to help with 'Stagnation of Fluids', to detoxify body, replenish qi and blood.
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Ginkgo contains high levels of flavonoids and terpenoids, which are compounds known for their strong antioxidant effects. A study in people with heart disease who supplemented with ginkgo revealed an immediate increase in blood flow to multiple parts of the body as well as its ability to reduce anxiety, stress and other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline associated with aging.
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Goji berries
'the happy berry'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Goji, goji berry, or wolfberry, in the Himalayas, Goji berries have been nicknamed “the happy berry,” for the sense of wellbeing induced when the berries are consumed. Goji berry shrubs resemble raspberries and bear bright red sweet berries. These are usually first dried and then used in teas, soups and tonics.
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In TCM goji berries belong to the 'Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency' category. Tonic herbs are used for patterns of Deficiency, when one lacks one of the 'Four Treasures' (Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang). Extreme Yin Deficiency often translates into a 'burn-out', unfortunately more and more common among people today. It is worth mentioning that another great remedy against Yin Deficiency is a lot of rest and sleep; no herb will ever be able to replace this!
Goji berries contain vitamins, polysaccharides, carotenoids, beta-catotene, high levels of healthy antioxidants, especially zeaxanthin.
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Green tea
'a day without tea is a day without joy'
Green tea originated in China with origins going back as far as 5,000 years. According to the legend, Chinese emperor Shennong was traveling when a leaf from a near by bush fell into his cup of water as it was presented to him. He liked the flavour and the decided to explore its medicinal properties as well. Its production and manufacture has since spread to other countries in East Asia. It is the most widely drank beverage in the world. It is produced from leaves and sprouts of Camellia sinensis, that undergo a drying and fermentation process. Various processes yield different types of teas- from white to dark tea.
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In traditional medicine, green tea has cooling characteristics, it can clear the mind, increase alertness, improve mood and relax your liver, thereby reducing stress. It is also used to to relieve indigestion and smooth bowel movements and rid body of toxins.
Scientific research into health benefits of green tea focus mostly on its anti-oxidative qualities to reduce free radical damage to cells and prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. It contains flavonoids, EGCG, epicatechin gallate and epicatechins.
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum​
'Immortality herb'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum, also known as Jiaogulan or Miracle Leaf or Imortality herb, or southern ginseng is a climbing vine common in South and East Asia as well as New Guinea. In particular, its nickname 'immortality herb’ comes from the natives in the Guizhou Province who in a 1970s census showed a high percentage of centenarians, with low incidences of diseases that usually afflict the aging, and drink the jiaogulan tea daily.
In traditional Chinese medicine, gynostemma has a slightly cool property and is regarded as a tonic herb with incredible healing properties. In China, gynostemma is used to treat inflammation and chronic bronchitis; stop coughs; and remove sputum.
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It grows wild shares a remarkably similar chemical profile with Ginseng, mostly ginsenosides and other ginseng-like saponins. There have been identified174 different gypenosides so far, 9 of which are also found in Panax. Jiaogulan also enjoys a growing reputation for activating AMPK, a molecule that acts as a “metabolic master switch” of cellular energy.When AMPK is activated, it turns up processes in cells and mitochondria that enhance conversion of food into ATP. This helps restore ATP levels.
Hawthorn
'tonic for the heart'
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Crataegus commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, May-tree, whitethorn, or hawberry is a thorny, flowering tree or shrub of the rose family. The fruits are packed with nutrition and have a tart, tangy taste and mild sweetness. The leaves, flowers, berries, stems, and even the bark of the plant are often used in herbal medicine.
All of the cultures that traditionally used hawthorn— including Native American, Chinese and European — used it for heart. It is used for diseases of the heart and blood vessels such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chest pain, and irregular heartbeat.
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Hawthorn is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins that are thought to help with healthy heart muscle contraction. They also contain digestive enzymes that are linked to lowering cholesterol.
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An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Hemp seeds
'hearts of fire hemp'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Hemp seeds are small, brown seeds from the Cannabis sativa plant. They are from the same species as cannabis (marijuana) but a different variety and they contain only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana.
Hemp has a long history of medicinal use. In Chinese medicine, hemp is known as one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is traditionally used as a laxative to loosen the bowels and relieve constipation. Nowadays, it is prescribed to help relieve pain, induce sleep, and treat nausea associated with chemotherapy. In ancient Ayurvedic medicine it is used as weight loss booster.
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Hemp seeds rich in healthful fatty acids, including omega-3s and omega-6s and are also a great source of vitamin E and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc. The seeds also contain high levels of arginine, an amino acid that turns into nitric oxide, which is essential for artery and vein dilation. The research has focus on cannabidiol (CBD) content that has become a popular choice for many pain and inflammation based ailments.
Honeysuckle
'convenient drink for hot summers'
Honeysuckle are twinning climbers or shrubs with scented flowers, popular for rustic house decoration, but they are in fact used in medicine for hundreds of years. Climbing honeysuckles produce scented flowers with sweet fragrance and nectar, followed by red berries.
In TCM honeysuckle is used for its cooling quality, mainly against heat associated diseases like respiratory inflammations, boils, pneumonia and heat stroke and acute rheumatoid arthritis, mumps and hepatitis. In India, Shankhapushpi, the well-known remedial medicine for memory enhancement, is extracted from this plant.
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Chlorogenic acid appears to be the main effective agent in the Japanese Honeysuckle, one of the main agents that help give the honeysuckle its antibiotic affects. It also contains Luteolin, which is an antioxidant and an immunity system modulator.
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Huanglian (Coptis chinensis)
'My life is more bitter than Huang Lian'
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.
Also known as Goldthread, Huanglian, is flowering plant native to Asia and North America. The studies have shown that the plant has become endangered in the wild.
It is used in traditional Chinese medicine for diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal fullness, jaundice, high fever coma, toothache, diabetes and eczema. It is also one of the key ingredients in Huanglian Shangqing Wan- a Chinese medicine concoction. In India it is used as a bitter tonic for treating malarial fever.
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There's been a numerous research into Huanglian as an alternative treatment for diabetes mellitus and as a cancer drug due to its cell growth inhibition in human cancer cells.
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Jasmine
Jasmine Green Tea
Jujube
'Living fossil among plants'
Ginkgo biloba, or maidenhair, is a tree native to China that has been grown for thousands of years for a variety of uses. The leaves taste bitter and sweet. Because it’s the only surviving member of an ancient order of plants, it's sometimes referred to as a living fossil. Both seeds and leaves are used in Traditional Chinese medicine and it was introduced to Europe in the late 1600s.
In TCM ginkgo leaves are plants that are Neutral in nature, which means that ginkgo leaves typically don't affect the balance in your body. It is used to help with 'Stagnation of Fluids', to detoxify body, replenish qi and blood.
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Ginkgo contains high levels of flavonoids and terpenoids, which are compounds known for their strong antioxidant effects. A study in people with heart disease who supplemented with ginkgo revealed an immediate increase in blood flow to multiple parts of the body as well as its ability to reduce anxiety, stress and other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline associated with aging.
An essential Chinese root herb used in teas and soup to restore the Qi.