Recipe
Ashwagandha evening milk
- Herb:
- Ashwagandha Withania somnifera
- Method:
- Powder
- Plant part:
- Root
About 10 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Heat 250 ml of milk or oat drink in a small pan to just below boiling.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of ashwagandha root powder, a pinch of cardamom and half a teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil.
- Keep on a low flame for 3–5 minutes, stirring so the powder does not clump.
- Take off the heat, sweeten with honey once below 40 °C and drink an hour before bed.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 1 level teaspoon (about 3 g) of root powder per 250 ml of milk
- Solvent:
- warm milk or a plant-based drink with a little fat (ghee)
- Shelf life:
- drink warm, do not store
- Target compounds:
- withanolides are soluble in fat and partly in water; milk with ghee is the traditional carrier
Notes
A traditional Ayurvedic preparation (a simplified kshirapaka). Not for people with liver disease, in pregnancy or alongside thyroid medication without medical advice; a course of 2–3 months at most, then a break.
Why it works
Withanolides, the main actives of the root, are lipophilic, which is why fatty milk is the traditional carrier in Ayurveda. The meta-analysis by Cheah et al. 2021 (5 RCTs, about 400 people) found a small to moderate effect of the extract on sleep quality, clearest in people with insomnia and at 600 mg or more for 8 weeks and longer; the trials used standardised extracts rather than home powder, and were short.
Literature
- Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R (2021): Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 16(9):e0257843 — Meta-analysis of 5 RCTs; a small to moderate effect on sleep, strongest for insomnia.
Related
Ashwagandha — Herb card
Powder — Processing method detail