Can Cordyceps be eaten directly?

Everyone should be familiar with Cordyceps sinensis. Now many friends like to give this kind of item as a tonic as a gift. It is very suitable for friends with weak bodies. However, there are certain taboos when eating Cordyceps sinensis, so you must pay attention to certain eating methods, so that it can help the body without causing harm. So can Cordyceps sinensis be eaten directly?

Cordyceps sinensis is a valuable Chinese medicinal material. It is best to use it by stewing or boiling it in soup to fully exert its effects. It can also be ground and soaked in water for consumption. The dietary method can refer to the following:

Cough, chronic cough, asthma: 6-8 cordyceps, 1 pig lung, 15g each of southern and northern apricots (peeled), 1 piece of ginger, 1 piece of tangerine peel, 3-5 figs, stew in 6 bowls of water for 2 hours, drink the soup and eat the residue.

Various tumors: 6-8 cordyceps, 100g lean meat (or rabbit meat), 1 piece of ginger, 10g American ginseng, 30g Hedyotis diffusa, stew in 8 bowls of water for 3 hours, drink the soup and eat the residue.

Postpartum weakness, impotence and coldness: 6-8 cordyceps, half a black chicken, 1 piece of ginger, 10 grams of angelica (15 grams of codonopsis for men), 100 grams of Chinese yam, a little rice wine, 6 bowls of water and stew for 2 hours, drink the soup and eat the residue.

Cordyceps sinensis, also known as summer grass winter worm, is actually a fungus - Cordyceps sinensis of the ergot family. The reason why it is called "Cordyceps" is because of its production process. To reproduce, bat moths lay eggs in the soil, which then turn into larvae. The Cordyceps sinensis fungus will invade the body of the larvae, absorb its nutrients, and continue to reproduce, causing the larvae's body to be filled with mycelium and die. This is the "winter worm". In the summer of the following year, the Cordyceps sinensis fungus grows a 4-10 cm high purple-red grass on the head of the larva, which is the "summer grass". The "summer grass" emerges from the ground, is dug up, and dried, and becomes what we usually see.

Cordyceps sinensis is suitable for symptoms such as lung and kidney deficiency, lack of essence and energy, cough and shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating and night sweats, soreness of the waist and knees, impotence and spermatorrhea, and cough with blood in sputum due to fatigue. Due to its mild medicinal properties, it has a wider range of medicinal and edible uses compared to other tonics. It is an excellent tonic for the elderly and weak, the weak after illness, and the weak after childbirth. For example, patients with renal failure, cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or patients who have just undergone surgery can eat one or two Cordyceps sinensis every day. It is recommended to make tea with Cordyceps sinensis and drink a few cups every day. After the Cordyceps sinensis is softened, you can chew and swallow it.

But Cordyceps sinensis is a tonic after all and is not suitable for everyone. People with a hot constitution should not eat it. Modern people eat a lot of greasy food, often eating too much meat and fish. Many people have phlegm and heat in their bodies, and the accumulated metabolic products cannot be excreted. Due to work pressure and fatigue, they often eat some Cordyceps sinensis as a tonic. But fatigue is not necessarily a sign of physical weakness. Except for those who are weak due to clear reasons such as illness or childbirth, it is best for others to consult a doctor in the hospital before taking Cordyceps sinensis. If you take supplements blindly, you may get a sore throat. Excessive intake may also lead to symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, irritability, facial erythema, and swelling of the limbs.

At present, there are many counterfeit Cordyceps sinensis on the market, and people often use Cordyceps sinensis to impersonate it. Cordyceps can be found in most parts of my country, but Cordyceps sinensis is only produced in Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Gansu, and is particularly precious. It is best to go to a regular pharmacy to buy Cordyceps sinensis. Generally, the following five standards can be referred to:

First, the body is complete, plump and large. Cordyceps sinensis is shaped like a silkworm. About 3-5 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm thick.

The second is to observe the ring patterns. The ring patterns on Cordyceps sinensis are rough and obvious, with finer ring patterns near the head. There are 20-30 ring patterns in total.

Third, it is bright yellow on the outside and white on the inside. The appearance of Cordyceps sinensis is dark yellow or yellow-brown.

The fourth is to identify the insect from its feet. Cordyceps sinensis has 8 pairs of legs throughout its body, 3 pairs near the head, 4 pairs in the middle, and 1 pair at the tail. The 4 pairs in the middle are the most obvious.

The fifth is to identify from the fruiting body of the head. The fruiting body of the Cordyceps sinensis head is dark brown, cylindrical, 4-8 cm long, 0.3 cm thick, and has fine longitudinal wrinkles on the surface.

Can Cordyceps be eaten directly? In fact, there are many things to pay attention to when eating Cordyceps sinensis. You can't do it casually. It is a very good tonic, but we can't consume it excessively. Everyone must pay attention to the dosage. At the same time, be careful when buying Cordyceps sinensis and never buy some counterfeit and shoddy products.