In Chinese medicine, decoction is the most common form of herbal use. On this site, we recommend decoction only for herbs that are hard, such as roots, and sometimes for certain seeds.
A decoction rarely tastes good, but it’s one of the most effective ways.
Important: before making a decoction
1) The container
First of all, you need to know that a herbal decoction must be made in a container :
- earthenware
- glass
- Pyrex
- stainless steel
Do not use containers made of iron, cast iron, aluminum, copper or bronze, to avoid chemical changes between the plants and the container.
2) The water
As with infusions, we strongly recommend using spring or filtered water for decoction.
The products present in tap water can cancel out or deteriorate the plants’ active ingredients. Mineral waters, with their high magnesium content and substances such as fluoride and trace elements, can interfere with and alter the properties of the herbs in the herbal tea.
3) Simmer Time
| Herb Type | Decoction Simmer Time |
|---|---|
| Roots, bark, seeds, berries | 20 – 45 minutes |
| Shells | 1 hour |
| Rare and expensive substances | 2 – 3 hours |
How do I make a decoction?
Note: This is just an example, the amount of water should be adjusted based on the volume of herbs used for the decoction.
To take a single dose a day, follow steps 1) to 3)
1) Rinse, then place the dried herbs in a suitable container (as mentioned above), and add cold water (spring or filtered water) until the water level is 2cm above the herbs. For herbs that tend to absorb water, add 3 to 4cm above the herbs.
2) Cover the pot with a lid and heat over high heat until boiling. As soon as the water is boiling, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
If 2 doses/day are required, continue as follows:
3) Pour the liquid obtained into another container or thermos flask.
4) Use the same herbs as before and pour in 200 – 250ml if there’s only one herb (add 150 – 200ml of water for each additional herb) of cold water (spring or filtered water).
5) Heat again over high heat, then turn down to low heat as soon as the water starts to boil.
6) Simmer for 20 minutes.
7) Pour off the liquid obtained with the 1st decoction.
8) Drink the decoction hot or lukewarm in 2 doses, morning and afternoon, between meals once digestion is complete (except for hard-to-digest herbs, which should be taken at the end of a meal).
The decoction time is indicated in the description section on each herb page.
A few more details
- Flowers, leaves and some seeds, while working very well as infusions, can also be decocted, but only 2 minutes or 4-5 minutes after boiling.
- Note that decoction makes the herbal tea stronger than infusion. We advise you to follow the instructions on the herbal tea page: if it says to infuse it, infuse it and do not decoct it.
- Some rare and expensive substances such as ginseng varieties must be separately decocted or simmered to obtain the maximum effect. These are often sliced very thin and then cooked for a long time (usually 2-3 hours) so that every last drop of active ingredient can be extracted.
- Do not mix the decoction liquid with tea.
What should I do if there are several herb types mixed together?
When a Chinese herbal tea contains different types of herbs, as we saw in the table above some ingredient may require a different decoction time. Hard substances such as shells (e.g. oyster shell) and minerals are generally cooked first, then 20 minutes before the end of the decoction roots such as Huang Qi and Dang Gui are added during the main decoction.
Delicate flowers and aromatic herbs are often added toward the end to preserve their volatile components. There are added 2 minutes before the end or added once the decoction is finished and left to steep for 4 to 5 minutes.
Understanding these differences helps ensure that each ingredient is properly prepared and that the overall decoction remains as effective as possible.
Ready for your first Decoction?