How to Use Mugwort
As a herbal plant with a thousand-year history, mugwort is not only a symbol of the Dragon Boat Festival but also occupies an important position in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine health preservation. Its unique medicinal value and affordable price make mugwort an essential item for family health preservation. This article will systematically analyze the five core uses of mugwort and the market price trends.
Five Excellent Uses of Mugwort for Health Preservation
1. Ancient Moxibustion to Expel Cold and Dampness
Moxibustion therapy requires the use of three-year-old mugwort to make moxa sticks. The far-infrared rays produced during combustion can penetrate the skin by 3-5 centimeters. It is recommended to moxibustion points such as Guanyuan and Zusanli for 20 minutes daily, which can effectively improve palace cold and joint pain by up to 78% (data source: 'Study on Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory' 2023).
2. Herbal Foot Soak Recipe
Boil 30g of dried mugwort leaves with 10g of safflower, and soak your feet when the water temperature drops to 45°C. Clinical studies have shown that continuous use for 21 days can increase the speed of peripheral blood circulation by 40%, especially suitable for people with cold hands and feet.
3. Natural Mosquito Repellent Sachet
When making mosquito repellent sachets around the Dragon Boat Festival, it is recommended to mix mugwort leaves, peppermint, and clove in a ratio of 5:3:2. Hanging them near doors and windows can form a 2-meter diameter protection circle, with a mosquito repelling effect that can last for 2-3 months.
4. Beauty and Skin Care Secret Recipe
A mask made of mugwort ash and honey in a 1:3 ratio, used twice a week, can significantly improve oily skin. The eucalyptol content can effectively inhibit Propionibacterium acnes, with the experimental group showing a reduction rate of acne up to 65%.
5. Application of Medicine and Food
How to use mugwort
The tender mugwort leaves picked around Qingming Festival have a vitamin C content 12 times higher than that of apples. It is recommended to try seasonal delicacies such as mugwort green dumplings and mugwort leaf omelets, with a suggested daily intake of no more than 100g.
Analysis of the Market Price System of Mugwort
The current market shows a clear分级: the price of the new mugwort is stable at 7-8 yuan/kg, while the price of the three-year-old mugwort doubles to 16-20 yuan/kg. Wild mugwort, with a higher flavonoid content than cultivated mugwort by 42%, can reach a price of 35-50 yuan/kg. In the deep-processed products, the top-grade mugwort (30:1) breaks through 300 yuan/kg.
From the field to the terminal, the mugwort industry has a four-level price system: grower's purchase price (fresh mugwort 1.2 yuan/kg) → primary processing plant (dried mugwort leaves 8 yuan) → refined processing plant (mugwort wool 50 yuan) → health club (moxa stick 120 yuan). It is recommended that consumers save 40% of the cost by purchasing directly from the origin.
In the era of health consciousness, mugwort is transitioning from traditional Chinese herbs to modern health products. Mastering scientific usage methods and understanding market trends can truly make this thousand-year-old herb serve the health needs of modern people. It is recommended to establish a family mugwort reserve, marked with the year of storage, to ensure both the effect of use and natural appreciation.