Many people often drink herbal tea as boiling water in order to cool off the heat, but pharmacists warn that discomfort may lead to diarrhea. (Photo courtesy of Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital) Most of the summer herbal teas are homemade drinks circulated by the people. Taking the whole grass or parts of various or single wild or cultivated plants as raw materials, fresh or dried products are boiled with water to make thick juice, filtered and flavored with sugar, and then cooled for self-made drinking or sale. Green grass tea mostly has the functions of cooling, reducing fever and annealing, and is suitable for drinking in summer.
Liao Yijing, a pharmacist in the pharmacy department of Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, said that the main reason why Cao Qing tea can relieve summer heat is that its components have the effect of clearing heat and diuresis. If it is used for the constitution prone to heatstroke due to damp heat, it can prevent dizziness, headache, fatigue, hyperhidrosis, heavy limbs, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea caused by heatstroke in summer. However, Cao Qing tea is not suitable for people who are prone to cold hands and feet, frequent diarrhea and relatively cold constitution; It is not suitable for the general public to drink during a cold, so as to avoid getting worse.
From the point of view of Chinese medicine, Cao Qing tea can replenish human body's water, which helps to avoid sweating in summer and cause heart consumption; Even if the weather is not hot, drinking herbal tea can reduce the fire and regulate the body, and reduce the phenomenon of "getting angry" such as dry mouth, constipation and insomnia caused by eating fried or high-calorie food.
Pharmacist Liao Yijing suggested that the prescription of Cao Qingcha should first be diagnosed by Chinese medicine, and a suitable prescription should be made according to personal physique. (Photo courtesy of Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital) However, pharmacist Liao Yijing reminded: "Don't think that thirst means body heat. Because the constitution of deficiency fire is different, it is easy to be confused. It is suggested that people who like to drink herbal tea should be diagnosed by professional Chinese medicine before formulating the formula, and should avoid drinking a fixed formula for a long time.
Even if the green grass tea suitable for individuals is prepared, it should not be drunk excessively, and the concentration is limited to 500cc a day. In particular, we must pay attention to the problem of pesticide residues, so as not to be swayed by considerations of gain and loss.