Cuscuta is a unique plant that has no roots and leaves, but it is able to survive very well. In fields and rural areas, we can see dense yellow stems of dodder silk, which cover legumes like spider webs. For this reason, Cuscuta is also known as Cuscuta Seed, Bean Yama, and Plant Vampire. Its stems are golden yellow and leafless, and it produces white flowers in summer and ovoid hale brown seeds in autumn. Cuscuta is widely distributed and grows on roadsides, bushes and seaside dunes.
Cuscuta seeds can be collected and dried in the autumn and then eaten from their seeds. Cuscuta seeds have a high value in terms of consumption, especially when used to make soups or porridge. For middle-aged men or people with poor kidney function, making chicken soup with dodder seeds is an excellent option. Cuscuta not only enhances the taste of food, but is also rich in vitamin A, brass, glycosides and sugars. Making tea or drinking dodder seeds in water can help nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish sperm and blood, strengthen muscles and bones, delay aging and enhance memory. The edible value of this plant was recorded in the Shennong Classic of Materia Medica as early as ancient times, so it can be said that dodder seeds are a very nutritious ingredient.
The nutritional value of dodder seeds is very high, it is rich in vitamin A, brass, glycosides and sugars. These nutrients are very beneficial to the health of the human body, which can nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish sperm and blood, strengthen muscles and bones, delay aging and enhance memory. Cuscuta seeds can be made into tea or water, which is very suitable for those who need to regulate liver and kidney function, increase immunity and improve memory. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, the "Shennong's Materia Medica" recorded the eye-catching effect and longevity of dodder seeds, and the nutritional value of dodder seeds has been widely recognized from ancient times to the present.
Cuscuta is not only a plant with edible value, but also a Chinese medicinal material with high medicinal value. In the "Shennong Materia Medica" and "Huiyan of Materia Medica", there are records about dodder seeds, which are listed as the top grade, along with wolfberry and ginseng. Cuscuta has the medicinal effect of nourishing the kidneys and liver, warming the spleen and stomach. It is warm but not dry, tonic but not harsh, can nourish the weak kidneys, promote metabolism, and regulate the function of the spleen and stomach. Cuscuta seeds can also dredge the meridians, warm the kidneys and aphrodisiac, diuretic and moisturize, and have a certain improvement effect on male problems such as spermatozoa and impotence caused by kidney deficiency. It also has the effects of dispelling dampness, moisturizing dryness, diuresis, etc., and can be used for symptoms such as indigestion and irregular urination caused by dampness and heat. Therefore, dodder seed is widely used in the field of traditional Chinese medicine and has obtained good results.
Although dodder is seen as a pest plant in agriculture, we cannot ignore its value and role. As a unique plant, dodder has high edible, nutritious, and medicinal value. Therefore, we should try our best to protect and utilize dodder seeds, and make reasonable use of its resources, which can not only meet people's demand for ingredients, but also improve the value of dodder seeds and promote its industrial development.
As a rootless and leafless plant, dodder is unique in nature. Although it is considered a parasitic herb in agriculture and can negatively affect crops, its edible, nutritious, and medicinal properties make it particularly important. Cuscuta seeds can not only be used as an ingredient to enrich our diet, but also nourish our body and boost our immunity. As a Chinese herbal medicine, dodder seed has the effect of regulating the kidneys, warming the spleen and stomach, and has auxiliary effects on some male problems. Therefore, we must treat and make use of dodder seeds correctly, protect its species and resources, and develop it into a competitive industry in the market. At the same time, we should also strengthen the scientific research of dodder seeds, explore more medicinal value of dodder seeds, and make greater contributions to human health. Through the rational use of dodder resources, we can achieve a win-win situation of economic and ecological benefits, promote sustainable development, and create a better living environment for human beings.