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Ashwagandha is a very popular supplement, with many different purported uses. Users report benefits with everything from blood sugar control, to reduction in cortisol levels, to combating brain fog, and even aiding with anxiety and depression. There are also, unfortunately, many different varieties on the market. And as with all supplements – it’s critical to make sure you are taking high quality products. So we did the research, aggregated tens of thousands of online reviews, and tested rigorously. Here are our top picks, for the best ashwagandha.
Pure Encapsulations Ashwagandha
Pure Encapsulations is well-known for their high quality supplements, and this ashwagandha is no exception. With over 125 stellar reviews, it is one of the best picks on the market. One of the best features? These capsules are hypo-allergenic, meaning they are perfect for anyone. Highly recommended.
NutriRise Ashwagandha
With over 4,000 glowing reviews, this ashwagandha from NutriRise is a fantastic pick. With organic ingredients, and the addition of black pepper, this is a unique blend, which stands out for its quality. Definitely recommended.
Physician’s Choice Ashwagandha
Physician’s Choice makes great quality supplements, and this ashwagandha is no different. With over 1,800 stellar online reviews, and affordability – they are a solid choice. Recommended.
NaturaLife Ashwagandha
This affordable choice from NaturaLife is a great pick. They have over 600 positive reviews, and we definitely noticed the improvement in our health, when taking them. Definitely recommended, and a very solid choice.
Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha
This vegan choice from Gaia Herbs is another great pick. With over 500 stellar online reviews, and top manufacturing quality – we loved how much better we felt when we tested these. Definitely recommended.
NOW Ashwagandha
This great budget pick from NOW Foods has over 400 stellar reviews, and definitely helped us feel more energetic. Recommended.
Feel Good Organics Ashwagandha
This raw, certified organic ashwagandha is one of our favorites. With over 400 great reviews, and clean sourcing – it’s hard to beat the quality or price of this powder. Definitely recommended.
Spice Pharm Golden Goddess Turmeric Chocolate
This ashwagandha powder is another great choice. Blended with turmeric, with over 120 stellar reviews – it not only tastes great, it’s very affordable. Definitely recommended.
Havasu Nutrition Ashwagandha
This great supplement from Havasu has over 1,400 glowing online reviews, and is made with GMP practices. We love the sleek packaging, and definitely noticed improvements in our thinking capacity, while taking it. Definitely recommended.
Orphic Nutrition Ashwagandha
This organic ashwagandha is maximum potency, and we definitely felt positive effects. With over 100 great reviews, it’s one of the best choices on the market. Definitely recommended.
What is Ashwagandha?
This syllable-heavy word stands for a special, little-known herb. Typically found in dry regions of India, Nepal, and China, the plant’s roots are often used as traditional medicine. However, it is slowly making splashes in the Western market.
The scientific word for Ashwagandha is actually Withania somnifera — it is a small shrub that bears reddish fruit. “Somnifera” is the latin phrase for “sleep-inducing.” Ashwagandha is a mash of Sanskrit words: “ashva” for horse and “gandha” for smell. Any guess to what the plant might smell like? Other phrases for this plant include poison gooseberry, poison gooseberry, and winter cherry.
The plant itself is sturdy, preferring dry and stony soil. You could probably find this in arid, mountainous regions in the East. The phytochemicals that make up the plants are extremely similar to Panax ginseng. So it’s not surprising it’s also known as Indian ginseng!
For centuries, the roots have been grounded and used in traditional Indian medicine, particularly in a practice called “Ayurveda.” Despite the lack of clinical research, there is strong historical evidence to vouch for this super herb.
Why Is Ashwagandha Considered A Super herb?
There are herbs, and then there are super herbs. The term “super herb” signifies a herb that’s packed full of nutrients. Consider the difference between a herb that adds flavor, but little else, like basil versus a herb that’s commonly taken for health and nutrient.
Many super herbs are chock full chemical compounds that help the body regulate itself. Daily life can full of stressors that not only affects a person’s mental state but disturbs all sorts of internal systems like the brain and hormones levels. Stressors can increase blood pressure, causing the body to go out of wack.
When the body gets out of wack, it floods the system with cortisol, a hormone from the body’s alert system. Cortisol can have harmful effects: increased weight, heart disease, and other negative side effects. Super herbs like ashwagandha can combat the rising tides of cortisol.
This revelation can be traced back to a Russian pharmacologist named N.V. Lazarev who parsed that chemical compounds can aid the body’s response to stress. He conducted his research by taking a second look at plants and superherbs used in folk medicine.
Adaptogens are plants — ashwagandha among them — that help the body deal with stress. They do that by possessing chemicals that interact with the adrenal system to boost the body’s ability to tolerate stress. It is also said to boost your ability to focus and gain energy.
Where Does Ashwagandha Taste Like?
Like the Sanskrit etymology of the name suggests, this dry root can have an earthy, almost horsey smell. Many people say that Ashwagandha has a bitter taste. To be honest, the herb does not taste the best.
Luckily, ashwagandha is not known for its taste but its healing, neurological, and anti-cancer properties. So, those willing to bypass its bitterness need to mask the taste. There is a multitude of choices: sweet, savory, and so on.
Often the herb is blended into coffee drinks, pudding, and porridge. It seems that milk not only absorbs spicy food but also bitter food. Milk and chocolate are usually the top choices to blend this super herb.
What Are The Short Term Benefits Of Ashwagandha?
For pregnant women and growing children, ashwagandha can help the body to thrive and gain weight. Milk fortified with this super herb — cloaking the bitter taste for picky eaters — promotes natural weight growth. Weight gain is not always synonymous with poor health; in fact, weight gain associated with ashwagandha have more plasma protein in their blood and better fat-to-muscle ratio.
You might be asking: how does this super herb accomplish this healthy weight gain? Studies suggest that ashwagandha regulates the blood’s lipid and glucose levels. This helps promote the body to thrive without overloading it with calories.
In a short time, consumers of ashwagandha will find improved physical ability. In a study done with rats, rodents regularly consuming ashwagandha handled a stress test — being tossed into a cold bath of water; the ashwagandha-eating rats swam longer. This means that you might handle a stressful situation better.
As an anti-inflammatory, ashwagandha also might aid in joint health. People who engage in activities that are tough on joints might want to add ashwagandha to their diet. This super herb, in particular, reduces the C-reactive protein, which is how doctors can measure inflammation in the body.
Therefore, by taking ashwagandha, people can reduce the ailments of their joints, such as pain and stiffness. Activities like jogging or high-contact sports (basketball, soccer, and so on) can wear on joints. If you’re worried about how your hobby might affect your joints over time, consider making a drink imbued with ashwagandha.
What Are The Long Term Benefits Of Ashwagandha?
Not only does ashwagandha support an athletic routine, but this plucky herb boasters the thinking mind as well. People are less stressed, which allows the brain to function with more clarity. But there’s more; studies with ashwagandha have helped memory, focus, and sleep.
By reducing stress, ashwagandha provides improved cognitive function. Considered a nootropic herb, it stimulates pathways in the brain for a particular neurotransmitter associated with muscle tone and stable moods. In addition, by smoothing out that cortisol rhythm, the herb paves the way for a restful night.
How does a lifetime of Ashwagandha impact the body? A lifetime of less stress paves the way for impressive results. In a study with rats, the regulated cortisol levels brought on by ashwagandha resulted in fewer diseases caused by stress like diabetes, premature aging, hypertension, and so on.
Ashwagandha may also inhibit the growth of some cancer cells. A study by Sumantran showed that oral consumption of ashwagandha prevented the growth of CHO cells. Used along with traditional methods of cancer combat like chemo and radiation, ashwagandha might help slow the growth of certain cancers.
The biggest demonstrated long term benefit of ashwagandha is its benefit to memory. Regular eaters of ashwagandha slow the atrophy of neurons in patients of Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s. If a patient begins to consume the root at the beginning of their disease, real cognitive and behavioral benefits can be seen.
In 1988, researchers began categorizing ashwagandha has a nervine tonic. These tonics stop the alterations in chemical reactions in the brain. This slowed progression helps prevent the neural decline in patients with memory disease.
What Is The History Behind Ashwagandha?
Though you might be hearing about ashwagandha, this super herb has been used since 6000 BC. The plant was a primary ingredient in a very old system of medicine called Ayurveda. Grounded into a powder and mixed into milk, the drink was served to malnourished children and elders.
Curious about Ayurveda? These ancient theories of wellness originated in the Indian subcontinent were said to come from Gods, sages, and then human doctors. Evolving over two millennia, a complicated regime of herbal, mineral and metal mixtures arose, along with various rudimentary surgeries.
The powdered root was also served to people suffering from mental illness: nervous breakdowns, insomnia, anxiety, and so on. Additionally, the drink was used for more visible ailments: boils, colic, and worms. Those practicing Ayurveda noted that the fresher the ashwagandha powder, the more potent the result.
How did ancient people handle the plentiful herb? Its dull green, bitter leaves were used for swellings and fever. The seeds were mixed with salt to improve eye ailments — though that does not sound pleasant. And of course, the root was grounded into a powder and made into a drink that helps people suffering from memory loss.
What’s The Chemical Components Behind Ashwagandha?
So that you know the health benefits and history of ashwagandha, you might be wondering: what’s in these plants? The Withania somnifera plant (that’s the scientific word for ashwagandha in case you forgot) is composed of alkaloids, steroidal lactones, and saponins. Alkaloids produce important physiological effects on people; the alkaloids in ashwagandha boost immunity and calm the body.
What Kind of Food Can I Make With Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha doesn’t taste good… on its own. Alone, ashwagandha is a bitter root. It’s often consumed in a powder. Therefore, it’s best often masked with other, better-tasting dishes.
Scientists believe that bitterness has a place in the human diet, just as much as sweet and savory. However, this type of bitterness is best with some sweetness. The best pairing of ashwagandha is considered chocolate.
Many people create chocolate drinks or pudding out of ashwagandha. Others can coax palatable meals out of coffee-flavors as well. Some examples of dishes out of ashwagandha include almond-apricot chia porridge, fudge with ashwagandha, and sea salt sprinkled throughout. Another favorite is ashwagandha nut butter balls.
A dessert dish with ashwagandha sprinkled in could be a delicious chocolate pudding made out of frozen bananas for thickening, cocoa powder, and almond milk. You can even tuck in some spinach to hide your veggies along with your ancient super herb.
Drinks inspired by ashwagandha can be a chocolate shake blended with almond milk, chocolate protein powder, and frozen berries. In terms of ratio, half a teaspoon of ashwagandha powder is needed for every three cups of other ingredients.
Though ashwagandha might not be the best-tasting food, with the right ingredients you can enjoy its long-lasting benefits. The sky the limit when it comes to what dishes you can create with ashwagandha — just don’t be afraid to experiment.
The Best Ashwagandha
There you have it – our top picks for the best ashwagandha. There are lots of options out there in the supplement market, so be sure and check out our other top product reviews.