Angelica Root
Ingredient Name: Chinese Angelica Root
Chinese Name: 當歸 (dāng guī)
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Also known as Dong Quai, Tang-Kuei or “female ginseng”, the chinese angelica root is a very popular herb used in chinese medicine and is highly revered, second only to ginseng root
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The herb, which is indigenous to China, is typically used to treat gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia and high blood pressure
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Women who suffer menstrual ailments or menopause are often given chinese angelica root to relieve symptoms
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The root is also considered an aphrodisiac
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The taste is sweet, warm, pungent and slightly bitter
How do I prepare it?
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Soak in water for several minutes and rinse before using
Where can I buy this?
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Chinese angelica root can be purchased at all Chinese dried herb shops
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In the above photo, the angelica roots are shown as whole roots. It is also possible to buy sliced angelica root for use in soups
What is the cost?
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1 pound of dried angelica root costs approximately $15 CAD
Any benefits?
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The Angelica Root is used to nourish the blood (blood tonic) and is believed to help invigorate blood circulation.
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It can strenghten the liver, heart, and spleen and is also a uterine tonic, effective against menstrual disorders.
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It is widely used in confinement soups and recipes to treat postpartum women
- The root is also used to treat common colds as an expectorant
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Chinese angelica root is one of the few good non-animal sources of Vitamin B12
Any precautions?
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Pregnant women should not use angelica root
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Consuming large doses may lead to sensitivity to sunlight
References
Sliced Angelica Root
Tags: additivites, Herbal
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Wouldn’t ladies in confinement also be nursing? So to take or not to take?
Hello! So happy to have found your wonderfully informative website 4(?) years ago. I was very impressed with your dictionary type listing of ingredients with pictures but I seem to have lost the link.
Recently I inherited a number of canisters of mysterious (to me) ingredients and now want to use them but am at a loss. Do you have a link that points to all ingredients instead of one at a time? Hopefully, there is a posted link on your main menu?
Dear Nadine, ah! I don’t have such an index, although it’s a great idea. My challenge is that I don’t even know the Chinese to some of the herbs, do it’s very hard for me to match it back to the English. This learning process has been quite a journey! Do you want to take a pic and send it to me? You can post it to my facebook page and I can try to show my herbalist or the old ladies at the wet mart! 🙂 Lisa