The mysteries of the great burdock root!

I don't often  ever do posts having to do with medicine and nutrition,  but I couldn't help write one today, only because of how much I want you guys to know about it! I apologize for most of my sources being in Korean. Its properties are still relatively unknown in the Western world so most of my references will be in Korean. So without further ado, I present to you the Great Burdock Root! 

Now before you x out of this post for manifesting what looks like chunks of bark,  bear with me. When my mom came into the kitchen with a load of these precariously stacked  on her arms, I was dumbfounded. Was this another one of her strange dietary additions (she's a bit of a health freak)? Maybe, but rightfully so. Turns out she had bought what was the latest craze  in East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea.

It used to be popular in Europe, Asia, and South America for being a low calorie and versatile food that was also nutritious. However, the reason why its popularity had recently been revived was due to a short Korean documentary featuring Yoshinori Nagumo, author of "Drinking Burdock Tea Will Make You 20 Years Younger" and director of Nagumo clinic, in which he explains his mid-life revelation to live healthier, and thus turning his life around to consume copious amounts of Burdock Tea on a daily basis. His result? After a little more than 20 years (he is now 56), he looks younger than he did when he was 30 (pictured below). Anatomically speaking, his bones are 28 years old, his brain 38, and his blood vessels 26 years old. How did he essentially become "younger"? You got it, it was that darn burdock tea. No fancy treatments, operations, or pills. He just drank litres of this tea every single day. It takes some commitment but just look at him!

Above: Mr. Nagumo at age 56. Below, age 30. Thank you burdock tea!

What's better,

1. Making burdock tea is quite easy and cheap. Just look for it in your local market, they're quite recognizable. Asian markets are a bonus. 

2. There is no secret "you also have to pay an extra 500 dollars to [unnamed health foundation] for this to work". Just drink litres of this every day and you'll notice the difference after a few years. 

Understandably, this new youth-triggering effect of the great burdock root has brought on what I like to call the "Burdock Rush". I swear I saw everyone with an armload of these today when I went to the local market. As an extra plus, they come with a myriad of other health benefits, such as bettering your immune system, reviving your skin, promoting anti-aging, and improving blood circulation. Hurray for healthy living. 

To finish this off, I'll teach you guys how to make this mystical tea. (source: comes with step-by-step pictures!)

1. With a knife, carefully dice the root into small slices. They should look a bit like banana slices now. 
2. Put these pieces, separated and on a tray, into the microwave for ~5 minutes until it has dried out sufficiently. Check every two minutes or so to make sure your kitchen isn't on fire or anything. 
3. In a litre of boiling water, place about 10 grams of these dried root pieces
4. Allow the pieces to infuse and bless the boiling water with its immortal properties.
5. Consume burdock root tea.
6. Become seemingly immortal.

Enjoy! Happy eatin' for everyone!