Chinese Name: 菜蓟
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Liver
Properties: Relieves Qi stagnation in the liver, reduces dampness and heatiness in the body
Best Use For: Treating jaundice, relieving pain caused by Qi stagnation in the liver
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 15g
Dietary Caution: None
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Qi stagnation body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution
Chinese Name: 腰果
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Lung, heart
Properties: Quench thirst, moisturize the lungs, clear phlegm
Best for: Relieving cold-type cough, recommended for people who feel frustrated easily
Dietary Caution: None
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution
Chinese Name: 玉米须
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Bladder, liver
Properties: Relieve water retention and jaundice
Best Use For: Relieving water retention in body, ease difficulty in urination, remove dampness in body, treating jaundice
Serving Per Day For One Person: 15 to 30g
Dietary Caution: Not known
Suitable For: Phlegm and dampness body constitution
Also Known As: Ziziphus Jujuba
Chinese Name: 酸枣仁
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet, sour
Organ Meridian: Heart, liver
Properties: Calms the mind, harmonizes the liver
Best Use For: Treating people with insomnia, especially when it is caused by a lack of nourishment in liver blood
Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g
Dietary Caution: Not known
Suitable For: All types of body constitution
Also Known As: Poria Cocos
Chinese Name: 茯苓
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, spleen, kidney
Properties: Promotes urination to remove dampness, strengthens the spleen and calms the mind
Best Use for: Relieving water retention and difficulty in urination, strengthening the spleen, calming the mind which relieves people from insomnia
Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g
Dietary Caution: Not known
Suitable For: All types of body constitution
Also Known As: Cordyceps Sinensis
Chinese Name: 冬虫夏草
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Lung, kidney
Properties: Strengthens kidneys and lungs, stops bleeding, dissolves phlegm
Best Use For: Relieving knee and waist pain due to deficiency in the kidneys, relieving persistent coughing due to lung deficiency
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 9g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms (fever, sore throat, running nose, etc) should avoid consuming cordyceps
Suitable For: Yang deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Wolfberry, Lycium Barbarum
Chinese Name: 枸杞子
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Liver, kidney
Properties: Nourish the liver and kidney, relieves eye problems
Best Use For: People with liver/kidney Yin deficiency who are likely to have knee, waist issues, ear ringing, dizziness or cloudy vision in the eyes
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g
Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen or flu symptoms should avoid consuming goji alone
Suitable For: Yin deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Reishi, Ganoderma Lucidum
Chinese Name: 灵芝
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, liver, kidney
Properties: Boost Qi, calm the mind, relieve cough
Best Use For: Relieving insomnia, relieving cough due to Qi deficiency in the lungs, improving appetite
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms should avoid consuming ling zhi
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Glycyrrhiza Uralensis
Chinese Name: 甘草
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, spleen, stomach
Properties: Boosts Qi and strengthens the spleen, cools the body and helps with detoxification, dissolves phlegm and stops coughing, relieves pain and harmonizes other herbs
Best Use For: Gancao is commonly used in Chinese medicine and herbal soups as its sweet taste can be accepted by most people. Alone, it can be used for strengthening the spleen and boosting Qi for the heart. It can also be used to relieve cough due to phlegm.
Serving Per Day For One Person: 2 to 10g
Dietary Caution: Avoid consuming gan cao above the recommended dosage as it will lead to water retention in the body. It has a clashing effect with seaweed, so avoid consuming them together.
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Rhodiola Crenulata
Chinese Name: 红景天
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet, bitter
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, heart
Properties: Boost Qi and promotes blood flow, relieves cough
Best Use For: Very potent herb to strengthen the lungs and protect it against inflammation and virus, suitable for people who want to improve their immunity against cold and flu
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 6g
Dietary Caution: Not known
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
