Adaptogen: The Mood-Boosting Trend Being Added to Your Food & Drinks

By now we’re sure you’ve seen coffee made from mushrooms or energy balls with maca or reishi powder, so what’s this all about? It’s actually part of a new trend that adds adaptogens into food and drinks. Adaptogens are natural substances including herbs and mushrooms and they’re supposed to help your body deal with mental and physical stress. They include Chaga, reishi, ashwagandha, ginseng, maca, astragalus, tulsi/holy basil, turmeric, Goji berry, licorice root, lucuma, and cordyceps. So, what are adaptogens and how do they work?

What Are Adaptogens?

Adaptogens have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic practices and they’re non-toxic when they’re used in regular dosage. The plants can combat fatigue, enhance mental performance, and ease depression and anxiety by strengthening the immune, nervous, and glandular systems.

How Do Adaptogens Work?

These super-plants help our bodies regulate our stress response by supporting our adrenal glands which regulates the stress hormones. Each adaptogen has different benefits—they can be stimulating, calming, warming, cooling, moistening, or drying.

How to Use Adaptogens

Start by following the dosing instructions on the product or by going to a naturopathic physician to recommend products that will help your body. You can take adaptogens in capsule form or in powders, which you can mix into smoothies, brew in teas, stir in soups, or add to energy balls.