Scientific name: Spica Prunellae
Common name: Xia Ku Cao
Chinese name: 夏枯草 (Mandarin: Xià kū cǎo/ Cantonese: haa6 fu1 cou2)
What is Xia Ku Cao?
- Xia Ku Cao is the spike or whole plant of the perennial herb, Prunella vulgaris L. (Family Labiaceae).
- Mainly found in the Chinese provinces such as Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan, the fruit turns brownish red in the summer and is left to dry in the sun once all foreign matter is removed.
- Xia Ku Cao is light in weight, faint in odor and mild in taste.
What are the health benefits?
- Xia Ku Cao is a medicinal herb with properties of reducing inner heat and detoxification.
- It can clear and purge liver heat, treat poor vision and infection.
- Xia Ku Cao is also known as “Self-heal Herb” which is applied externally as healing herb in minor cuts, mouth sores (mouth wash).
- It can reduce blood pressure and blood sugar level.
- Help women who have distress during menstruation, bloating or indigestion, urinary problems, or heavy bleeding during menstruation causing anemia.
How do I select Xia Ku Cao?
- Big ear in brownish red, making noise when being shaken, light and soft, not easy to be broken.
Additional Information
- Xia Ku Cao is cold in thermal nature so it should be used with caution by those with Spleen and Stomach deficiencies.
How do I prepare it?
Recipes Recommend：
- Xia Ku Cao with pork soup: Soak the Xia Ku Cao into water for a while, then put pork (optional with dates etc.) into the pot with water and simmer for around 3 hours when the meat is chewable.
- Xia Ku Cao with black bean soup: Put Xia Ku Cao, black bean and some rock sugar into the pot with water about 2 hours, which benefits the kidney, relieve toxicity and dissipate nodulation.
- Xia Ku Cao with chicken feet soup: Xia Ku Cao could be added into regular cooking of chicken feet soup. This soup can strengthen the liver and reduce internal heat.
