December 23, 2020

Meet your herbs - Ashwagandha

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is a herb from the Solanaceae or Nightshade family. It is also known as Winter cherry or Asgandh which in Hindi refers to its horse sweat-like odor. It is believed to provide horse-like stamina and strength of a stallion.

Ashwagandha is commonly grown in India but it is also native to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and parts of Africa. It prefers temperate climates and full sun after which the roots are harvested in the autumn. It is the root of this plant that contains the active parts (aka constituents):

Steroidal lactones including Withaferin A to Y.
Sitoindosides
Alkaloids including somniferin, withanine and anaferine.

You can read more on why the part of the herb is so important

What are the benefits of Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb meaning it:

Is non-toxic in the body.
Moves the body to homeostasis or equilibrium.
Tends to have non-specific actions in the body.

In Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha has been used for prolonging life, stimulating the mind and enhancing vigor. Other various traditional medicine systems used it for the regulation of the adrenal system and strengthening immune function.

Ashwagandha has been described in scientific literature as an adaptogenic herb that is great for supporting the nervous system, balancing the immune system, promoting restful sleep, and energy-supporting activities.

Why Ashwagandha?

We’ve used Ashwagandha root in our Daily Dose of Immunity for an all-round adaptogen effect that balances the body. This calming adaptogen helps support the nervous system and improves resistance to daily stressors which has a positive effect on the immune system.