Fo Ti ( ho-shou-wu) Pieces

Fo-ti is a flowering vine in the smartweed family that is native to China but cultivated elsewhere. Our fo-ti root is processed, which means that it has been cured by simmering in a black bean liquid.

Processed fo-ti root contains carbohydrate-binding proteins called lectins, so-named from the Latin word legere because they select and attach to carbohydrates arrangements on cells and behave like antibodies, although they don’t generate allergy symptoms. The root also contains a number of anthraquinones, including emodin.