Gynostemma pentaphyllum, a Chinese medicinal herb for lowering blood lipids, is known for its effects on balancing fat metabolism and its preparation as a tea.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum

Balance fat metabolism, resolve metabolic disorders, and nourish cells.

Nutritional benefits

Modern medical research has found that the main active ingredients of Gynostemma pentaphyllum are polysaccharides, flavonoids, saponins, and trace elements. Its main functions are to promote the metabolism of fats in the human body, remove excess fat from the liver and blood, balance the body's fat metabolism, resolve metabolic disorders, and nourish human cells. It also has detoxifying and anti-inflammatory effects and is widely used in the treatment and health care of hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, obesity, constipation, insomnia, hepatitis B, chronic respiratory inflammation, pharyngitis, gastroenteritis, etc.

Prevention of complications

Gynostemma pentaphyllum can increase high-density lipoprotein, protect vascular endothelial cells, reduce blood viscosity, prevent lipid deposition on the vascular wall, prevent microthrombus formation, and increase the tolerance of myocardial cells to hypoxia, thus protecting the myocardium. It has a good preventive and control effect on the occurrence of complications of hyperlipidemia such as coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and stroke.

Recommendations for use

It's not advisable to drink large quantities of Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea for the first time. Increase the amount gradually as your body adapts. This is because the saponins in Gynostemma pentaphyllum have a high melting point and require temperatures above 80℃ to dissolve. Hot water allows the active ingredients to be fully extracted while preserving the tea's color and good taste. Furthermore, do not discard the first flush of tea or drink overnight tea. Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea is cooling in nature, so it's not recommended to drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.

Application Guide

Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea has great health benefits. It is made from the tender buds and tendrils of the leaf axils of Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The tea soup is clear and can be brewed 4 to 6 times without losing its color. It has good health benefits and can be drunk for a long time without any toxic side effects.

High-quality wild Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea, after brewing, has its curled tender leaves and stems quickly unfurl, revealing five compound leaves with shallowly serrated edges. Because the stems are fine and the leaves are tender, some pieces may break, but the stems and leaves unfold gracefully, like a swallow spreading its wings, increasing in size. Inferior tea has old stems and coarse leaves, and in some cases, the vines and leaves are long and connected, lacking elegance. Counterfeit tea has even longer vines and larger leaves, its appearance vulgar and difficult to be compared with tea.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum and red date porridge

Ingredients: 20g red dates, 8g gynostemma pentaphyllum, 160g soaked rice, 40g brown sugar

Production:

1. Pour an appropriate amount of water into a clay pot and bring it to a boil. Add the washed Gynostemma pentaphyllum and red dates, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes after boiling until the active ingredients are extracted. Remove the ingredients and any impurities.

2. Add the washed rice, stir well, cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. Sprinkle with the prepared brown sugar, stir well, and cook over medium heat for a short while until the sugar dissolves.

3. After turning off the heat, ladle the cooked red date porridge into a soup bowl.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum and wolfberry tea

Nourishes the liver and kidneys, improves liver health and eyesight, and lowers cholesterol.

Ingredients: 5g Gynostemma pentaphyllum, 10g goji berries, 30g rock sugar

Production:

1. Pour an appropriate amount of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add rock sugar, add gynostemma pentaphyllum, stir well, add goji berries, continue stirring for a while, and cook until the rock sugar dissolves.

2. Simmer for a few more minutes until the active ingredients of the medicinal materials are extracted.

3. Pour the brewed tea into a bowl and serve.