Elderberry Tonic (raw vs cooked herbs)

[Guest guest]

--- Diana of Dewberry Hill <cozad76078

wrote:

> Elderberry Medicinal Syrup

> By Diana of Dewberry Hill

> I am adapting a recipe I found, by using raw

> elderberry juice and fresh ginger juice, because I

> think it is much more medicinal and nutritious than

> by cooking the berries or using powdered ginger.

 

Just as an interesting note, in ,

cooked or toasted herbs (and in CM, berries, and much

else you might not expect are considered herbs) have

different energetic qualities than raw and therefore

treat different conditions or different stages of

certain conditions. This is certainly not to say raw

is not better than cooked on some occasions. But it

depends on the presenting complaint and the stage of

the complain which is better from a CM perspective.

Just thought you might find that interesting.

Christina, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.

 

 

 

New Photos - easier uploading and sharing.

 

[Guest guest]

Yes, that is interesting. And I'd love to know which ones they do list as more

benificial cooked. In researching whether I should use the berries raw (some

said not to)...but I felt that the vit C would be destroyed in cooking. I talked

to an Elderberry syrup maker company and they could not advise me. They said it

is acceptable but to watch bacteria (or some such problem)...I figure with the

lime, ginger and vodka...there shouldn't be a bacteria problem. And keep it

refrigerated.

Diana of Dewberry Hill

 

Just as an interesting note, in ,

cooked or toasted herbs (and in CM, berries, and much

else you might not expect are considered herbs) have

different energetic qualities than raw and therefore

treat different conditions or different stages of

certain conditions. This is certainly not to say raw

is not better than cooked on some occasions. But it

depends on the presenting complaint and the stage of

the complain which is better from a CM perspective.

Just thought you might find that interesting.

Christina, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.

 

 

 

 

 

Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now

 

 

[Guest guest]

It isn't that something is MORE beneficial, it's that

it is DIFFERENTLY beneficial. For instance, raw

ginger (Sheng Jiang - better for a cold/flu (external

invasion) and other things) is considered a DIFFERENT

herb from toasted ginger (Gan Jiang - better for

digestive complaints and other things esp. where Yang

needs supplementation).

 

This is just a small taste of Chinese herbs. Also

They make beneficial otherwise toxic herbs and

substances. To change the qualities they dry, toast,

fry, wine fry, vinegar fry, soak in vinegar, preserve

with salt, etc, etc. And every time they prepare

differently, the herb has different qualities and a

different name too if you wish to use it. Of course

it usually translates to something like " raw ginger "

vs something like " toasted ginger " but for us in the

West, it's a different name altogether (Sheng Jiang vs

Gan Jiang).

 

Another interesting thing is that Chinse Herbs are

almost never used singly, but rather in fairly large

prescriptions of 6 - 20 herbs whereby they harnass the

synergistic effects.

 

If this is of interest to you, you might look at some

beginning chinese herbal materia medicas like The Way

of Chinese Herbs by Michael Tierra.

 

As to your Elderberry question, If you are interested

in possible difference of raw vs cooked, etc. I would

find a similar herb in CM and look up the qualities to

extrapolate from. Many CM herbs have similiar Western

counterparts. Personally, I am not familiar enough

with Elderberry to comment on a possible counterpart

in CM (which has lots and lots of berries), but with

the botanical and pharmaceutical names you can

probably find a counterpart in a good professional

Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica like one by

Bensky.

 

Christina

 

 

--- Diana of Dewberry Hill <cozad76078

wrote:

> Yes, that is interesting. And I'd love to know which

> ones they do list as more benificial cooked. In

> researching whether I should use the berries raw

> (some said not to)...but I felt that the vit C would

> be destroyed in cooking. I talked to an Elderberry

> syrup maker company and they could not advise me.

> They said it is acceptable but to watch bacteria (or

> some such problem)...I figure with the lime, ginger

> and vodka...there shouldn't be a bacteria problem.

> And keep it refrigerated.

> Diana of Dewberry Hill

>

 

 

 

New Photos - easier uploading and sharing.

 

[Guest guest]

Kristina,

Thank you for your indepth description of the Chinese herbs. I'm staying pretty

busy just learning to id what I have here on my land...so will follow the herb

books i already have. But keep us posted on your nuggets of wisdom.

D of DH

 

 

 

 

Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wonder if elderberry has similarities to the Chinese Wolfberry (or

wolfeberry)? I believe YL is using this berry in some formulations.

 

Michael

 

 

 

, Christina <tcmresources>

wrote:

> As to your Elderberry question, If you are interested

> in possible difference of raw vs cooked, etc. I would

> find a similar herb in CM and look up the qualities to

> extrapolate from. Many CM herbs have similiar Western

> counterparts. Personally, I am not familiar enough

> with Elderberry to comment on a possible counterpart

> in CM (which has lots and lots of berries), but with

> the botanical and pharmaceutical names you can

> probably find a counterpart in a good professional

> Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica like one by

> Bensky.

>