How Is Gyeongokgo Made?
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A prescription with a thousand-year history
Gyeongokgo (瓊玉膏) is a tonic that has been used for over a thousand years since it was first recorded in the Hong's Collection of Proven Prescriptions (《洪氏集驗方》), a medical text from the Song dynasty in China. In Korea, it is also recorded in the Donguibogam, and its name carries the meaning "a salve as precious as jade."
Four core ingredients
- Fresh Rehmannia root (生地黃): The core ingredient that nourishes yin and clears heat. Rehmannia is used in its fresh state.
- Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng, 人蔘): Strengthens vital energy and supports digestive function. It provides the yang (陽) balance of Gyeongokgo.
- Poria (Poria cocos, 白茯苓): Regulates fluid metabolism and calms the mind. It helps remove damp-phlegm.
- Honey (蜂蜜): Natural honey binds the herbs together and moistens the lungs and intestines.
72 hours of dedication: the traditional manufacturing process
True Gyeongokgo cannot be made quickly. Fresh Rehmannia is juiced and strained, ginseng and Poria are finely ground and mixed with honey, and then the mixture is double-boiled in a herbal pot for at least 72 hours (3 days). As it simmers slowly at low heat, the active components of the herbs dissolve into the honey. This long process creates the deep flavor and efficacy of Gyeongokgo.
How to choose high-quality Gyeongokgo
There are many Gyeongokgo products on the market, but the criteria for judging quality are clear.
- Whether the proportion of fresh Rehmannia is sufficient (Rehmannia is the core ingredient)
- Whether it follows the traditional long-duration double-boiling method
- Whether domestically grown herbs are used
- Whether a Korean medicine doctor directly supervises and prescribes the product
Receiving a customized prescription after a constitutional diagnosis at a Korean medicine clinic is the safest and most effective approach.