An Introduction to the Six Major Benefits and Effects of Jiaogulan, the "Southern Ginseng"! Can Drinking It as a Tea Help You Lose Weight and Treat Insomnia?

Many people with high blood pressure and high blood lipids like to brew jiaogulan tea to drink. Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a plant in the Cucurbitaceae family, growing in damp, shaded places in the mountains. It is known as “southern ginseng” and in Japan is hailed as “the herb of good news.” So what are the benefits and effects of jiaogulan? Can it treat insomnia? How much does it cost per jin?

I. A Brief Introduction to Jiaogulan

1. Botanical Characteristics of Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan is also known as five-leaf ginseng, seven-leaf gall, sweet vine tea, little bitter herb, seven-leaf ginseng, and immortal herb. In Japan it is called sweet vine tea and the herb of good news. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family; it is a perennial climbing herb with alternate leaves, usually with 5 to 7 leaflets arranged as a bird's-foot compound leaf; the central leaflet is larger, with a tapering tip and serrated leaf margins; in summer it bears yellow-white flowers in axillary panicles, and it is dioecious. The berries are round; the seeds are as large as peas and turn dark purple when ripe.

2. Distribution of Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan grows in damp, shaded places in the mountains at an altitude of 300-3200 m. It is distributed in the southwestern part of the mainland and south of the Yangtze River in provinces such as Hunan and Yunnan, while the medicinal material is mainly produced in provinces such as Shaanxi and Gansu.

II. The Benefits and Effects of Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan is sweet and bitter in taste and slightly cold in nature; it enters the lung, spleen, and kidney meridians. The most commonly used method of consumption is to make jiaogulan into tea and brew it in water, and the color that comes out after brewing is also emerald green. According to experts, jiaogulan has 6 major benefits and effects.

1. Taking jiaogulan can lower the "three highs": Jiaogulan has the effect of regulating blood pressure, preventing the formation of microthrombi, and resisting arteriosclerosis. Therefore, it has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on cardiovascular diseases and has the effect of lowering high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar.

2. Taking jiaogulan can boost immunity: Pharmacologically, jiaogulan contains the same active ingredient as ginseng, saponins, so it has a very good effect on improving immunity.

3. Taking jiaogulan can regulate women's endocrine system: It has a very good effect on women's dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation, and it also has a noticeable effect on constipation, insomnia, facial spots, and dull sallow complexion caused by endocrine disorders in women.

4. Taking jiaogulan can relieve nervous system disorders: Jiaogulan nourishes the brain and calms the spirit, can regulate the balance between excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex, and has the effect of relieving insomnia, resisting tension, and relieving fatigue; secondly, jiaogulan also has an analgesic effect and can relieve symptoms such as headaches and neurasthenia.

5. Taking jiaogulan can help with weight loss and beauty care: Jiaogulan can inhibit the production and accumulation of fat, playing a role in weight loss and slimming; regularly taking jiaogulan can strengthen blood circulation, promote metabolism, and help women restore skin health and maintain beauty.

6. Taking jiaogulan can regulate the stomach and intestines: Jiaogulan can protect the intestinal wall. Regularly drinking jiaogulan can play a role in relieving constipation and moistening the intestines, promoting appetite, and treating both constipation and loose stools; secondly, it also has a very good conditioning effect on stomach problems, stomach pain, and gastrointestinal discomfort.

In addition, jiaogulan also has the benefits and effects of delaying aging, fighting cancer, fighting allergies, and protecting the heart.

Jiaogulan has many benefits and effects, but you should also pay attention to the contraindications: people with a cold-deficient constitution should not take it; people with allergies (the minority of patients who experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating and pain, and dizziness after taking it) must not take it.

III. Can Jiaogulan Treat Insomnia? Can It Help with Weight Loss?

Jiaogulan can treat insomnia, and it can also help with weight loss.

Jiaogulan can calm the spirit and regulate the balance between brain excitation and inhibition, and it has a particularly good therapeutic effect on insomnia.

Jiaogulan has the effect of inhibiting fat cells from producing free fatty alcohols and synthesizing neutral fats, and blocking the conversion of glucose, so it can inhibit the production and accumulation of fat and play a role in weight loss and slimming.

IV. How Much Does Jiaogulan Cost per Jin?

According to the medicinal materials market, the recent market price of wild jiaogulan is around 8.5 yuan, cultivated goods are around 4 yuan, and Fujian tea-grade goods are around 70 yuan.

There are currently two types of jiaogulan tea sold on the market: five-leaf jiaogulan and seven-leaf jiaogulan. The price of seven-leaf jiaogulan is above 200 yuan per jin, while five-leaf jiaogulan ranges from several tens to around a thousand yuan depending on quality.

Experts point out that seven-leaf jiaogulan is cold in nature and bitter in taste, and is generally not suitable for long-term drinking. Although its medicinal value is higher than that of five-leaf jiaogulan, people with generally weak constitutions find it hard to absorb its medicinal properties, and long-term drinking can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting; five-leaf jiaogulan is sweet in taste and mild in nature, making it suitable for long-term drinking.

Conclusion: Through the introduction in this article, everyone should now understand the benefits and effects of jiaogulan. It is especially suitable for people with the "three highs" to drink. Generally, it is chosen to be brewed in water, but when choosing it, you must buy one with guaranteed quality.