What even is Ashwagandha?

Ashwaganda, also known as Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry, or winter cherry, is an Ayurvedic medicinal herb that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. (Ayurveda is a natural medicine practice that originated in India millennia ago, and has now found its way to wellness recipes and blogs (hey!) throughout the internet.)

The roots and red berries of the plant are used for medical purposes. Most commonly you’ll find the dried roots made into power and sold either in dietary supplement capsules, or as loose powder to be added to drinks and things.

Ashwaganda is part of a group of herbs called adaptogens. Adaptogens are called that because they literally adapt to your body’s needs to help you function better via improved mood.

Specifically Ashwaganda is marketed as the stress busting herb, but it has an incredible array or benefits associated to it - some more researched, some much less so. The generally accepted benefits of the herb are improved mood and reduced stress and anxiety, lower cortisol levels, lower blood sugar levels, and helps fight inflammation.