Ashwagandha, aka Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera), is derived from the fruit or leaf of a shrub. The name refers to the smell of the root (“like a horse”). In Latin, the species name, somnifera, means “sleep-inducing.” Most ashwagandha is cultivated in India, Nepal, and China.
This has been used for centuries to alleviate fatigue and improve general well-being. It has powerful anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an adaptogen, which means it helps the body respond to stress. One study in which people took 300 mg twice daily of high-concentration Ashwagandha root extract found that it “safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.”1
You can buy ashwagandha in the form of a loose powder, a capsule, a leaf, or a leaf extract. I take the capsules, but also have the loose powder in my cupboard, which I add to smoothies, shakes, soups, and hot water (to make a tea). Ashwagandha is also one of the ten ingredients in my Liana's Organics Anxiety-Free supplements! The supplements are formulated with 10 all-natural, Organic, non-GMO ingredients.