Plenty of herbs in the Eastern traditional medicine pharmacopeia (collection) are very familiar to us: what we call food-grade herbs. These are items most of us have in our spice cabinets, vegetable drawers, and fruit bowls. Using some or only these ingredients in a formula can make for some seriously tasty medicine!
Herbal combinations don’t have to be administered only in tailored treatment for a condition. Cinnamon, fennel, ginger, and black pepper are only a few of our food-grade herbs, which means we are supporting our digestion almost every time we eat. Just as we reach for mint for cool refreshment in the summer, turning to some wintery staples is a great way to nourish your system even while enjoying a sweet treat or hearty meal. Understanding the functions of our food-grade herbs helps us understand why some of our food traditions exist and why choosing one taste over another makes us feel better at a particular time.
Despite the wide variety of ingredients and tastes, the stereotype of Chinese herbal formulas unfairly persists as bitter and unfamiliar concoctions. The best way to counter this is to make and use your own herbs and familiarize yourself with them. Since food-grade herbs are incredibly safe (we eat them all the time), there’s a lot of room for experimentation and finding your own experience.
One of my favorite ways to use food as medicine is with homemade chen pi or dried tangerine peel. Satsuma or mikan (aka California Cuties or those little peelable oranges) are a big New Year’s food in my Japanese-tradition household. It’s easy to make use of the peels so this is a true no-waste food!
Make Your Own Herbs: Chen Pi
Some herbs require preparation to use. Chen Pi is dried and preferably aged. Make a big batch and your medicine will be even better in the future!
First, peel up and eat a bunch of tangerines or satsuma. Yum, so good. Save the peels!
Preheat your oven (or toaster oven to save energy) on low (200 degrees is usually perfect).
Lay out the peels on a baking sheet in a single layer. You don’t need a sheet of parchment paper, but you can use one.
Dehydrate the peels on this low oven setting for about 20-30 min (watch toward the end to make sure they don’t burn).
Store in an airtight container with a little bit of rice or other desiccant. Remember, this can keep for years if you make a big batch and keep it free of moisture!
How and When to Use Dried Orange Peel
Chen Pi is helpful for moving energy and supporting the digestion as well as drying dampness (like profuse sputum and mucus). You can enjoy a simple tea with hot water and chen pi if you have just eaten a rich meal that’s not moving through you or making you phlegmy, if you’re bloated, belching, nauseous, or have a phlegmy cough with heaviness in the chest, and/or a poor appetite with loose stools.
NB: Avoid or use chen pi in low dosage if you have a weak or dry cough.
Next Post: Recipe for Sesame Orange Cookies
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ABOUT SHAWNA
Shawna Seth, L.Ac. is a California state licensed and nationally certified acupuncturist currently pursuing physician assistant training. To better understand acupuncture and how you can use it in your daily life, and to explore the connections between Western and Eastern medicine, follow her blog A Cuppa Qi. She also invites connection via email contact@shawnaseth.com or Instagram @acuppaqi.