If you’re wondering how to take ashwagandha and looking for some unique ideas and ashwagandha remedies, here’s a variety of Ayurveda-inspired ways of taking ashwagandha. 

But first, let’s quickly explore what ashwagandha does.

Ashwagandha, also known as the winter cherry or Indian ginseng is both a tonic and a sedative due to its adaptogenic properties.¹ It has a wide variety of uses for both men and women.

Ashwagandha: A Rasayana

In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is known as the “sattvic Kapha rasayana”.² What does that mean?

“Rasayana” in Sanskrit literally means path (ayana) of the rasa (fluid or juice).³ According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Sushruta, rasayanas are substances that slow the aging process. They increase longevity and increase both mental and physical strength.⁴

Ashwagandha is known in Ayurveda to have the following additional properties.

It increases sexual desire (vajikara), rejuvenates the body (rasayani) and increases strength (balya). Ashwagandha also improves the quality and quantity of semen (ati shukrala).

It helps manage the white discoloration of the skin (shwitrapaha), helps manage edema (shothahara) and helps to clear impurities (ama) from the various channels of the body. It’s also useful in managing emaciation and under nutritive conditions (kshayapaha).^5,6,7

Ashwagandha As A Medicinal Herb

Ashwagandha is considered to be one of the best rejuvenating agents in Ayurveda. The roots and leaves are the useful parts of the plant.⁸

Ashwagandha root powder is used in the treatment of rheumatic pain, inflammation of the joints, nervous disorders, and epilepsy.

Dried roots are used as a tonic for hiccups, colds, coughs, female disorders, as a sedative, in senile debility ulcers, and more.

A decoction of the bark is taken for asthma and applied locally to heal bed sores.

A paste of the leaves is applied for carbuncles, inflammation, and swellings. It acts as an anti-inflammatory. Leaf juice is useful in conjunctivitis.

Ashwagandha herbal massage oil is useful in many conditions like paralysis, epilepsy, and sleeplessness.

Fine powder of ashwagandha mixed with oil is useful in skin conditions.

Ashwagandha and its extracts are also used in the preparation of herbal teas, powders, tablets, and syrups.

According to Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, authors of ‘The Fiber35 Diet: Nature’s Weight Loss Secret’, ashwagandha itself contains no stimulants. It is considered a safe supplement on par with green tea.⁹

Classical Ayurvedic Preparations: Ashwagandhadi churna, ashwagandha rasayana, ashwagandha ghrita, ashwagandharishta, ashwagandhadi leha, bala–ashwagandha-lakshadi taila.^10,11

How To Take Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an important medicinal plant due to its pharmacodynamic properties.

It has several beneficial effects but despite its therapeutic value, ashwagandha sometimes is difficult to be consumed in its raw form. It has a very bitter taste.

To overcome this, here are 21 effective formulations prepared with ashwagandha powder, including snacks, drinks, and sweets as well as remedies. These may be more acceptable and palatable to you then the raw powder alone.

Ashwagandha Remedies + Ashwagandha Recipes

Before taking any herbal supplement consult with your healthcare provider to see if it’s right for you.

Ashwagandha Roasted In Ghee [Sweet Cravings]

An ounce of ashwagandha roasted in ghee and mixed with a tablespoon of date sugar is delicious. You may find it effective to eat this in the morning about twenty minutes before breakfast, in the mid-afternoon and at bedtime with a cup of hot milk.¹²

Ashwagandha With Honey [Aphrodisiac]

One teaspoon of ashwagandha with ghee, sugar, and honey is a very good aphrodisiac. It increases semen quantity, sperm count and mobility. It is effectively used in erectile dysfunction, low libido, and premature ejaculation.¹³

Ashwagandha And Vidari [Low Sex Drive]

For a strengthening drink for men with low sex drive, take 1 tsp of ashwagandha powder with ½ teaspoon of the herb vidari mixed in warm milk. Drink this at bedtime.

If you would like to learn more about Ayurveda and how it can be used for anti-aging, check out Todd Caldecott’s Ayurvedic course on Anti-Aging below.

Ashwagandha To Increase Breast Milk

Ashwagandha acts as a galactagogue. It thickens and increases the nutritive value of breast milk when given to nursing mothers.¹⁴

Ashwagandha Tea

Ashwagandha Tea can be prepared by boiling the powder in milk. This is referred to in Ayurveda as the kshirpaka method of extracting the active principle of the herb in milk.

Kshirpaka Method Of Ashwagandha Tea¹⁵

Take half a glass of water and half a glass of milk in a pan. Add 1 gram of ashwagandha powder and bring it to a boil. When reduced to half, remove from the heat. Once cool, add sugar.

Rich Ashwagandha Sweet And Salty Cookies¹⁷

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup refined wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 tsp ashwagandha powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions
Sift the flour, salt, and ashwagandha powder together 3-4 times with a sieve and set aside. Melt the butter in a pan.

Add sugar to the melted butter and mix well. Next, add the milk and mix together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix together and knead into a dough. Form the dough into cookies on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 375 F for 2-3 minutes. This is a great way to take ashwagandha.

Healthy Low-Cost Ashwagandha Cookies¹⁸

Here’s another way of taking ashwagandha in the form of cookies.

These are low-cost nutritive biscuits made of shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), ashwagandha and licorice (yashtimadhu, Glycyrrhiza glabra) powder.

They are rich in carbohydrates, energy, protein, and fat. They have medicinal importance in particular for malnourished populations.

Ingredients

• 1 cup refined wheat flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp dried coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp shatavari powder
• 1/2 tsp ashwagandha powder
• 1/2 tsp licorice root powder
• 2 drops Vanilla essence
• 3 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1-2 tbsp water

Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. Shape into cookies on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

No-Bake Ashwagandha Balls (Churan)¹⁹

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp jaggery
• 2 tsp ashwagandha powder
• pinch black salt
• pinch black pepper

First, powder the jaggery. Then add the ashwagandha powder to it. Rub these together well. Add black salt and black pepper and mix together. Shape into balls. This is easy to make and no cooking is required. Store in an airtight container. Ashwagandha Powder (Churan) Balls are highly nutritious.

Let’s see some more easy recipes to take ashwagandha. 

Ashwagandha Laddus (Sweets)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp safed musli (Asparagus adscendens)
• 1 tsp kali musli (black musli)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ashwagandha
• 3 tsp tragacanth gum
• 6 tsp  coconut flakes
• 8 cups ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 cups jaggery
• 1/2 cup wheat flour

Directions
1. Mix and grind all ingredients together except the wheat flour, ghee, and coconut.
2. Now thoroughly mix the wheat flour in the ghee.
3. Break the jaggery into pieces and then heat it with a little ghee. Then mix it with the flour mixture.
4. Now mix the wheat flour mixture with the jaggery mixture.
5. Add the coconut.
6. You can also mix in almonds, cashews or raisins.
7. Now bind the laddu with your hands. Keep the size appropriate, not too big and not too small (approximately one ounce each).

Take one laddu every morning at breakfast.

These laddus are effective in headache, back pain, weak bones, anemia, swelling, infections and vaginal discharge in women. It is very beneficial to males as it helps in building stamina and strength along with muscle, enhances youthfulness and is an aphrodisiac. This laddu strengthens the body and also provides vigor and vitality.

If you would like to learn more about Ayurveda and how it can be used for anti-aging, check out Todd Caldecott’s Ayurvedic course on Anti-Aging below.

Ashwagandha Banana Smoothie²⁰

Peel 3-4 bananas and cut into pieces. Grind the pieces, along with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ashwagandha powder in a blender.

Add 1 cup chilled plant-based milk. Dairy fruit should not be eaten together according to Ayurveda. Mix this again until smooth.

This is a tasty and healthy alternative way to take ashwagandha. It is most beneficial during hot weather. This is a great way to take ashwagandha and is a time-tested remedy for hot summers.

READ MORE: Pitta Cooling Foods And Drinks For Summer + Infographic

More Ashwagandha Remedies And Recipes

Semisolid Ashwagandha Sweets (Avaleha)²¹ 

This is a semi-solid preparation prepared with the addition of jaggery or sugar candy and boiled with the prescribed juice of the ashwagandha or its decoction. It is useful for proper digestion, controlling cholesterol levels, and maintaining blood pressure.

Ingredients

• Ashwagandha Powder (Churna)
• Jaggery or sugar
• Ashwagandha decoction (Kashaya)

The ratio of ingredients used in this recipe is 1:4:4 (ashwagandha powder:sugar: ashwagandha decoction). If jaggery is used in place of sugar the ratio would be 1:2:4 in quantity.

Directions

1. Make the ashwagandha decoction. Add Ashwagandha coarse powder to 16 times water and soak it for at least 2-3 hours (12 hours maximum). Then heat it on a mild to moderate flame, stirring constantly. Continue to heat this until the amount of water is reduced to 1/8. Once warm, filter it gently through a cotton cloth and your ashwagandha decoction is ready to use.
2. Dissolve the jaggery or sugar into the Ashwagandha decoction and strain it to remove any foreign particles.
3. Boil this solution over a moderate flame until a Paka is formed. A Paka, also called inspissated juice, has a semisolid consistency. The way to make sure that the Paka is perfectly formed is to press a few drops of it between the thumb and the index finger and then, move the fingers apart. If the liquid draws into a string, the Paka can be said to be perfectly formed. Another way to tell if the Paka is perfectly formed is if it sinks down in a glass of water without getting easily dissolved. It should then be removed from the heat.
4. Fine powder of ashwagandha is then added and stirred continuously and vigorously to form a homogenous mixture.

Ashwagandha avleha is ready. This can be easily made at home. When commercially made, well-known preservatives like Sodium Propyl and Sodium Methyl Parabens as well as Sodium Benzoate are added to increase its shelf life appreciably.

Store these in a plastic container and use within three years.

You may find this effective: 1 teaspoon ashwagandha avaleha with 1 cup of milk on an empty stomach daily. It is useful for proper digestion, controlling cholesterol levels, and maintaining blood pressure.

Ashwagandha Ghrita Or Ghee ²²

Ashwagandha ghrita is a medicinal preparation, especially beneficial for children as it increases their inner strength, body weight, lung capacity, improves muscle tone, and reducing weakness of the muscles.

It is also effective in problems related to male and female infertility. It is made with ¼ part fine paste (kalka) of ashwagandha and 4 times decoction (kashaya) of ashwagandha.

Indian Ashwagandha Dessert (Shrikhand)²³

Shrikhand is a popular dessert, particularly in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and some parts of South India. Shrikhand is a semi-solid, sweetish-sour fermented milk product prepared from dahi or yogurt.

Ingredients

• 4 1/4 cups curd
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 Tbsp ashwagandha powder
• charoli nuts
• cardamom
• nutmeg
• saffron
• almond leaves to garnish

The whey is drained off from the curd to yield hung curd (chakka), a curd whose whey has been drained completely. Sugar, flavor, and color are mixed into the hung curd to form a soft homogenous mass that resembles sweetened quark, a soft German cheese.

Method Of Preparation
Curd which is well developed is tied with a muslin cloth. It is then placed in a hanging position for draining of whey for 8 hours.

Hung curd (Chakka) is removed from the muslin cloth and stored under refrigeration. Then it is divided into 4 portions and Shrikhand is prepared by adding sugar and ashwagandha powder.

It is mixed and kneaded to a smooth paste and stored in the refrigerator.

Charoli nuts, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, and almonds are added to it to improve the taste and nutritional quality. This product is enjoyed by many and has great nutritional and therapeutic value.

You can also take ashwagandha in the form of snacks.

Crunchy Ashwagandha Snacks²⁴

Maize flour, ghee, guar gum, and ashwagandha powder can be mixed together and used in making noodles, pasta, and snacks.

For the preparation of pasta, weigh out 250g of milled maize flour.

Add 1% salt and water to the flour along with 2 tsp of ghee, 2-6% ashwagandha powder, and guar gum (0.5-1.5%).

The hardness of the raw pasta noodles, water uptake, swelling index, and cooking time increase as the level of ashwagandha powder and guar gum increases.

Ashwagandha powder can be incorporated up to 4% in pasta snacks and 6% in noodles. It’s a healthy alternative for snacks. You can take ashwagandha in the form of tinctures as well.

Ashwagandha Tincture²⁵

Ashwagandha tinctures are highly concentrated alcoholic extracts.

They are highly absorbable and easy to carry. It is prepared by macerating (soaking) ashwagandha leaves and root in alcohol (usually vodka or organic grain alcohol) at a ratio typically ranging from 1:1 (herb to alcohol) to 1:10, depending on the desired strength.

Ashwagandha does not taste very pleasant so a tincture is an easily digestible way to take it. In this form, it absorbs quickly into circulation and works faster than tablets and powders.

In acute manifestations of conditions like inflammation, anxiety, or insomnia, when immediate relief is necessary, a tincture is highly effective.

Ashwagandha Calm Mind Tea (Medhya Kwath)²⁶

Ashwagandha along with brahmi (Centella asiatica), shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), saunf (Foeniculum vulgare), jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) and vacha (Acorus calamus) in equal amounts are boiled in 2 cups of water. Reduce to half. This is used as a mind-relaxing tea.

Tonifying Ashwagandha Milk²⁷

In 1 cup of warm milk or almond milk, add 1 teaspoon ghee, 1 tsp. grated coconut, 1 teaspoon chopped dates, 2 tsp chopped almonds, ½ teaspoon saffron, 1/8 teaspoon cardamom seed or fennel seed, 1 tsp raw honey, 1 tsp ashwagandha root powder, and 1 teaspoon of Shatavari root powder.

Stir and your tonic milk is ready.

Therapeutic Ashwagandha Enema

In Ayurvedic medicine, an enema with an extract of ashwagandha is effective in treating colitis.²⁸ Consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner for proper use of Ayurvedic supplements and therapies.

A study observed that methanolic extracts of W. Somnifera roots turns-on the synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by acting at a transcriptional level resulting in increased production of NO by the macrophage.

This was attributed to immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. Roots of W. Somnifera can potentially be utilized for the effective treatment of various inflammatory conditions.²⁹

Ashwagandha Facial Tonic

For glowing skin, ashwagandha with dried ginger and lemon acts as a toner. Take 1/2 teaspoon Ashwagandha powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder, mix it in lemon juice, and apply over your face for 15 minutes. Wash with water.

Its potent antioxidant properties help protect the skin against free radical damage and slow down the aging process by firming the skin for a more youthful look.

Ashwagandha stimulates DHEA, which is a precursor to both testosterone and estrogen, and stimulates the production of natural skin oils.

It also promotes the production of vital compounds and proteins for healthy skin such as hyaluronan for skin hydration, elastin to keep the skin supple, and collagen for skin strength.³⁰

If you would like to learn more about Ayurveda and how it can be used for anti-aging, check out Todd Caldecott’s Ayurvedic course on Anti-Aging below.

Ashwagandha Anti Acne Cream

An anti-acne cream containing ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.³¹

A homemade face pack containing ashwagandha helps acne. Take 1 teaspoon of Aloe Vera pulp or gel, add a half teaspoon of ashwagandha powder, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon of Neem powder. Mix and apply it to the face.

Ashwagandha Gentle Face Cleanser

Mix 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon chickpea flour in lime juice. Gently massage it on the face for 2 minutes and then rinse with water.

This is an effective cleanser. It cleanses the skin of impurities and pollutants very gently. It also revitalizes, rejuvenates, and nourishes the skin.

Along with traditional Ayurvedic classical preparations of ashwagandha, try these ashwagandha remedies and recipes. Ashwagandha, a magical herb, is truly nature’s gift to mankind.

Please consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before taking ashwagandha.