What are mugwort dumplings?

Known also as qingtuan (青团), these green dumplings are made of glutinous rice mixed with Chinese mugwort leaves and are usually filled with sweet red bean paste. Edible when they are young and fresh, mugwort leaves are burned to repel mosquitos, used to treat minor swelling and are even said to ward off evil.

What is mugwort in Chinese?

Artemisia argyi, commonly known as silvery wormwood or Chinese mugwort, is a herbaceous perennial plant with a creeping rhizome. It is native to China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, and the Russian Far East. It is known in Chinese as àicǎo or ài yè and in Japanese as gaiyou.

How do you use mugwort in food?

Food Uses. Mugwort can be used as an aromatic herb added to soups, stews or stuffing for meat dishes, or infused as a tea. The herb is said to improve digestion. The young stems can be added to salads and the leaves or shoots can be cooked as a vegetable.

What can I do with fresh mugwort?

Mugwort can be made into a tea by adding 1.5 teaspoons of mugwort leaves to a cup of boiling water (in a French press or tea infuser), steeping for 10 minutes then straining off the leaves and serving. The roots of mugwort are used to make a tonic said to boost energy.

What is mugwort tea good for?

People take mugwort root as a “tonic” and to boost energy. People take the rest of the plant for stomach and intestinal conditions including colic, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, weak digestion, worm infestations, and persistent vomiting. Mugwort is also used to stimulate gastric juice and bile secretion.

Can you overdose on mugwort?

Also, mugwort contains a substance called thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts. The amount present in the herb itself is little enough that experts generally consider it safe to use.

Can you eat mugwort raw?

Mugwort has a long history of culinary use, it has a unique musty herbal fragrance, the flavor is just as unique and slightly bitter. It is often used dried as a spice for meats. The leaves can be eaten fresh in salads, or cooked in soups.

Can mugwort stop your period?

It can bring on delayed menstruation and in the past was used to induce abortions. Pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised to avoid the herb because of this potential risk. In European and American herbal practices, mugwort is used to treat stomach and intestinal problems such as: colic.

Is mugwort tea safe to drink?

Mugwort can cause allergic reactions leading to sneezing and sinus-related symptoms, and it can cause contact dermatitis, or rashes, in some people. In the United States, mugwort is sold as a dietary supplement and homeopathic preparation, and is considered safe for most people.

Does mugwort make you sleepy?

Due to its calming nature, mugwort is often associated with sleep; however, its effects on dreams are what mugwort is most known for. It is also said to help increase awareness during dreams, stimulate lucid dreaming, and increase psychic sensitivity (Andrews, 2015).