So you’ve just bought your first packet of Ashwagandha? Brilliant! Now you just need to figure out the best way to use it. As a fine powder with a mild flavour, it’s not difficult to add Ashwagandha to your favourite recipes. But taste isn’t the only factor to consider when incorporating this superfood into your weekly diet. Like many other supplements, the benefits of Ashwagandha can be amplified when the powder is paired with certain foods, or taken at certain times of day. So in this post, we’ll give you some top tips for making the most of your Ashwagandha for optimum results.
When should I take Ashwagandha?
At first glance it seems strange that a plant that energises us is also able to help us sleep better, but that's exactly what Ashwagandha is capable of. This adaptogenic plant grown high in the mountains of the Himalayas has been used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine as a natural energy booster, hormone balancer, and a treatment for insomnia.
With such a wide spectrum of benefits, the best time of day to take Ashwagandha depends on what you hope to get out of the superfood. If you hope to boost your energy levels during the day, try taking your supplement in the morning with breakfast. Alternatively, if you want to benefit from Ashwagandha’s sleep promoting effects, try taking the supplement at night before bed. And remember: you won’t necessarily see instant results from Ashwagandha. Instead, expect to see positive changes approximately two weeks after you begin taking the supplement.
How should I take Ashwagandha?
Like Turmeric, Ashwagandha is best taken with food. For one, taking your supplement straight after a meal can aid digestion, thus reducing the chance of any side effects.
But most importantly, research suggests that taking Ashwagandha with certain foods can actually aid absorption. It all comes down to bioavailability, or the rate at which a supplement is effectively used by your body. Studies suggest that black pepper and fat can actually increase the bioavailability of supplements, thus making each dose more effective. This means that to supercharge the effect of your Ashwagandha supplement, it might be worth eating it after a meal that features these ingredients, or even incorporating it into a recipe.
How to incorporate Ashwagandha into your everyday life
Ashwagandha is available as either a powder or pills, making it easy to incorporate this amazing supplement into your life.
Make a warming drink
If you’re hoping to enjoy the sleep-promoting benefits of Ashwagandha, you have to try out this comforting drink. Simply warm a glass of your favourite plant-based milk and add in a quarter to a half teaspoon of the powder, as well as a teaspoon of honey. Sip on this before bedtime to help relax your body.
Add it to your healthy homemade snacks
Try combining Ashwagandha with almond butter, cranberries, cacao nibs, cinnamon and honey, then roll the mixture into balls. Pop them into the fridge for an energy-boosting pre-workout pick-me-up!
However you decide to take Ashwagandha, remember to invest in the best organic supplements you can find. Read more about choosing the best superfoods here.
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