My Journey with Yu Zhu (Polygonatum Odoratum)
Alright, so today I wanted to chat a bit about this thing called Yu Zhu. You know, Solomon’s Seal root. It’s one of those things I kinda stumbled upon, and well, I’ve been messing with it for a while now, so I figured I’d share my two cents.
It all started a few years back. I was feeling constantly parched, you know? Like my throat was always dry, and my skin wasn’t looking its best either. Just generally feeling a bit… blah. An old friend of mine, one of those who always has some traditional remedy up her sleeve, mentioned Yu Zhu. She was like, “Oh, you should try some Yu Zhu in your soup!” At first, I was a bit skeptical, honestly. Another root? What’s it gonna do?
But, you know how it is. When you’re not feeling great, you’re willing to try stuff. So, next time I was at the Asian market, I looked for it. Found these dried, yellowish, kinda waxy-looking slices. Didn’t look like much, to be honest. I bought a small bag, thinking, “Well, if it doesn’t work, it’s not a huge loss.”
My first attempt was pretty basic. I was making some chicken soup – just a simple, clear broth. I remembered what my friend said and tossed in a small handful of the Yu Zhu slices. Just threw them in with the chicken and let it all simmer for a good hour or two. I didn’t really know what to expect. Maybe a weird taste?
To my surprise, the soup tasted… nice! It had this very subtle, slightly sweet flavor that the Yu Zhu added. It wasn’t overpowering at all. After drinking that soup, I can’t say I felt miraculously different right away. It’s not like a magic pill, you know? But my throat did feel a bit more comfortable that evening. Placebo? Maybe. Who cares, if it feels good, right?
So, I started using it more regularly. Mostly in soups, because that’s how I first tried it and liked it. Sometimes with chicken, sometimes with pork ribs. I just made it a habit to add a few slices whenever I was making a slow-cooked broth. I also tried making a simple tea with it. Just steeped a few slices in hot water with a goji berry or two. That was pretty decent too, especially on a cold day. It’s quite mild.
What I’ve Kinda Noticed
Over time, and I’m talking weeks and months here, not days, I did feel like that persistent dryness in my throat wasn’t as bad. My skin, too, seemed a bit less… tight, I guess? It’s hard to pinpoint these things. Life happens, other things change. But I genuinely feel it contributed to me feeling a bit more “moisturized” from the inside out, if that makes any sense. It’s not like I suddenly got a baby’s skin, don’t get me wrong. But it was a subtle shift.
And here’s the thing: I’m not a doctor or a herbalist. This is just my experience. I didn’t go around measuring anything scientifically. I just listened to my body. If I felt like it, I used it. If I forgot, no big deal. That’s my approach to these kinds of things. No stress.
I usually grab about, say, 10-15 grams, or a small handful of the slices for a pot of soup. I just rinse them quickly under running water first, then toss them in. I’ve heard some people use a lot more, but I like to keep things moderate. Too much of a good thing, you know? It’s like with anything, really. I once tried a “health drink” someone made that had like twenty different herbs in it. Tasted like mud and gave me a stomach ache. Simple is often better, I find.
Sometimes, I’ll combine Yu Zhu with other mild things, like goji berries (gou qi zi) or a couple of red dates (hong zao) in my soup or tea. They seem to go well together. But most of the time, it’s just Yu Zhu on its own or with the main ingredients of whatever I’m cooking.
- Preparation: Just rinse and add to soups or steep as tea.
- Taste: Mildly sweet, doesn’t mess with the flavor of your dish much.
- My feeling: Seems to help with internal dryness, particularly throat and maybe skin.
I remember one winter, I had this annoying, tickly cough that just wouldn’t go away. Not a serious, chesty cough, just dry and irritating. I made sure to have my Yu Zhu soup a few times a week, and I do think it helped soothe things. Again, could be a coincidence. Maybe it was the warm soup in general. But the Yu Zhu definitely didn’t hurt, and it made the soup taste a bit better, so why not?
It’s funny, because before this, I’d see these dried roots and herbs in shops and think they were all super complicated or only for hardcore traditional medicine folks. But Yu Zhu is actually pretty approachable. It’s not bitter like some other stuff. It’s quite gentle.
So, that’s my little journey with Yu Zhu. Nothing groundbreaking, no miracle cures. Just a simple, natural ingredient that I feel has made a small, positive difference for me, especially when it comes to that feeling of internal dryness. If you’ve been curious about it, maybe give it a try. Just start simple, see how you feel. That’s the best way, I reckon.
I’ve stuck with it on and off for years now. When I feel like I need it, I go back to it. It’s like an old, reliable friend in my pantry. Not something I use every single day, but definitely something I appreciate having around.
