Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): 50 grams of root powder
Ashwagandha is a shrub in the nightshade family, the same botanical family as the tomato and the potato. It grows in the drier regions of India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, and has also been recorded around the Mediterranean and in southern Africa. The plant carries small greenish-yellow flowers and orange-red berries, but it is the root that gets harvested and dried. That is what this pack contains: 50 grams of milled root, pale beige and powder fine.
The name refers to a smell. In Sanskrit ashwa means horse and gandha means smell, because the fresh root is said to carry the scent of a wet horse. The botanical epithet somnifera is Latin for sleep-bringing. You will also see the herb sold as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, although ashwagandha is not botanically related to true ginseng at all.
Ashwagandha in ayurveda
In ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, ashwagandha counts as a rasayana: a group of herbs that tradition describes as restorative and rejuvenating. The root appears in the Charaka Samhita, one of the oldest ayurvedic texts. Avalon Magic Plants sells this powder as a herb rather than a medicine, and makes no statements about what it might be suitable for.
Preparing the powder
Work with roughly 1 to 2 grams at a time, about half a teaspoon. Traditionally the powder is stirred into warm milk or water and left to steep for ten minutes or so. The taste is earthy and quite bitter, so honey or a pinch of cinnamon is a sensible addition. Keep it to two cups a day at most. The classic pattern alternates a month of use with a month off.
Points to keep in mind
Ashwagandha is not advised for an overactive thyroid or during pregnancy, and high doses may cause intestinal discomfort. If you take medication, or you are unsure whether this herb suits you, check with your doctor or pharmacist first. Store the powder dry, dark and tightly closed. Avalon Magic Plants also stocks other classic herbs such as valerian, damiana and sutherlandia.
