Can I use a stainless steel pot to decoct medicine?

Nowadays, people have a variety of medical options to choose from, among which traditional Chinese medicine is a method used by many people to regulate their bodies and treat diseases. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is generally used to regulate the body. Chinese medicine needs to be decocted before it can finally become a decoction for patients to take. So, can a stainless steel pot be used to decoct medicine? More on this below!

1. Can a stainless steel pot be used to decoct Chinese medicine?

When decocting Chinese medicine, it is very important to choose the utensils. The first choice for boiling medicine is casserole and earthenware pot, followed by enamelware and stainless steel pot. It is most taboo to use iron pot and copper pot. The chemical properties of casseroles and earthenware pots are stable, they heat evenly, transfer heat slowly, and the water is not easy to evaporate when decocting medicine. It should be noted that sudden heating or cooling of the casserole will cause cracks. Therefore, do not wash the casserole that has just been used to boil medicine with cold water immediately. Let it cool on dry wood chips or racks before cleaning the medicine stains. Do not soak the oil stains on the casserole with detergent to prevent sewage from seeping into the pores. It can be wiped with leftover tea leaves, or soaked in rice water to heat it, and then scrubbed with a brush.

Stainless steel transfers heat too quickly, so the medicine must be stirred frequently when decocting it, otherwise the herbs will stick to the wall of the pot and easily get stuck if you are not careful. Phoenix Traditional Chinese Medicine reminds everyone to pay special attention that you must never use iron or copper pots to decoct medicine. Because iron and copper are active elements, they easily react with the various chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine and produce toxic side effects.

2. Which vessel is best for decocting Chinese medicine?

Ceramic casserole: Because of its stable properties, it is not easy to react chemically with drugs. In addition, it transfers heat slowly and evenly, is not easy to get stuck, and is cheap. Therefore, ceramic casseroles and earthenware pots are the most convenient and practical.

Aluminum pots and iron pots: There are many problems with decocting medicine, because aluminum and iron are active elements, which can easily react with the various chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine, reduce the efficacy, and may even produce toxic side effects. If there are some acidic or alkaline drugs in the Chinese medicine prescription, such as black plum, hawthorn, schisandra chinensis, papaya, borax, etc., it is best not to use aluminum utensils to decoct the medicine. Because aluminum and iron can react with tannins in traditional Chinese medicine to produce aluminum tannate and iron tannate, producing black-green precipitates, which can cause nausea and vomiting after taking them.

3. How to choose a high-quality casserole

Look at the color: High-quality clay pots are mostly white, because white pottery is rich in iron oxide and contains less artificial pigments, so there are relatively fewer impurities. This type of heating will not produce any substances harmful to the human body and is more suitable for cooking food.

It depends on the pottery: the surface of a high-quality clay pot is bright and even, without protruding sand grains, and feels smooth and delicate rather than rough. Because it is stirred evenly during the production process, it is not easy to crack. If the surface of the casserole is not smooth and feels rough to the touch, it means that the clay is not mixed evenly.