Use of Raw Herbs

by Charles
(Long Beach, MS, USA)

Q As a runner, I'm interested in performance herbs. One of these is Ashwagandha. The literature recommends a certain standardization of 5-10% withanolides. If I want to simply take the whole ground product, what is the best manner to do that, i.e., tea, in a blender, etc. 1. Would the heat of hot water destroy nutrients, 2. Is the whole plant too weak to stimulate any significant performance boost, 3. How much should be consumed? Thank you for any feedback.

A To tell you the truth Charles I really don't know. Many potent herbs are taken as tea so I would think the nutritional benefits would still be intact.

I sometimes take reishi, astragalus, and other herbs in concentrated powder form. I either mix with water and drink, or sometimes just add them to my morning smoothie. Whole herbs taken in cold water may have to sit much longer to allow for the nutrients to seep into the water.

You may have to experiment to see what works best for you.