Wine in the Traditional Chinese Medicine

In many countries, is in the Christmas season people traditionally consume a mulled wine with fragrant spices. To make this article easier to read, you can prepare a cup of this warming beverage in the English style, according to Jamie Oliver.

From the TCM point of view

Wine is mentioned in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine for the treatment of meridian blockages, fainting and tinnitus. It harmonises blood and chi, it is a tonic for Yang and expels cold. Some Chinese medicinal remedies are more effective if taken along with alcohol instead of water.

However, different types of wine have different effects. White wine represents the element of wood. Although alcohol contained in wine is hot and Yang, the nature of the white wine is rather cooling and not suitable for the winter season. Red wine belongs to the element of fire and its nature is warm. Mulled wine with warming spices is hot in nature. Rice wine, widely used in TCM and in Chinese cuisine, is warm and belongs to the element of metal. Wine infused with herbs or consumption of wine with herbal pills has always been a part of TCM. Infused medicinal wines are popular to take during the winter months to treat cold conditions like coughs and asthma and rheumatism.

Thanks to different kinds of medicinal wines, I always have gifts ready for Christmas, birthday, Chanukah, or other holidays. The following goji wine recipe is an evergreen.

Goji berry wine recipe

Put 400 g of goji berries in a glass jar and cover with rice wine or red wine. Seal properly and leave for 2 weeks in the dark and cool cabinet, strain and pour into a bottle. Drink a small amount every morning. This decoction benefits the liver and kidneys and helps with eyes problems.

Resource for further study: Chinese Medicinal Wines & Elixirs By Bob Flaws

The practice to add herbs to wine for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient times and it is definitely not connected just to Chinese culture. European herbalist Saint Hildegarde von Bingen lived in the 10th century and you can try her famous

Parsley Wine Recipe

Other interesting tips, on how to make your own herb-infused wine you can find at:

Make your own organic herb-infused wine

Around Christmas is everywhere plenty of sweet temptation. Therefore, you will be probably interested in this article as well.

Are There Really Carbs in Wine?

Are There Carbs in Wine?

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