Dandelion's roots or leaves have a long history of making tea, which was first recorded in Tang Materia Medica. "Pugong grass has leaves like chicory, yellow flowers and white juice." Sun Simiao's Thousand Golden Formulas is the masterpiece, Su Song's Illustration of Materia Medica is the servant, and the Compendium of Materia Medica contains dandelion, saying, "There are many places in the north and south of the Yangtze River, but there are also other places, and there is nowhere in Lingnan. Small Cobb land, scattered and born. The stems, leaves, flowers and flocs are similar to chicory, but the ears are small, the seedlings are tender and edible. " Dandelion tea is rich in vitamins and minerals, which can strengthen the liver and lower cholesterol. In Europe, dandelion is called "bed-wetting grass", which shows that it has a strong diuretic effect and is suitable for people with edema. It can also relieve indigestion and constipation, purify blood and promote breast milk secretion. Women can take more dandelion tea in their daily life, which not only tastes good, but also has a good cosmetic effect. Regular use of dandelion tea can improve skin dermatitis or eczema, and some women who often get angry and get acne can drink more.

Growth habit

Dandelion has strong adaptability and strong resistance. Cold-resistant and heat-resistant, dandelion can grow on hillside grassland, roadside, field and river beach in high, middle and low altitude areas. However, the research shows that altitude, soil type and temperature have a vital influence on the growth of Taraxacum mongolicum. Taking the climate as an example, dandelion can germinate when the ground temperature is 1 ~ 2℃ in early spring, and the optimum temperature for seed germination is 15. At the same time, although dandelion can grow in various types of soil conditions, it is most suitable for planting in fertile, moist, loose soil with high organic matter content.

There are many kinds of dandelions in China, among which wild dandelions in the mountains are the most abundant in nutrients. Taking Northwest China as an example, the alpine wild dandelion, known as "one of the three medicinal mountains in China", is rich in Taibai Mountain, Shaanxi Province, and has been listed as the top medical book since ancient times. Investigate its reason, mainly have the following factors:

First, the unique alpine ecological environment.

Taibai Mountain is the highest peak in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, and it is also one of the regions with the best ecological protection in the same latitude in the world. Because the main peak is covered with snow all year round, it has been known as "the snowy area is too white" since ancient times, and "Taibai Snow Day in June" is one of the eight famous scenic spots in Guanzhong. The ecology here is pure, far from pollution, and wild dandelions naturally reproduce without human intervention.

Second, underground water sources rich in minerals.

Taibai Mountain is the watershed between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, with 59 tributaries of five major rivers, including Shitou River, Hongyan River and Weishui River. It is a national first-class water source protection area and conservation zone for drinking water, and is known as "Guanzhong Water Tower". The most typical ice fighting lakes and glacial lakes in Taibai Mountain, such as Daye Lake, Ye Er Lake, Sanye Lake, Yuhuang Lake and Fochi Lake, provide Taibai with unique groundwater resources. The water quality is good, and it is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium and sodium, which provides more nutrition for the growth of dandelion and other plants.

Third,? Black sandy loam rich in organic matter

Taibai Mountain is characterized by large height difference and complex geological structure, which is distributed in strips and sheets. However, the mountains and meadows at an altitude of about 1500m-2500m are mainly sandy loam with loose soil, good drainage and high organic matter content, which is an excellent suitable place for dandelion growth.

Fourth,? Longevity period

The growth cycle of crops is closely related to quality. Generally speaking, the growth cycle of crops is long, and there are relatively many organic substances gathered in the body. Taibai Mountain has a cool climate and plenty of sunshine all the year round, which can effectively prolong the growth time of wild dandelion and make dandelion have a longer time to absorb organic components in the soil and convert them into nutrients through photosynthesis.

Difference between wild dandelion and cultivated dandelion

The difference between wild dandelion and cultivated dandelion is mainly reflected in artificial intervention and growth cycle. Dandelion is propagated by seeds, and the seeds have no dormancy period. Mature and harvested seeds can be sown at any time from spring to autumn. Due to artificial fertilization, the growth cycle is only about 60 days. Although the roots of cultivated dandelion are thicker, the leaves are rougher and the nutrients are lower than those of wild dandelion. The flowering period of wild dandelion is from April to 10 every year, while the flowering period of wild dandelion in high mountains is generally around September, and the growth cycle is basically around 150- 180 days. Therefore, the output of mountain wild dandelion tea is much lower than that of dandelion tea.

Tea making technology of dandelion

The tea-making technology in dandelion tea is quite complicated, with more than 65,438+00 processes, such as cleaning, drying, screening, deactivating enzymes, rolling and drying. At the same time, the choice of raw materials is extremely demanding. Take Taibai Mountain as an example. Generally, the wild alpine dandelion tea produced by regular tea factories in this area only selects tender leaves at flowering stage, and does not use rhizome as raw material. The main reason is that the shape and soup color of young leaves after making tea are better than that of root tea, and the smell is more fragrant, while the taste of root tea is bitter.

Fixing green plays a decisive role in the quality of dandelion tea. Through high temperature, the characteristics of enzymes in fresh leaves are destroyed, the oxidation of polyphenols is stopped, and the leaves are prevented from turning red; At the same time, some water in the leaves is evaporated, which makes the leaves soft and creates conditions for kneading and shaping. With the evaporation of water, the low-boiling aromatic substances in fresh leaves evaporate and disappear, thus improving the aroma of tea. Except for the special tea, the process is carried out in the green-fixing machine.

Kneading is the process of shaping the appearance of dandelion tea. Using external force, the leaves are crushed and lightened, rolled into strips, reduced in size and convenient for brewing. At the same time, some tea juice overflows and adheres to the surface of leaves, which also plays an important role in improving the taste concentration of tea. The rolling operation of bulk tea has been mechanized, but most of dandelion tea produced in Taibai Mountain is still operated by hand.

The drying process is generally to dry first and then fry. Because the water content of the twisted tea leaves is still very high, if fried directly, lumps will quickly form in the pot of the frying machine, and the tea juice will easily stick to the pot wall. Therefore, the tea leaves should be dried first to reduce the water content to meet the requirements of pot frying; At the same time, it is necessary to use charcoal as a heat source medium, and use the charcoal fire aroma in charcoal to better contrast the tea fragrance.

taboo

As the "new favorite" of tea, dandelion tea is the best choice for health care with complete functions and affordable price. But dandelion tea is cold, so when taking it, there are some taboos, which still need attention:

1, patients with yin cold should drink as little as possible.

2, don't drink too much, 5-8 g a day.

3, drink warm, try not to drink herbal tea.

4, spleen and stomach deficiency, you can add red dates, ginger and so on.