- Chinese: 当归/當歸
- Latin: Angelica sinensis
- French: angélique de Chine
- Thai: ตังกุย
- Vietnamese: Đương quy
Danggui is known in Chinese culture as the ginseng for women. Danggui is widely used in Chinese medicine for gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia, and high blood pressure.
Only the roots of the Angelica sinensis plant is consumed. The plant is spread throughout Eurasia, but it only grows on soil at 1500-3000m above sea level and in cold and rainy weather conditions. In China, the main danggui production is found in Gansu 甘肃.
Danggui is considered ’warm’ 温 and ’sweet’ 甘 in Chinese medicinal terms. It penetrates into one’s liver, heart and intestines.
Danggui’s main effect is to ’warm and move your blood’ (补血活血), hence women with menstrual pains can benefit from the extra push in your blood circulation danggui provides.
However, this means it could be anticoagulant and thus increases the risk of bleeding.
Danggui should not be consumed continuously or excessively. Prolonged consumption has carcinogenic risks.
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