Today, we will uncover the health truth of Cordyceps sinensis.
Former US Food and Drug Administration was "criticized by name"
At the beginning of this year, the former US Food and Drug Administration issued "These four health products are unhealthy, don't waste money!" ",the first article is aimed at Cordyceps sinensis.
As early as 20 16, the former US Food and Drug Administration issued the Notice on Stopping the Pilot Work of Cordyceps sinensis as Health Food.
Also on 20 16, the former US Food and Drug Administration issued "Consumer Tips on Cordyceps Products" in official website, clearly indicating that the monitoring and inspection results of Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis powder and pure powder products showed that the arsenic content was 4.4~9.9 mg/kg.
According to the consumption reminder, "Cordyceps sinensis is a Chinese herbal medicine and does not belong to the dual-purpose substance of medicine and food. According to the analysis and judgment of relevant experts, the limit value of arsenic in the national safety standard for health food is 1.0 mg/kg. Long-term consumption of Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis powder, pure powder tablets and other products will cause excessive arsenic intake and may accumulate in the human body, which poses a high risk. "
What exactly is Cordyceps sinensis?
Zombies are the best way to describe Cordyceps sinensis.
Zombies are living dead people who are inexplicably controlled, and Cordyceps sinensis is a "living dead worm" controlled by Cordyceps sinensis.
Cordyceps's life is spent like this:
In summer, bat moth larvae lay eggs on the ground, and after a month or so, they become larvae and drill into the wet and soft soil layer. Cordyceps in the soil parasitizes the larvae, grows in the larvae and eats them until they die.
After a winter, when the next spring comes, the mycelium of fungi begins to grow. When it grows on the ground in summer, Cordyceps can spread its branches and leaves and breed more "bugs and zombies".
Many people regard "Cordyceps sinensis" as the abbreviation of "Cordyceps sinensis", which is actually a misunderstanding. Cordyceps sinensis refers to the complex of fungi and insects, with as many as 1500 species in the world. Cordyceps sinensis is a kind of cordyceps sinensis, and there is also a kind of "Cordyceps militaris" on the market, also called "Cordyceps flower".
Cordyceps sinensis is just one of the common members.
The "Road to Fame" of Cordyceps sinensis
In marketing, Cordyceps sinensis is regarded as "traditional precious Chinese herbal medicine", and only it is "genuine", while other cordyceps such as Cordyceps militaris are "fake".
In fact, Cordyceps sinensis did not appear in the classics of traditional Chinese medicine until the middle and late Qing Dynasty, and its function was only to "protect lung and kidney, stop bleeding and resolve phlegm".
? Health care truth of Cordyceps sinensis
However, the theory of the efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis has been questioned by many people-not only modern science, but also traditional medicine.
The scientific community discovered several years ago that the so-called anticancer components, cordycepin and pentostatin, were actually not detected in Cordyceps sinensis. What contains them is Cordyceps militaris, which is regarded as a "fake" by the Cordyceps industry.
20 17 The paper published by Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, China Academy of Sciences fundamentally denied the "anti-cancer" basis claimed by Cordyceps sinensis.
Of course, fans of Cordyceps sinensis like to say, "Just denying Cordyceps sinensis and pentostatin doesn't prove that it can't fight cancer, let alone prove that it has no effect." This statement is actually confusing and deceiving people.
This study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences also confirmed that Cordyceps militaris contains two anticancer components, cordycepin and pentostatin. Cordyceps militaris can be planted artificially and the price is not so expensive. Is it worth buying?
The anti-cancer principle of these two components is essentially to interfere with the replication of cell DNA, thus inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. But at the same time, as this study shows, when it is large, it will also show cytotoxicity and harm normal cells.
We don't know how much cordycepin we eat, how much it can inhibit cancer cells, and how much it will reflect cytotoxicity, but it is wishful thinking to expect to eat Cordyceps rashly.