Ginseng, Undercovered

Have you ever drink Chinese medicine?

Or taste one of Herbal tea?

Or eat an authentic Chinese Herbal soup?

Or went to traditional Chinese drug store?

Or smell one of Asian herb ?

Well, if you haven't, you have to try someday, so you can understand what I'm trying to explain about the strangest feeling when I heard about this stuff. Recently I received not-a-normal goodies from my friend, Chalis when he just came back from Korea. It's Ginseng Chocolate.

I thought he was kidding and I laughed so loud. But I stopped when I saw his serious face. It's a Ginseng Chocolate! I still have to knock my head for a while to make my concious mind wake up. Ewwww, the taste must be terrible. I imagine the bitter flavour and weird herb smell combined with milky sweet chocolate. Oh, why ginseng? Not strawberry or kiwi or something?!

Ginseng is generally used as a medicine in Korea, China, Japan, Russia and some area of native North America cultures for thousand of years. It's believed for stress reliever, increasing blood supply, longevity, antioxidant, physical stamina, etc. Asian believed in taking this cure-all natural rare root if other medicine failed.

In latter part of 20th century, ginseng was promoted to the Westeners as a herbal aphrodisiac too that can improve sexual performance and enchance libido. It was recommended to be taken on a daily basis much as one would use a multi-vitamin, which was the closest Western equivalent, conceptually, to ginseng at the time.

In fact, a number of multi-vitamin products added a small amount of ginseng to their formulation in order to promote this very concept. But report said, misuses of ginseng can caused side effects like insomia, nervousness, irritability, skin eruptions, and morning diarrhea.

Japanese called this plant Korean Carrot because of its shape while most of Westerners called it sacred herb because of its function of the effective general rejuvenator. Ginseng contains vitamins A, B-6 and the mineral Zinc. The root itself can live for more than 100 years.

So when I want to have a bite, my first thought is "Ugh! I have to taste a yucky taste of herb!" Surprisingly, It turned out to be very impressive. It just have a glimpse of Ginseng smell, but the flavor is still real chocolate. Mmmhh, I started to enjoy the richness of the chocolate. It just melted all over my mouth. The sweetness of milk with a little bit of chocolate bitterness and ginseng smell that fade away in your throat. New formula that works for me!

By the way, as ginseng is aphrodisiac and chocolate's too, I've got double energy to pump up the stamina tonight. ^ ^ Yay, I'm ready, Baby!!!