Re: Jiaogulan

I drink a lot of jiaogulan (gynostemma)myself.  It contains abut 7 times more sterols than Panax ginseng, and contains the same gisenosisides that are found in Panax ginseng.  It is a lot cheaper though.  A box of 100 teabags is about $6.00.

It is an excellent adaptogenic herb to support the adrenals, it lowers cholesterol, fights cancer, boosts the immune system, is great for the prostate, and has many other benefits.  It will thin out the blood though, so this must be kept in mind if you are on blood thinners or are planning any surgery including dentistry work.

I usually drink it as a sun tea using 8 teabags to a gallon of water.  Then I sweeten it a little with a small amount of stevia extract.

If I make a hot tea I use 1 teabag per two cups of water.  If you only use one cup it is quite bitter.