Basic Introduction to Tumin Carthamus Without Thorns
Tumin Carthamus Without Thorns is a specialty product of Tumin County, Tacheng Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The unique water and soil conditions give the seeds of the carthamus grown in the county the highest levels of linoleic acid, vitamins, and other trace elements in the world. Among them, the pure carthamus seed oil produced from the seeds of the thornless carthamus planted in Tumin has a linoleic acid content of up to about 83%, earning it the title of “King of Linoleic Acid.” It was approved for registration as a geographical indication for agricultural products by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2011.
Carthamus is an annual or perennial herb with a taproot system. Carthamus oil is clear and bright, delicious when consumed, and has medicinal uses, capable of treating hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases. Carthamus oil has a high iodine value (150), making it a higher-grade drying oil. Industrially, it is widely used to make coatings, soaps, printing oils, and softening agents for photosensitive materials. After dehulling and oil extraction, the remaining carthamus meal has a protein content of 19%, making it an excellent feed for livestock. Extracting edible protein from it represents a promising source of plant protein. The stigmas of the carthamus flowers contain carthamin and safflower yellow, traditional Chinese medicines that have the effects of promoting blood circulation, breaking up blood stasis, and relieving pain, mainly used for treating amenorrhea, difficult childbirth, dead fetuses, pain due to stagnant blood, swelling and pain, bruises, and contusions.
According to statistics, 80% of the world's carthamus is in China, 80% of China's carthamus is in Xinjiang, 80% of Xinjiang's carthamus is in Tacheng, and 80% of Tacheng's carthamus is in Tumin. Tumin County is thus hailed as the hometown of carthamus in China and known as “China's Thornless Carthamus Hometown.”
The unique water and soil conditions give the seeds of the carthamus grown in Tumin County the highest levels of linoleic acid, vitamins, and other trace elements in the world. Among them, the pure carthamus seed oil produced from the seeds of the thornless carthamus planted in Tumin County has a linoleic acid content of up to around 83%, earning it the title of “King of Linoleic Acid.” Vitamin E content is 1,600 milligrams per liter.
Since 2000, Tumin County has focused on developing the carthamus industry as a key resource, with sowing areas expanding year after year. By 2006, the area planted with carthamus in Tumin County had reached 180,000 mu, with an annual output of over 10,000 tons of carthamus seeds, around 1,000 tons of carthamus stigmas, and income from carthamus accounting for 33% of total rural economic income.
The origin range of Tumin Carthamus Without Thorns covers 53 administrative villages in 5 townships and 1 farm: Halabala Township, Jiangges Township, Xindi Township, Alatengyemule Township, State-Owned Ranch, Jiyeke Township. The geographical coordinates are between 82°15′00″E to 83°30′00″E and 45°24′00″N to 46°30′00″N.
Nutritional Value
Nutritional benefits of carthamus:
It can be used as a menstruation-regulating medicine, having the effects of breaking up blood stasis, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain. It is mainly used for regulating irregular menstrual cycles in women. Not only does it have medicinal value, but its seeds can also be pressed for oil, making it an important oilseed crop, with the fruits containing 34-55% oil. The oil contains 0.5% oryzanol, 80 mg per kilogram of oil, and rich phospholipids. Carthamus oil contains very high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, with linoleic acid content reaching 70-80%, which has good health-preserving effects on the human cardiovascular system, capable of lowering blood lipids and serum cholesterol, softening and dilating arteries, preventing arteriosclerosis, increasing blood circulation, and regulating the heart and aging endocrine system. Additionally, carthamus oil contains relatively high amounts of vitamin E (146 mg/100 ml), which is unmatched by other oils. Carthamus oil can not only be directly consumed but also has excellent health-preserving effects. It can also be developed into linoleic acid capsules, vitamin E supplements, and cosmetics. The protein extracted from carthamus meal is also a high-value-added product.
Dietary therapeutic effects of carthamus:
Carthamus has a pungent taste and is warm in nature, entering the Heart and Liver meridians. Its aroma is dispersing, entering the blood to promote blood circulation, break up blood stasis, and relieve pain. It is mainly used for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, postpartum blood faintness, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, chest pain due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, blood accumulation, bruises and contusions, joint pain, paralysis due to stroke, and dark purple spots and rashes.
Product Characteristics
The unique water and soil conditions give the seeds of the carthamus grown in Tumin County the highest levels of linoleic acid, vitamins, and other trace elements in the world. Among them, the pure carthamus seed oil produced from the seeds of the thornless carthamus planted in Tumin County has a linoleic acid content of up to around 83%, earning it the title of “King of Linoleic Acid.” Vitamin E content is 1,600 milligrams per liter.
History and Folk Customs
Saffron, also known as crocus, Western saffron, is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Crocus in the family Iridaceae. Crocus is a native species of Southwest Asia, but it was the Greeks who first started artificial cultivation (the specific time of cultivation is unknown). It is mainly distributed in Europe, the Mediterranean region, and Central Asia, and was introduced to China during the Ming Dynasty, being listed as a medicinal product in Compendium of Materia Medica. It is cultivated in places like Zhejiang Province, China. It is a common spice and a precious Traditional Chinese medicine, with a distinctive smell that is slightly stimulating and a slightly bitter taste. Longer, purplish-red, lustrous, with fewer yellow stigmas, and with a pungent and cool taste is considered best. It possesses strong physiological activity, with the stigmas used medicinally in Asia and Europe, having sedative, expectorant, antispasmodic effects, used for treating gastrointestinal diseases, regulating menstruation, measles, fever, jaundice, enlargement of the liver and spleen, etc.
Methods of Making Tumin Carthamus Without Thorns
Steamed Egg with Carthamus
Ingredients
Two eggs, warm water in the same quantity as the liquid from the eggs, a little salt, a little carthamus, a little broth
Instructions
1. Beat the eggs and add a small amount of salt for seasoning.
2. Add an equal volume of warm water to the egg mixture and stir evenly.
3. Strain the egg mixture into a steaming bowl (you can apply a little salad oil to the bowl beforehand to make it easier to clean).
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and steam. Place the bowl in the steamer with cold water and wait for the water to boil before steaming for about 10 minutes (this time may vary based on the quantity of eggs and individual stove strength).
5. While the eggs are steaming, heat chicken broth in another pot until boiling. Add the carthamus and cook briefly.
6. Season the chicken broth with a little salt and thicken it. Pour it over the steamed egg custard and serve.