What kind of Huangqi is authentic to buy

Authentic Huangqi is usually best with a yellow white skin, a yellow white cross-section, a solid texture, and a slightly sweet odor. High quality Huangqi mainly includes authentic varieties such as Beiqi from Inner Mongolia, Longqi from Gansu, Mianqi from Shanxi, Kouqi from Hebei, and Xiqi from Shaanxi. When selecting, attention should be paid to the characteristics of thick and long roots, sufficient powder, and no insect infestation or mold.

1. Appearance Features

The authentic Huangqi root strip is cylindrical in shape, with a light brownish yellow or light brownish surface, irregular longitudinal wrinkles, and horizontal skin holes. The cross-section is highly fibrous and powdery, with a yellow white skin and a light yellow wood, forming a distinct layer ring. Poor quality Huangqi is often mixed with Hongqi or dyed products, resulting in abnormal color or poor fibrosis of the cross-section.

2. Odor Identification

Authentic Astragalus membranaceus has a unique bean like smell and a slight sweetness, with a slight residue when chewed. Sulfur smoked astragalus has a pungent sour taste, while moldy products have a moldy odor. Some counterfeit products, such as Jinjier root, do not have a bean like odor and have a too obvious sweet taste.

III. Texture Standard

High quality Astragalus membranaceus has a hard and tough texture, is not easy to break, and has a fibrous cross-section. Poor quality products, due to improper storage or adulteration, have a loose and fragile texture. Huangqi slices can be sliced and observed under light. Genuine products have uniform transparency, while counterfeit products often have shadows of impurities.

Fourth, the authentic production areas

include the thick and thin skin of Beiqi strips produced in Wuchuan, Inner Mongolia, the prominent chrysanthemum heart of Longqi in Min County, Gansu, and the soft and sweet taste of Mianqi in Hunyuan, Shanxi. These traditional production areas have a higher content of Huangqi glycoside, an effective ingredient in Huangqi. The effective ingredients of products from non local real estate areas may not meet the standards.

Fifth, Specification Grade

Special grade Astragalus membranaceus requires a diameter of over 1 centimeter, a length of over 30 centimeters, and no branching or hollowing. Common mixed products in the market may be mixed with lateral roots or reed heads. When purchasing, it is recommended to choose whole stem and non fragmented products to avoid excessive cutting of herbal pieces.

For daily use of Astragalus membranaceus, it is recommended to choose sulfur free dried raw materials and store them in a cool and ventilated place. Can be used with medicinal herbs such as wolfberry and angelica to stew soup, but should be used with caution for those with yin deficiency and excessive heat. When purchasing, priority should be given to selecting products from reputable traditional Chinese medicine pharmacies or branded herbal medicine enterprises, and a herbal medicine testing report is required. If used for disease treatment, it should be used in combination under the guidance of a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to avoid long-term self consumption of large doses.