While searching for a new, natural sweetener, Chinese researchers in remote mountain villages of the Guizhou province of China discovered a plant known locally as the "herb of immortality." In these villages, the proportion of centenarians was significantly higher than the general population average, a phenomenon attributed to the consumption of *G. pentaphyllum*. An analysis of its constituents revealed a high concentration of saponins—substances also found in ginseng. Like ginseng, the "herb of immortality" is said to have a calming effect on stress, sleep disturbances, and high blood pressure, as well as to lower blood sugar levels. Its delicate leaves are striking for their fresh green color and have a slightly sweet, licorice-like flavor. They can be cooked like spinach or eaten raw in salads. A flavorful, sweet-bitter tea can also be prepared from dried or fresh leaves.
native to China, India, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, where it grows at altitudes up to 3,200 meters.
