What Are Adaptogens?

Chances are you’ve been hearing a lot about adaptogen herbs lately, and for good reason. Adaptogens make the perfect 21st century herbal picks because of their ability to gently nourish the immune system and boost resistance to stress (think work-related mental stress, post-workout physical stress, and even environmental stress from exposure to pollution and chemicals). With the wide array of adaptogens to choose from, you’re sure to find the right one for your specific needs. But what comes after choosing the right adaptogen been (such as Stress Less or Mind Calming), is choosing the right method of delivery: that’s where liquid tinctures come in. Tinctures have long been a preferred method of taking herbs by Western herbalist. If you’re curious about whether or not it might be the right method for you, read on for our top three reasons why it can be.

 

Fast absorption for quicker results

Tinctures are readily absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized by the body, bypassing the long process of digestion. Compared with herbal capsules for example, tinctures deliver benefits faster, for quicker results. This also highlights tinctures as the ideal choice for anyone dealing with digestive issues (such as low stomach acid) which can hinder nutrient assimilation in general, including absorption of therapeutic herbal components.

 

Potency you can count on

You can find adaptogen blends in a variety of forms, from powder sachets to adaptogen-spiked snacks. While these are a fun way to include herbs into your lifestyle, adaptogen tinctures do have an advantage over them: potency you can count on. With a tincture, you know exactly how much of each herb you’re getting per drop. What’s more, the extraction process not only increases the potency of fresh herbs and botanicals, it also stabilizes their benefits through a longer shelf-life – which isn’t the case with powders or functional foods.

 

Craft creative sips with flexible, customized dosage

A big advantage of herbal tinctures is you can get creative about how you take them. Aside from a small glass of water, you can mix your daily dose of herbal tincture into cold-pressed juices, herbal tea, warm nourishing tonics like golden mylk, your morning smoothie, sparkling water, and also easy cocktail and mocktails. You can even sneak herbal tinctures into someone’s drink with them noticing … this might be especially helpful for treating the kiddos, finicky teenagers, or those who have a hard time swallowing capsules. Finally, the versatility of herbal tinctures is great for customizing dosages: you can choose to administer only a few drops at a time if needed.