Vidya Nair, talent acquisition specialist from Bengaluru, preferred coffee over tea as her daily beverage, consuming at least seven cups of the brew daily. Eventually, she found it difficult to sleep at night due to excess caffeine.
However, she found a replacement for her evening drink in the form of a special chai latte that was recommended to her by an ayurvedic expert friend during a family gathering. And she has been making her own version of it every evening since then.
The recipe, which is a mix of adaptogens and herbs, serves as a great stress reliever and aids in better sleep. “This is a calming tea to drink in the evening and sometimes before bed too. My quality of sleep, I feel, has improved too,” says the 40-year-old. She calls this ayurvedic ashwagandha tea latte as a new way for a better sleep and stress relief.
Ashwagandha, the natural adaptogen
Adaptogens are a group of herbs that aid in coping with physical and mental stress. One particularly therapeutic adaptogenic herb is ashwagandha which is globally referred to as “Indian ginseng (an herb that improves physical and mental stamina).
“Ashwagandha helps to bring down the body’s cortisol (stress hormone) levels, thereby reducing the stress response,” says Faiza, nutrition consultant and holistic health specialist from Mumbai. have also demonstrated that ashwagandha can help mitigate the symptoms and effects of stress and anxiety disorders by increasing stress resistance.
“Ashwagandha works as a natural mood stabiliser because of its antioxidant properties,” says Ridhima Batra, clinical nutritionist and specialist sports nutritionist from Delhi.
Tip for sound sleep- Mix ashwagandha powder with warm milk and consume it before bedtime.
Besides, ashwagandha has been found to have a positive impact on the quality of sleep and may be helpful in
Read the story on how nutrition can help tackle insomnia.
Ashwagandha tea recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of your choice. For the recipe, we have taken almond milk
- 1/2 tsp ground ashwagandha powder
- 2 green cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-inch fresh ginger
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp of light brown sugar
Method
Heat the milk over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Once the milk is hot, whisk in the ashwagandha, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. Let the mixture gently simmer for 5 more minutes before removing it from the stove. Finally, add 1 tsp of light brown sugar to the tea. Serve the tea hot.
Expert insight
Traditionally, the dried and ground root of ashwagandha is mixed with ghee or honey and is consumed for general well-being.
Dr Ahana Nambiar, ayurvedic expert from Kerala, says that ashwagandha tea helps the body to adjust to stress and correct the imbalance between the immune and neuroendocrine systems.
Too much is too bad
Dr Nambiar warns that ashwagandha should be used only in appropriate dose of 250-500mg per day.
“Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as individuals with autoimmune disorders should avoid consuming ashwagandha,” she adds.
