This article provides you with information about Korean ginseng Tea, its benefits, how you can easily make it at home, recommended frequency of consumption, potential side effects, and more.
Continue reading the full article to learn more about it.
About Korean Ginseng Tea
So before I tell you about the benefits of ginseng tea, let us know what it is in brief.
Korean ginseng tea is a traditional tea made in Korea with ginseng. Although it is called tea, ginseng actually does not contain any tea leaves. The tea is made from the roots of the ginseng plant.
For those of you who do not know about the ginseng root, it is the roots of the ginseng plant like the American ginseng (P. quinquefolius), Korean ginseng (P. ginseng), South China ginseng (P. notoginseng).
Based on how long the plants are grown, it is of three types: red, white, and fresh.
The Korean ginseng tea is known as the insam-cha in Korea; insam means ginseng, and cha means tea. Besides tea, ginseng is also used in cuisines and medicines in Korea and China.
According to the information obtained from RSV journals, the major bioactive compounds in ginseng are ginsenosides, saponins, flavonoids, polyphenols, and volatile oils. It is loaded with antioxidants, and antioxidants are important for our body to fight free radicals.
From the various types of research conducted, it is found that ginseng tea may have some health benefits to the human body. In this article, I will be specifically talking about Korean ginseng. So, let’s get to know about the benefits of drinking Korean ginseng tea.
5 Benefits of Korean Ginseng Tea
Helps in Improving Brain Functions
Consuming ginseng tea can help you to improve the functions of your brain. You feel less stress, hence your mood is good. Memory, as well as the behavioral functions of the brain, improves too.
According to PubMed Central, it has been found that ginsenosides found in ginseng aid neurotransmission. Ginseng can improve the thinking process as it has a cognitive-enhancing effect (proven by the 2018 report of PMC).
Korean Ginseng Tea Can Reduce Inflammation
Antioxidants fight free radicals and they help protect the tissues in our body. The human body has immune cells known as macrophages which kill microorganisms. While doing so, the macrophages produce free radicals. These free radicals damage the healthy cells, which in turn, can cause inflammation.
Since ginseng has antioxidants, it fights free radicals, thus protecting the tissues. Therefore, regular consumption of the Korean ginseng tea can be helpful to reduce inflammation in your body and prevent oxidative stress.
Improves Erectile Dysfunction in Men
Since the compounds present in ginseng can help to reduce oxidative stress, it can help the tissues and blood vessels in the penis to function normally. Thus, Korean ginseng tea can help to improve erectile dysfunction in men.
According to PMC – Ginseng helps in producing nitric oxide (NO), which according to research, is the chemical mediator of penile erection.
So, along with the treatment, one can drink Korean ginseng tea for enhanced effectiveness.
Korean Ginseng Tea Can Strengthen the Immune System
Although there is still a lot of research needed to substantiate this, various tests and experiments conducted to prove that ginseng can help to boost the immune system in cancer patients.
Some of the research also suggests that regularly drinking Korean ginseng tea can further improve the effects of vaccinations. The compounds in ginseng help maintain the homeostasis of the immune system. Thus, it aids in the fight against diseases. And that is one of the primary reasons why this is an important part of Korean culture.
Helps in Dealing with Fatigue
If we explain this in simple terms, we know that our body has a system of regulating itself with the help of which it tries to remain stable to the changing conditions.
Now, when free radicals are produced in the body, it hampers the ability of the body to regulate itself. The free radicals can easily react with other molecules and can hence get oxidized.
When the oxidation of free radicals increases, a condition known as oxidative stress is formed. Oxidative stress is harmful to the body and draws energy, causing tiredness.
Since ginseng has antioxidants, it can reduce the activity of free radicals, hence preventing oxidation. Thus, drinking Korean ginseng tea can help you reduce stress and tiredness and increase the energy levels in your body.
Important Thing To Note While Drinking Korean Ginseng Tea
One very important thing to note while consuming Korean ginseng tea is that although it should be drank on a regular basis, but shouldn’t be drank everyday.
The reason for this is that some researchers suggest that drinking Korean ginseng tea every day reduces its efficacy. Therefore, it’s best to stick to 3-4 times a week.
However, you can drink American ginseng tea every day.
Until now, you have understood about the ginseng root and the benefits of Korean ginseng tea. So, now let me tell you how you can easily prepare it at your home.
How To Prepare Korean Ginseng Tea at Home
Follow these steps to make Korean ginseng tea at home.
Step 1: Take fresh ginseng and properly rinse it. You need to make sure that all the dirt has been removed. You can also use cloth as well to do so.
Step 2: Then, take dried jujube (Chinese dates) and rinse properly.
Step 3: Now, take water in a pot or utensil. Then add the ginseng and jujube.
Step 4: Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. Make sure that it is on a relatively low heat.
Step 5: SERVE!!!!
You can add honey while serving. Also, you can cut dried jujube and add it to your tea to make it tastier.
Wasn’t this super simple? After drinking the tea, you will feel stress being released from your body. This happens when we drink any herbal tea or when we intake anything which is good for the body.
Conclusion
So, this article was all about Korean ginseng tea and its many benefits. It should be noted that ginseng is not a medical root that will cure your body. You still need to take your medications as suggested by the doctor. ginseng is not an alternative to modern medicine.
Moreover, you can experience side effects because of ginseng. The side effects might include headache, allergy, dizziness, stomach problems, nervousness, menstrual changes, etc.
However, the side effects are mild, and not everyone experiences them. But if you feel any, you should stop consuming ginseng.
Many researchers do not claim the beneficial properties of ginseng as they believe that there has been no conclusive evidence regarding it. Also, note that Ginseng is not FDA approved.
However, it is a traditional tea of Korea and it has been used for centuries to help promote good health. Many people in Korea, China, and Japan still drink it regularly today.
