What Is Facai? The Treasure of the Gobi and the Five Main Differences from Sea Facai
Facai, also known as dimaocai or xiancai, is an algae that looks like strands of hair. It is deeply loved by people for its effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and resolving phlegm. Currently, only dried products are sold on the market, so what is facai? And what is the difference between it and sea facai?
1. What is facai?
1. Facai is a terrestrial algae in the class Cyanophyceae, order Nostocales, family Nostocaceae, genus Nostoc. It is named for its black, slender, hair-like appearance. What we usually eat is the dried algal body, which is brown; after soaking, it becomes slippery and elastic, and can be used in soups or eaten cold dressed.
2. Facai, also known as longxucai, is mostly produced in grassland areas such as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai. It mainly grows attached beneath desert plants and is hair-like in form. Only 1.5 to 2.5 liang of facai is produced from 10 mu of grassland, and this facai can sell for about 40 to 50 yuan, with an extremely high destruction rate. Coupled with years of harvesting, wild resources have been damaged, so it has been listed by the state as a first-class wild protected plant, and collecting, purchasing or processing it is strictly prohibited.
3. Facai is an extremely precious food, rich in protein, echinenone, phycocyanin, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other elements. Every 100 g contains 20 to 23 g of protein, 45 mg of phosphorus, 25 mg of calcium and 20 mg of iron, much higher than the components of ordinary meat or eggs. Regular consumption can clear heat and detoxify, promote diuresis, and resolve phlegm and relieve cough, and it has certain therapeutic effects on high blood pressure and bronchitis.
2. What is the difference between facai and sea facai?
Difference 1, different family and genus: facai is an algae in the phylum Cyanobacteria, order Nostocales; sea facai is an algae in the phylum Cyanobacteria, order Nostocales.
Difference 2, different color: facai is black in appearance; sea facai is green in appearance.
Difference 3, different distribution range: facai is widely distributed in deserts and poor soils around the world and has the reputation of “Treasure of the Gobi.” It is currently relatively common in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai and other places in China; sea facai is produced in the sea and is a wild natural deep-sea vegetable, distributed in shallow sea areas around the world. Because of its fast reproduction speed and short life cycle, it is now being cultivated artificially in many areas.
Difference 4, different nutritional value and effects: facai has high nutritional value and is rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other elements. Regular consumption can clear heat and detoxify, delay aging, and prevent high blood pressure and high blood lipids; sea facai is rich in protein, trehalose and other nutrients needed by the human body, but its nutritional value is not as high as that of facai.
Difference 5, different ways of eating: facai is mostly used in soups or eaten cold dressed; sea facai is mostly eaten cold dressed.
Overall, facai is an algae that grows attached beneath desert plants. Its yield is low and its destruction rate is high, so it has been listed by the state as a first-class wild protected plant, and collecting, purchasing or processing it is now prohibited. Although it is similar to sea facai, the two differ to some extent in color, effects and ways of eating, so pay attention when buying.